Visual Content Designer - Athletic Focus

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Visual Content Designer - Athletic Focus

Company: Eastside Catholic School

Location: Sammamish, Washington, United States

Job Type: Part-Time

Category: Marketing & Communications / Creative Services

Date Posted: May 27, 2026

Experience Level: Entry-Level to Mid-Level (0-2 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical for developing visually compelling digital and print content, with a strong emphasis on athletics and real-time social media coverage.

• The Visual Content Designer will be responsible for creating engaging graphics, score updates, and student-athlete highlights to enhance school visibility, particularly during athletic events.

• This position requires a blend of graphic design expertise, social media management skills, and the ability to work efficiently under pressure, often during evenings and weekends.

• The role contributes to broader institutional marketing efforts, including events and community storytelling, ensuring consistent brand execution across all platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job description focuses on "Visual Content Designer," the core responsibilities and required skills point towards a specialized role within Marketing and Communications, heavily focused on Athletics. The term "Operations" in a broader sense can apply to the systematic creation and dissemination of content, process optimization for social media workflows, and efficient asset management. The "Athletic Focus" and required real-time content creation under deadline indicate a need for strong operational execution within the creative process.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce high-impact digital and print materials, with a primary emphasis on athletics content such as gameday graphics, score updates, player highlights, awards, schedules, and postseason run announcements.

• Develop and implement visual systems and templates for consistent, efficient production of athletics content and select school-wide marketing materials.

• Create promotional materials including posters, banners, and event programs for athletics, school activities, and broader institutional initiatives.

• Ensure strict adherence to Eastside Catholic's visual brand standards and maintain brand consistency across all created assets.

• Create, schedule, and post real-time athletics-related content across social media platforms, primarily Facebook and Instagram, including gameday graphics and final scores.

• Collaborate closely with coaches and the Athletics Department to ensure timely, accurate, and engaging content delivery for athletics communications.

• Assist with the creation and dissemination of school-wide social media content as needed, supporting broader institutional marketing goals.

• Edit and optimize photo and video content for digital, print, and social media platforms, including short-form video, reels, and gameday highlights.

• Apply dynamic editing techniques such as cropping, transitions, text overlays, motion graphics, and music synchronization to produce engaging, high-impact visual content.

• Select, organize, and manage visual assets for athletics and key school campaigns, optimizing content for real-time posting and effective storytelling.

• Track and analyze social media performance metrics (engagement, reach, growth) to provide insights and recommendations for improving athletics content and overall social media strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a need for efficient content workflow management, real-time execution, and data-informed content strategy, all of which are core components of operational excellence within a marketing and communications function. The role requires not just creative output but also the operational discipline to deliver it consistently and effectively.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, communications, or a related field is preferred.

Experience: 1–3 years of experience in graphic design, social media management, or digital marketing. Experience creating athletics or sports-related content is strongly preferred. Photography and/or videography experience is preferred.

Required Skills:

• Strong graphic design skills with a keen eye for composition, typography, and brand consistency.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop) and/or Canva for content creation.

• Proven experience in creating social-first content, particularly for athletics or fast-paced environments.

• Familiarity with social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook) including scheduling and posting tools.

• Ability to work with speed and accuracy under tight deadlines, including evenings and occasional weekends during sports seasons.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Self-starter with a proactive approach to content creation, planning, and ideation.

• Meticulous attention to detail and a strong commitment to producing high-quality work.

• Collaborative, positive attitude with a sense of humor and a willingness to contribute to team success.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator.

• Experience with photography and videography editing software.

• Experience with social media analytics and reporting tools.

• Familiarity with content management systems (CMS) and digital asset management (DAM) systems.

• Understanding of school or non-profit marketing environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for proficiency in specific creative software (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva) and social media platforms, coupled with the need for rapid content creation and organization, highlights the operational aspects of this creative role. Candidates with a demonstrated ability to manage a content calendar and execute efficiently will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 diverse projects demonstrating strong graphic design principles, including typography, layout, and color theory. Projects should ideally include examples of social media graphics, print collateral, and branding elements.

• For athletics-focused roles, include specific examples of gameday graphics, score updates, athlete spotlights, and team promotional materials.

• Highlight projects that demonstrate brand consistency and adherence to established visual guidelines, showing an ability to work within a defined brand framework.

Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your process for managing a content calendar, from ideation and creation to scheduling and performance analysis.

• Demonstrate an understanding of workflow optimization for social media, particularly for real-time event coverage and rapid content deployment.

• Explain how you would approach creating reusable design templates to streamline content production for recurring needs (e.g., weekly score updates, team announcements).

• Detail your methods for ensuring brand consistency across all visual outputs and managing digital assets efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on process and systems within the portfolio requirements is crucial for operations-minded candidates. This role requires more than just creative output; it demands a structured approach to content creation, asset management, and workflow efficiency, especially given the real-time demands of athletics coverage. Candidates should be ready to articulate their systematic approach to design and content dissemination.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $30 - $32 per hour.

As this is a part-time position with variable hours, the total annual compensation will depend on the number of hours worked, particularly aligning with the athletics calendar. During peak seasons, hours will be higher, with potential for reduced hours or an unpaid hiatus during the summer months.

Benefits:

• Paid medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Long-term disability and life insurance.

• 401(k) employer matching program.

• Free parking provided.

• Lunch provided on most school days.

• Eligibility for benefits may be impacted by seasonal work arrangements and potential summer hiatus.

Working Hours: This role involves variable seasonal hours aligned with the athletics calendar.

• During Fall, Winter, and Spring athletic seasons: Approximately 1 hour per weekday evening (remote) for post-game social media coverage, plus approximately 3 hours per day in-office.

• When athletics are not in session (June 1 - September 1): Approximately 20 hours per week in-office.

• Alternative: Option for an unpaid hiatus from June 1 through July 15, during which benefits would not be eligible.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hourly wage is competitive for a part-time, specialized creative role in the Seattle metropolitan area, reflecting the need for skilled design and social media expertise. The variable schedule and seasonal nature of the work require strong personal time management and a clear understanding of operational scheduling needs. Benefits are comprehensive for a part-time role, though eligibility nuances for the summer period should be clarified.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education (K-12, specifically secondary and middle school).

Company Size: Eastside Catholic School is a well-established independent school. While specific employee numbers aren't provided, educational institutions of this nature typically have a dedicated team for marketing, communications, IT, administration, and faculty. This suggests a structured environment with clear departmental functions.

Founded: 1980, by parents. This indicates a community-driven origin and a long-standing commitment to its educational mission.

Team Structure:

• Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, indicating a clear hierarchical structure within the department.

• The Visual Content Designer will work within the Marketing and Communications team, collaborating with other specialists in their department.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on integrating intellectual growth with faith-based learning, suggesting a values-driven approach to all school activities.

• Commitment to academic excellence and fostering meaningful relationships, implying a supportive and collaborative internal culture.

• The need for dynamic content creation, especially for athletics, points to a fast-paced, responsive approach to communications.

• Data analysis of social media performance will inform content strategy, indicating a data-informed operational approach to marketing.

Company Website: [Eastside Catholic School Website - Likely EastsideCatholic.org]

📝 Enhancement Note: The school environment implies a culture that values education, community, and potentially faith-based principles. For operations professionals, this translates to understanding communication protocols, stakeholder management (students, parents, staff, alumni), and the importance of brand reputation within an educational context. The "dynamic educational community" suggests a need for agility and responsiveness in operational execution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an entry-level to mid-level specialist within the Marketing and Communications department. It offers a focused opportunity to build a portfolio and gain experience in a specific niche (athletics marketing) within a broader educational institution.

Reporting Structure: The Visual Content Designer reports directly to the Director of Marketing and Communications. This provides a clear line of reporting and direct mentorship opportunities from a senior marketing leader.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is measured by its contribution to enhancing the school's visibility, engagement, and brand perception, particularly through compelling visual storytelling. Effective content operations directly support recruitment, community building, and the overall reputation of Eastside Catholic School.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in graphic design software, social media strategy, photography, videography, and real-time content creation.

• Specialization: Develop a strong niche in sports marketing and communications, which can open doors to similar roles in collegiate athletics, professional sports organizations, or sports-related media.

• Portfolio Building: Gain significant experience and a robust portfolio of work that demonstrates a high level of creative and operational proficiency in a demanding environment.

• Broader Marketing Exposure: Contribute to wider school marketing initiatives, offering exposure to other facets of institutional marketing and communications.

• Potential for Increased Responsibility: As experience is gained, there may be opportunities for more strategic input into content planning and campaign development.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, this role offers a pathway to specialize in content operations, where efficiency, workflow management, and data-driven decision-making are paramount. The growth potential lies in refining these operational skills within a creative context and building a reputation for reliable, high-quality output.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role requires both in-office and remote work, indicating a hybrid model. The in-office component suggests a collaborative workspace environment within the school premises.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is at Eastside Catholic School, 232 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA 98074. This is a dedicated campus environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Working within a school setting implies interaction with faculty, staff, and potentially students, fostering a community-oriented atmosphere. The Marketing and Communications team likely shares office space, promoting teamwork and idea exchange.

• On-site Resources: Access to school facilities, potentially including athletic venues for real-time coverage, and office equipment.

• Technology Integration: The role relies heavily on digital tools, including design software, social media platforms, and potentially content management systems, indicating a technologically integrated workspace.

• Dynamic Pace: The requirement for real-time content creation, especially during athletic events, means the work environment can be fast-paced and demanding at times, requiring adaptability.

Work Schedule: The schedule is variable and seasonal, with specific requirements for evenings and weekends during athletic seasons and more structured office hours when athletics are not in session. This necessitates excellent personal time management and a flexible approach to work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role, with specific in-office days and remote evening work, requires a disciplined approach to workflow management and communication. Candidates must be comfortable navigating different work environments and maintaining productivity across both settings, ensuring seamless operational execution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and creative output.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing their design process, project management, and specific contributions to athletic content creation. Be prepared to articulate your workflow and how you handle deadlines.

• Skills-Based Assessment: A potential design challenge or social media content creation exercise, possibly timed, to evaluate practical skills and ability to work under pressure.

• Behavioral/Situational Interviews: Questions will assess your fit with the school's culture, your collaborative approach, problem-solving skills, and commitment to equity and inclusion.

• Meet the Team: Potentially an opportunity to meet the Director of Marketing and Communications and other key team members.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-7 of your strongest projects that best represent the skills required for this role, with a clear emphasis on athletics-related graphics and social media content.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly explain the objective, your role, the tools used, and the outcome. Highlight any operational efficiencies you implemented.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics or anecdotal evidence of how your designs or social media posts performed (e.g., engagement rates, reach, shares).

• Brand Adherence: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to work within brand guidelines, showing consistency and attention to detail.

• Real-Time Readiness: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach creating content in real-time during a game, highlighting your preparedness and quick-thinking strategies.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Fundamentals: Refresh your knowledge of design principles, typography, color theory, and layout.

• Platform Familiarity: Ensure you are up-to-date on current social media trends, best practices for Instagram and Facebook, and effective visual storytelling techniques for these platforms.

• Athletics Context: Familiarize yourself with common visual elements and communication styles used in sports marketing and gameday coverage.

• Time Management: Practice creating simple graphics or social media posts under timed conditions to simulate a real-world challenge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize both creative talent and operational capability. Candidates should prepare to articulate not just what they created but how they created it efficiently and effectively, demonstrating an understanding of content operations and process optimization.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Graphic Design Software: Adobe Creative Suite (specifically InDesign, Photoshop) is essential. Adobe Illustrator is a strong plus. Proficiency with Canva is also required, indicating a need for versatility in design tools.

• Social Media Management Platforms: Familiarity with platforms for scheduling and posting content on Facebook and Instagram (e.g., Meta Business Suite, Hootsuite, Buffer) is expected.

• Content Management Systems (CMS): While not explicitly stated, experience with a CMS for website content updates could be beneficial.

• Digital Asset Management (DAM): Experience organizing and managing visual assets will be crucial for efficient workflow.

Analytics & Reporting Tools:

• Social Media Analytics: Proficiency in analyzing native platform analytics (Facebook Insights, Instagram Insights) and potentially third-party tools for tracking engagement, reach, and growth.

• Reporting Tools: Ability to compile insights from social media performance to inform content strategy and report to the Director of Marketing and Communications.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: While not a direct requirement, an understanding of how visual content supports broader marketing and recruitment efforts within a CRM context might be advantageous.

• Automation: Experience with tools that automate social media posting or content workflows would be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in the specified design and social media tools is non-negotiable. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these tools in detail, emphasizing how they leverage them for efficient content creation, asset management, and performance tracking – key aspects of content operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence in Execution: A commitment to producing high-quality, on-brand visual content consistently and efficiently, especially under deadline pressure.

• Data-Informed Creativity: Utilizing social media analytics to guide design choices and content strategy, ensuring that creative efforts are aligned with measurable goals.

• Collaboration and Support: Working effectively within the Marketing and Communications team and across departments, fostering a supportive environment where ideas are shared and challenges are overcome together.

• Efficiency and Optimization: Continuously seeking ways to streamline workflows, create reusable assets, and improve the process of content creation and dissemination.

• Commitment to Mission: Upholding the school's values of faith, academic excellence, and community in all communications and interactions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively engaging with coaches and the Athletics Department to gather information, understand needs, and ensure content accurately reflects the athletic program.

• Team-Oriented: Contributing to team projects, offering creative input, and being receptive to feedback from the Director of Marketing and Communications and peers.

• Proactive Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication regarding project status, potential challenges, and ideas for new content.

• Feedback Loop: Engaging in constructive dialogue about design choices and social media performance to foster continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaboration and data-informed decision-making aligns with modern operations principles. Candidates should demonstrate an understanding of how their creative output fits into the larger operational machine of the school's communications strategy and how they contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Real-Time Content Demands: The need to produce high-quality content quickly, often during live events (evenings/weekends), requires exceptional time management and stress resilience.

• Balancing Athletics Focus with Broader Needs: Effectively prioritizing and executing content for athletics while also supporting other school-wide marketing initiatives.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency: Ensuring all visual output adheres to strict brand guidelines across a variety of platforms and formats, especially when working at a fast pace.

• Evolving Social Media Landscape: Staying current with platform changes, trends, and best practices to maintain effective engagement.

• Seasonal Workload Fluctuations: Managing workload and personal time effectively around the cyclical nature of the school's athletic calendar.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Skill Development: Gaining in-depth experience in sports marketing, visual storytelling for social media, and advanced graphic design techniques.

• Industry Exposure: Understanding the operational dynamics of marketing and communications within an educational institution.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Building a strong, specialized portfolio that can lead to future opportunities in media, sports, or education.

• Mentorship: Receiving guidance from the Director of Marketing and Communications on strategic thinking, brand management, and operational efficiency.

• Networking: Building relationships within the school community, including with coaches, athletes, and administrators.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents an opportunity to hone operational skills in a creative context. The challenges are directly tied to executing creative work efficiently and effectively under pressure, which is a core competency for operations professionals. Growth lies in mastering these operational challenges and leveraging them for career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for creating a series of gameday graphics for a specific sport, from receiving the request to posting the final content." (Focus on your workflow, tools, and time management.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency when creating content under tight deadlines or when working with multiple stakeholders?" (Highlight your understanding of brand guidelines and communication strategies.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about working in an educational environment, specifically at Eastside Catholic School?" (Research the school's mission, values, and recent news.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with individuals who may not have a strong background in design or marketing, such as coaches?" (Showcase your interpersonal skills and ability to translate technical concepts.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with your strongest, most relevant athletics-focused pieces. For each, clearly state the objective and your specific contribution.

• Highlight Operational Efficiency: For each project, briefly explain how you managed your time, organized assets, or streamlined the creation process.

• Showcase Versatility: Include a mix of static graphics, social media posts, and any photo/video editing examples.

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, your process, and how you would handle specific scenarios (e.g., a last-minute change request, a challenging deadline).

• Enthusiasm for Athletics: Convey your passion for sports and your understanding of what makes compelling athletic content.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating both creative flair and operational rigor. Candidates who can articulate their process, justify their design decisions with an understanding of strategic goals, and showcase their ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently will stand out.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Visual Content Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Paylocity portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your graphic design, social media, and athletics-related content creation experience. If you have specific examples of real-time content creation or sports graphics, feature them prominently.

• Resume Optimization: Use keywords from the job description, such as "graphic design," "social media," "Adobe Creative Suite," "Canva," "athletics," "content creation," and "time management," to ensure your resume passes ATS screening and clearly communicates your relevant skills.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, workflow management, and how you handle pressure. Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your ability to meet deadlines and maintain brand consistency.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Eastside Catholic School's mission, values, programs (especially athletics), and overall brand identity to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. While efforts have been made to provide comprehensive context, candidates should verify all details, particularly regarding benefits eligibility, specific work hours, and the exact interview process, directly with Eastside Catholic School.