Senior Graphic Designer (Social Media/Email) - Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer (Social Media/Email) - Contract

Company: Skylight

Location: United States

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-10

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive impactful paid social creative execution with a focus on performance marketing initiatives and data-informed design iterations.

• Develop compelling visual assets for email marketing campaigns, supporting CRM strategies and customer engagement efforts.

• Collaborate closely with senior creative and marketing teams to translate business objectives into high-performing visual content.

• Leverage a strong understanding of design principles for digital platforms, ensuring brand consistency and campaign effectiveness across social and email channels.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is distinctly focused on performance creative for paid social and email marketing, requiring a candidate who can not only design visually appealing assets but also understand and contribute to the data-driven optimization of these campaigns. The "contract" nature and Q4 seasonal emphasis suggest a need for immediate impact and a self-sufficient, agile designer.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Autonomously execute paid social creative concepts from brief to final delivery, working in tandem with senior designers and copywriters.

• Design engaging and effective visual assets for email marketing campaigns, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and CRM strategies.

• Collaborate with channel partners (e.g., paid social managers, email marketers) to rapidly test and iterate on creative ideas, incorporating performance data and insights.

• Contribute to the development of creative briefs and strategy for new campaign initiatives, providing design perspective informed by performance trends.

• Maintain brand consistency and visual identity across all digital assets, ensuring a cohesive customer experience across social media and email touchpoints.

• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks effectively to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, contract environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "autonomously execute" and "flexing into email design" points to a need for a designer who can take ownership of projects with minimal supervision and adapt their skillset to different but related digital marketing channels. The collaboration with "channel partners" highlights the importance of understanding marketing campaign mechanics beyond just the creative asset itself.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a related field.

Experience: 5-7+ years of professional graphic design experience, with a significant portion dedicated to digital marketing creative, specifically paid social and email design.

Required Skills:

• Graphic Design Proficiency: Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Figma for creating high-quality digital assets.

• Paid Social Design Expertise: Proven experience designing effective creative for paid social media advertising platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), with a strong understanding of ad formats, best practices, and performance creative principles.

• Email Design Acumen: Demonstrated ability to design visually appealing and conversion-oriented email templates and campaign assets.

• Portfolio of Performance Creative: A comprehensive portfolio showcasing successful paid social and email design projects, highlighting measurable results or strategic thinking behind the creative.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and receive constructive feedback effectively.

• Agility & Self-Sufficiency: Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and adapt quickly to changing project requirements and feedback.

• Detail Orientation: Meticulous attention to detail in all design work, ensuring accuracy and brand consistency.

Preferred Skills:

• CRM Platform Experience: Familiarity with CRM platforms such as Klaviyo, HubSpot, or similar, particularly in relation to email design and campaign execution.

• High-Growth Environment Experience: Prior experience designing for high-growth technology companies or digital marketing agencies.

• Demographic-Specific Design: Experience designing for brands targeting parents of younger children.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio specifically demonstrating "performance creative" and "paid social design" is critical. This implies the hiring team will be evaluating designs not just for aesthetic quality but for their potential to drive engagement and conversions. The "nice to have" skills like Klaviyo and experience with the target demographic suggest a preference for candidates who can hit the ground running with minimal onboarding.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Performance Creative Showcase: A dedicated section in your portfolio featuring case studies or examples of paid social and email campaigns you designed, clearly outlining the objective, your creative approach, and any quantifiable results (e.g., CTR, conversion rates, engagement metrics).

• Tool Proficiency Demonstration: Visual examples or descriptions of how you've utilized Adobe Creative Suite and Figma to create efficient, high-impact digital assets.

• Brand Consistency Examples: Showcase how you've maintained brand integrity across various digital touchpoints, especially within a performance marketing context.

• Iterative Design Process: Include examples where you've iterated on designs based on data or feedback, demonstrating an agile approach to creative development.

Process Documentation:

• Creative Brief Interpretation: Be prepared to discuss how you interpret creative briefs and translate them into actionable design concepts for social media and email.

• Workflow Management: Articulate your personal workflow for managing design projects from initial concept through to final asset delivery, including any project management tools or methods you employ.

• Collaboration & Feedback Integration: Demonstrate your process for collaborating with copywriters, channel managers, and senior designers, and how you incorporate feedback to refine designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role focused on performance creative, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showing pretty pictures; it must demonstrate a designer's understanding of marketing objectives, their ability to execute effectively for specific channels (paid social, email), and their capacity to contribute to measurable business outcomes. The emphasis on "iterative design" suggests they value designers who can adapt and optimize.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $50 - $80 per hour.

Benefits:

• Flexible Contract Work: Opportunity to work remotely on a contract basis, offering flexibility in schedule and location within the United States.

• Performance-Based Potential: Possibility of increased hours (up to 40 per week) through the end of Q4, allowing for higher earning potential during a peak season.

• Creative Project Variety: Exposure to growth-focused creative projects for a popular family tech product, enhancing your portfolio with relevant experience.

• Direct Collaboration: Opportunity to work directly with senior staff, gaining insights from experienced professionals in a fast-paced startup environment.

Working Hours: Initially 20 hours per week, with the potential to scale up to 40 hours per week through the end of Q4.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hourly rate of $50-$80/hr for a Senior Graphic Designer in the US, especially for a contract role with a focus on performance creative, is within the expected range. The flexibility in hours, with a potential ramp-up, is a key benefit for contractors looking to manage their workload and income during a specific period. This structure is typical for seasonal or project-based contract roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Consumer Electronics / Software) - specifically focused on family organization and connectivity products.

Company Size: Skylight has achieved over $300M+ in annual revenue, indicating a substantial, established business despite being described as a "startup." This suggests a well-funded, profitable, and operationally mature organization, likely with lean but effective teams.

Founded: The company was founded by former venture capitalists and serial entrepreneurs, implying a business-savvy, results-oriented, and potentially agile operational approach.

Team Structure:

• The graphic design function appears to be integrated within a broader marketing or creative team, with the Senior Graphic Designer working under the guidance of senior staff like Senior Graphic Designers and Copywriters.

• There's a strong emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, particularly with "channel partners" responsible for paid social and email marketing execution.

• The reporting structure for this contract role would likely be to a Creative Director or Marketing Manager, with direct collaboration with senior creative team members. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The role explicitly mentions leveraging "data and insights to inform creative decision-making," indicating a strong emphasis on performance analytics and A/B testing within marketing efforts.

• Agile Creative Development: The need to "test and iterate on ideas quickly" suggests an agile methodology for creative production and campaign optimization.

• Customer-Centric Design: The company's mission to "connect loved ones" and create products customers love, coupled with a desire for designers experienced with their demographic, points to a customer-centric approach.

Company Website: https://www.skylightframe.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Skylight presents an interesting hybrid: a "startup" feel with bootstrapped profitability and high revenue, suggesting a mature but potentially fast-paced and efficient operational environment. The founders' background implies a strategic, business-minded culture. The focus on "family OS" and connecting loved ones suggests a mission-driven company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Graphic Designer, indicating an experienced individual contributor role requiring a high degree of autonomy and expertise in specific design disciplines (paid social, email). It is not a management role but requires mentorship and leadership in design execution.

Reporting Structure: The contractor will report to senior staff within the creative or marketing team. While not a direct report, they will collaborate closely with peers and senior members, receiving direction and feedback.

Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's work directly impacts Skylight's growth objectives by creating performance-driven creative assets for paid social and email marketing. Effective visuals are crucial for customer acquisition, engagement, and ultimately, revenue generation, especially during the critical Q4 season.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in performance creative for digital advertising platforms and advanced email marketing design techniques.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Gain experience working on high-revenue generating products and contributing to measurable campaign success, significantly bolstering the designer's portfolio.

• Industry Exposure: Work within a successful, bootstrapped tech company and gain insights into their growth strategies and operational efficiency.

• Potential for Extended Contract: Successful performance may lead to an extension of the contract beyond Q4, depending on business needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a contract role, the "growth" is primarily focused on skill development and portfolio enhancement rather than a traditional hierarchical promotion. The opportunity lies in demonstrating high value in a critical period, which can lead to further contract work or serve as a strong reference. The impact is direct and measurable through campaign performance metrics.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote contract position, allowing the designer to work from any location within the United States.

Office Location(s): While the company may have physical offices, the role is designated as "TELECOMMUTE," meaning the work is performed remotely. The company is headquartered in the United States.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The workspace will involve virtual collaboration tools for communication, file sharing, and project management.

• Digital Tools: Access to and proficiency with industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma) is essential, as these will be the primary tools used.

• Team Interaction: While remote, there will be opportunities for interaction with senior staff and channel partners through video calls, messaging, and collaborative design platforms.

Work Schedule: The role requires flexibility, with an initial commitment of 20 hours per week potentially increasing to 40 hours per week through the end of Q4. This suggests a need for the designer to manage their time effectively to accommodate these varying demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of this contract role offers significant flexibility. However, the potential increase in hours indicates that candidates should be prepared for a more intensive workload during Q4, requiring strong time management and the ability to adapt to a fluctuating schedule.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and, most importantly, your portfolio to assess your experience in paid social and email design, as well as performance creative.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, discussing specific projects, your design process, your understanding of performance metrics, and how you approach collaboration. Be prepared to articulate the ROI or impact of your designs.

• Skills Assessment: Potential for a brief design challenge or discussion of hypothetical scenarios to gauge your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and proficiency with design tools.

• Cultural Fit & Logistics: Discussion to ensure you are a strong fit for a collaborative, agile, and self-starting contract role, and to confirm availability and understanding of the contract terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Prioritize projects that showcase paid social ads, email campaigns, and any work demonstrating a data-driven or performance-oriented approach.

• Quantify Your Impact: Wherever possible, include metrics, results, or specific outcomes tied to your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, explain the strategic intent and potential impact.

• Demonstrate Process: For key projects, briefly outline your process: understanding the brief, ideation, design execution, iteration, and final delivery.

• Highlight Tool Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio implicitly or explicitly shows your skill with Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to talk through your design choices, your understanding of the Skylight brand, and how your skills align with the company's growth objectives.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Performance Creative: Familiarize yourself with current trends and best practices in paid social advertising and email marketing design, focusing on elements that drive engagement and conversions.

• Think Strategically: Be ready to discuss how design supports marketing goals, not just aesthetics. Consider how you would approach designing for a specific demographic (parents of young children) or a product like Skylight.

• Tool Fluency: Refresh your skills in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, as you may be asked to discuss their application or even perform a quick task.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily lean on assessing the candidate's portfolio and their ability to connect design output to business results. The focus on "performance creative" means candidates should be ready to discuss metrics and strategy, not just aesthetics. A clear, concise presentation of their work and process will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for creating and editing a wide range of graphic assets, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and potentially InDesign.

• Figma: A collaborative interface design tool, increasingly used for digital asset creation, prototyping, and team collaboration, especially in fast-paced environments.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with understanding and interpreting data from paid social platforms (e.g., Facebook Ads Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager) and email marketing platforms is crucial for informing design decisions. CRM & Automation:

• Klaviyo (Preferred): Experience with Klaviyo or similar advanced CRM and email marketing platforms is a significant advantage, indicating an understanding of how designs integrate into automated marketing workflows.

• General CRM Understanding: A general understanding of how CRM data influences marketing campaigns and design needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma is non-negotiable. The preferred experience with Klaviyo suggests that the company values designers who understand the technical and strategic aspects of email marketing automation, not just the visual design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong emphasis on creating products and services that genuinely improve family life and connect loved ones. Designs should reflect this user-centric approach.

• Efficiency & Agility: As a bootstrapped company that has scaled significantly, there's an implied value in efficient processes, rapid iteration, and smart resource allocation. This contract role embodies that by focusing on immediate, high-impact contributions.

• Data-Driven Approach: Decisions are informed by data and insights, meaning designs need to be conceptually aligned with performance goals and measurable outcomes.

• Low Ego & Collaboration: The job description explicitly mentions "low ego," highlighting a culture where teamwork, open communication, and a focus on shared goals (driving growth) are paramount over individual recognition.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires working closely with senior creative staff and channel partners, indicating a collaborative environment where different marketing functions work in tandem.

• Feedback-Driven: An openness to feedback and iteration is essential, as designs will be tested and refined based on performance data and team input.

• Proactive Communication: Given the remote and contract nature, clear, proactive communication is vital for seamless collaboration and project alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "low ego" and "collaboration" is key for a contract role. It suggests the team is looking for someone who can integrate seamlessly, contribute positively, and focus on collective success rather than personal agenda. The data-driven and efficiency values are typical of high-growth tech companies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapid Iteration & Performance Focus: The primary challenge will be to quickly produce high-performing creative assets that meet specific marketing objectives for paid social and email, often requiring rapid iteration based on data.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Effectively collaborating and communicating design intent and feedback within a remote, contract setting requires strong proactive communication skills.

• Balancing Creativity with Performance: Designing visually appealing assets that also adhere to strict performance metrics and brand guidelines can be a delicate balance.

• Seasonal Workload Fluctuations: Managing the transition from potentially 20 hours/week to 40 hours/week through Q4 requires adaptability and robust time management.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Performance Marketing Expertise: Gain hands-on experience optimizing creative for paid social and email campaigns, understanding what drives conversions in a real-world, high-revenue environment.

• Portfolio Building: Develop a robust portfolio with quantifiable results from a well-known family tech brand, significantly enhancing marketability.

• Agile Design Methodologies: Further refine skills in rapid prototyping, A/B testing creative, and working within agile marketing frameworks.

• Industry Insights: Learn from experienced professionals in a successful, bootstrapped technology company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the performance-driven nature of the role and the contract/seasonal aspect. The growth opportunities are significant for a designer looking to specialize in performance marketing creative and build a strong portfolio with a reputable company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed paid social creative that significantly improved campaign performance. What was your process, and what metrics did you focus on?" (Focus on quantifiable results, strategy, and process.)

• "How would you approach designing an email campaign for a new Skylight product launch, considering our target demographic of parents with young children?" (Discuss demographic understanding, brand alignment, and conversion goals.)

• "Walk me through your process for taking a creative brief from a senior stakeholder to a final, approved design asset for a paid social ad." (Highlight autonomy, collaboration, iteration, and tool usage.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Skylight, what do you think are the key visual elements that would resonate with our target audience?" (Show research and understanding of the brand and demographic.)

• "This is a contract role with potentially fluctuating hours. How do you manage your workload and communicate your availability when working on a project basis?" (Demonstrate organization, communication, and flexibility.)

• "How do you incorporate data and feedback into your design process, especially when working remotely?" (Emphasize data-driven approach and remote collaboration skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with Impact: Begin by showcasing your strongest paid social or email campaign examples that demonstrate measurable results.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem/objective, your solution (design choices), the process, and the outcome. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Performance: Explicitly point out how your designs contributed to campaign success. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss the strategic intent behind the design choices.

• Showcase Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your workflow in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, and how these tools enable efficient and effective design.

• Engage and Listen: Be prepared for questions and actively listen to understand their specific needs and priorities for this contract role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to showcase their portfolio with a focus on performance metrics and strategic thinking. The interview will likely assess not only design skills but also the candidate's ability to be a self-sufficient, collaborative, and results-oriented contractor.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link, ensuring your resume and portfolio are up-to-date and easily accessible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your most relevant projects focusing on paid social ads and email designs that demonstrate strong performance metrics or strategic impact. Organize them clearly with brief descriptions of objectives, your role, and outcomes.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description such as "paid social design," "email design," "performance creative," "Adobe Creative Suite," "Figma," and "contract." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio, focusing on your process, how you use data to inform design, and your collaborative approach. Be ready to discuss your experience with the specified tools and demographic.

• Research Skylight: Understand their products (Skylight Calendar, Calendar 2), their mission, and their target audience. Be prepared to discuss how your design philosophy aligns with their brand and growth objectives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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