Visual Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Visual Designer

Company: Tavern Research

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: Salaried Full-Time

Category: Creative Operations / Visual Design

Date Posted: 2026-05-07T19:59:20.654

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a hybrid of video editing, graphic design, and slide deck development, focusing on refining AI-generated content.

• The position requires a systems-thinking approach to build and scale creative processes, templates, and asset libraries.

• A key responsibility is applying human judgment and design instincts to elevate raw, machine-generated output into polished, persuasive visual communications.

• The role demands strong collaboration with research and strategy teams to translate complex data and messaging into compelling visual assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Visual Designer," the description emphasizes a blend of editing, design, and systems thinking, particularly in the context of refining AI-generated content. This suggests a role that bridges creative execution with operational efficiency in content production. The emphasis on "systems thinker" and "building repeatable systems" indicates a need for process-oriented skills beyond traditional design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Edit and refine video content, graphics, and layouts, primarily starting with AI-generated drafts, to ensure high-quality, persuasive, and intentional creative output.

• Design and adapt a wide range of visual materials, including advertisements, website elements, presentation decks, campaign collateral, and internal documentation.

• Develop, implement, and maintain design systems, templates, and repeatable frameworks to enhance creative consistency and production speed for the team.

• Build, organize, and manage creative asset libraries, including templates, b-roll footage, stock media, licensed content, and brand assets.

• Create original data visualizations, diagrams, and graphics to effectively communicate research findings and complex ideas to clients.

• Collaborate closely with research and strategy teams to visually translate polling data, content testing results, and messaging insights into impactful visuals.

• Define and enforce Tavern's aesthetic standards across all visual deliverables, ensuring brand consistency and overall quality.

• Leverage AI tools to automate creative processes, improve consistency, and increase production speed.

• Manage both urgent, quick-turnaround creative requests and contribute to long-term system building and infrastructure improvements.

• Communicate effectively with the Client Delivery Lead and clients regarding project scope, timelines, constraints, and revision processes.

• Ensure all creative outputs meet Tavern's quality bar and effectively support the company's mission of making complex ideas clear and persuasive.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on creative execution and strategic systems building. The emphasis on "refining machine-generated content" and "leveraging AI to automate" points to a role that requires adaptability to emerging technologies and a focus on optimizing creative workflows for efficiency and scale.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A formal degree is not required; exceptional skills and relevant experience are prioritized.

Experience:

• 2+ years of experience in video production, visual design, graphic design, or closely related creative fields.

Required Skills:

• Strong proficiency in video editing software such as Final Cut, Adobe Premiere Pro, or comparable tools.

• Expertise in design and presentation software, including Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Google Slides, and Microsoft PowerPoint.

• Demonstrated ability to use AI tools within creative workflows to enhance efficiency and output.

• Excellent visual design instincts, with a strong understanding of layout, typography, visual hierarchy, and overall aesthetic quality.

• Proven ability to communicate effectively with clients, manage expectations, and discuss project scope, timelines, and revisions.

• Capacity to collaborate with technical engineers, providing actionable feedback and translating design requirements into technical specifications.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in political, advocacy, or other high-stakes, fast-paced environments.

• Experience working with polling data, content testing methodologies, or campaign messaging strategies.

• Familiarity with creating original data visualizations and translating complex data into clear graphical representations.

• Experience organizing and managing creative asset libraries, including b-roll, stock footage, and brand elements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize practical skills and demonstrated experience over formal education, aligning with a modern, results-oriented hiring approach. The inclusion of "systems thinking" and "template development" skills suggests a need for candidates who can not only create but also systematize creative processes for scalability.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong portfolio showcasing a diverse range of visual design and video editing projects, demonstrating the ability to refine and elevate raw or machine-generated content.

• Examples of template development, design systems, or repeatable frameworks that illustrate an understanding of scalability and efficiency in creative production.

• Case studies or project examples that highlight how you have applied human judgment, design instincts, and taste to transform raw output into polished, persuasive creative work.

• Visualizations of complex data or research findings, demonstrating the ability to translate technical information into clear and compelling graphics.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating and organizing creative asset libraries, demonstrating an understanding of file management, version control, and brand asset stewardship.

• Examples of workflow optimization or process improvements implemented in previous creative roles to enhance speed, consistency, or quality.

• Documentation of how AI tools were integrated into a creative workflow to achieve specific project goals or operational efficiencies.

• Demonstrations of how aesthetic standards were defined and maintained across multiple projects or deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on both execution and systems building, a portfolio should clearly demonstrate both creative capability and process-oriented thinking. Candidates should be prepared to showcase how they've contributed to efficiency and scalability in creative production, not just individual design outputs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $87,000 - $106,400 annually.

Benefits:

• Premium health insurance coverage.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) policy.

• Office closure on all federal holidays.

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.

• Equity options, offering potential ownership and long-term financial upside.

Working Hours: The role is based on a standard 40-hour work week, with the flexibility inherent in a hybrid work arrangement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a visual designer role with 2-5 years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Chicago. The benefits package is robust, including premium health insurance, significant equity, and unlimited PTO, which are attractive perks for creative professionals. The mention of "hybrid role" suggests a need for defined work hours balancing in-office collaboration with remote flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Tavern Research operates within the marketing, consulting, and public sector spaces, likely focusing on research, polling, and campaign strategy. This implies a fast-paced, data-driven environment where clear communication and persuasive visuals are paramount.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the existence of a dedicated "Client Delivery Lead" and the mention of an "operations team" suggest a growing company, likely in the small to medium-sized business (SMB) range, with established processes but still room for individual impact and system development.

Founded: The founding date is not provided.

Team Structure:

• The Visual Designer will be part of a delivery team, collaborating closely with researchers and strategists.

• A "Client Delivery Lead" is mentioned, suggesting a project management or client-facing role that the designer will partner with.

• The role implies collaboration with "technical engineers" to inform product decisions and troubleshoot.

Methodology:

• The company's core business likely involves transforming data and research into actionable insights and persuasive communications.

• A strong emphasis is placed on leveraging AI tools to enhance creative output and efficiency.

• The culture values "systems thinking," "clean lines," "clear logic," and work that tells a "clear story."

• There's a focus on building repeatable systems that maintain creative quality and taste.

Company Website: https://tavernresearch.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of analytical rigor (research, data) and creative execution, with a forward-thinking approach to technology (AI integration). The emphasis on "scrappy," "resourceful," and "independently driven" suggests an entrepreneurial spirit within a structured environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an intermediate-level Visual Designer. It requires foundational experience (2+ years) but also offers significant opportunities for growth into more senior or specialized creative operations roles. The emphasis on "systems building" and "scaling good creative judgment" indicates a path toward influencing operational processes within the creative function.

Reporting Structure: The Visual Designer will likely report to a Creative Lead, Design Manager, or potentially the Client Delivery Lead, depending on the internal structure. They will collaborate closely with researchers, strategists, and technical engineers.

Operations Impact: The Visual Designer's impact is crucial for translating complex research and data into clear, persuasive communications for clients. By refining AI-generated content and building scalable creative systems, this role directly contributes to the company's efficiency, client satisfaction, and overall brand presentation in high-stakes environments.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like data visualization, video storytelling, or AI-driven creative workflows.

• Systems Leadership: Progress into roles focused on developing and managing design systems, creative operations, or production pipelines.

• Client-Facing Expertise: Develop stronger client communication and project management skills, potentially moving toward a Client Delivery or Account Management track within creative services.

• Mentorship: As the team grows, opportunities to mentor junior designers or editors may arise.

• Strategic Contribution: Influence the company's creative strategy and technology adoption, particularly regarding AI in content creation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique blend of creative execution and operational development. Candidates with a desire to not only create but also optimize and scale creative processes will find significant growth potential here, moving beyond pure design into areas of creative operations and strategy.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job is described as a "hybrid role," indicating a mix of in-office and remote work. The presence of a physical office in Chicago suggests opportunities for in-person collaboration, team meetings, and access to office resources.

Office Location(s): Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid nature and focus on cross-functional collaboration suggest a workspace designed for both focused individual work and team interaction. The mention of working with researchers and strategists implies a dynamic environment where ideas are shared.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary design and editing software, likely including high-performance workstations, will be provided or expected. The integration of AI tools into the workflow will be a key aspect of the daily workspace.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues, including researchers, strategists, and potentially clients (via video conferencing), will be frequent. The role requires communication with a "Client Delivery Lead," indicating a structured but collaborative team dynamic.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with flexibility inherent in a hybrid arrangement. This allows for effective management of project deadlines while balancing personal needs, crucial for creative roles that often require deep focus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in Chicago allows for the benefits of both remote flexibility and in-person collaboration. Candidates should consider how they best thrive in such an environment and be prepared to articulate their approach to managing hybrid work effectively for creative output and team integration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess foundational skills, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements.

2. Technical/Creative Assessment: This may involve a portfolio review session where you'll walk through your work, discuss your process, and explain your design decisions. A practical design or editing challenge might be assigned to assess your skills in action, focusing on refining AI-generated content or creating visualizations.

3. Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Interviews with hiring managers and team members to assess your problem-solving abilities, collaboration style, adaptability, and cultural fit. Expect questions about how you handle feedback, manage deadlines, and approach systems building.

4. Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership to finalize the decision, focusing on your strategic thinking and long-term potential within the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Refinement: Showcase projects where you've taken raw or AI-generated content and significantly improved it with your design skills and judgment.

• Demonstrate Systems Thinking: Include examples of templates, style guides, or process improvements you've developed. Explain the problem they solved and the impact they had.

• Showcase Versatility: Present a range of work, including video editing, graphic design, data visualization, and presentation design, to reflect the hybrid nature of the role.

• Focus on Impact: For each project, articulate the objective, your role, your process, and the outcome or impact achieved, using metrics where possible.

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentation to tell a compelling narrative about your skills, growth, and approach to creative challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Content Transformation: Be prepared to receive a piece of AI-generated content (text, rough video, or data points) and be asked to refine it into a polished visual or video segment, explaining your rationale.

• Systems Design Scenario: You might be asked to outline how you would build a template library for a specific type of deliverable or how you would organize creative assets for a campaign.

• Problem-Solving: Anticipate questions about how you handle tight deadlines, conflicting feedback, or technical constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh portfolio quality and demonstrated ability to apply design principles to AI-generated content and systems. Candidates should prepare tangible examples of their process and impact, especially regarding efficiency and scalability.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Video Editing Software: Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, or comparable professional video editing platforms. Proficiency in one or more is essential for refining video content.

• Graphic Design Software: Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, for creating and manipulating visual assets.

• Presentation Software: Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint for developing and refining slide decks and internal documentation.

• AI Tools: Comfort and experience using various AI tools integrated into creative workflows for content generation, enhancement, or automation.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly mentioned for this role, an understanding of how visual assets are used and perform in campaigns (e.g., A/B testing results for ads) might be beneficial.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this design role, but awareness of how creative assets are requested, managed, and delivered within a client management system could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard creative software is a baseline requirement. The emphasis on AI tools suggests that candidates should be comfortable exploring and adopting new technologies to enhance their design and editing processes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Judgment: Valuing the application of human taste, design instincts, and critical judgment to elevate raw output.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Emphasizing the importance of building repeatable systems, templates, and processes to ensure consistent quality and speed.

• Clarity & Storytelling: A core value of communicating complex ideas visually and clearly, ensuring all work tells a compelling story.

• Collaboration & Feedback: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together, and feedback is welcomed and incorporated to improve work.

• Resourcefulness & Adaptability: Encouraging a scrappy, independent approach to problem-solving and a willingness to try new things, including leveraging AI.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires close collaboration with researchers, strategists, and technical engineers to translate data and insights into effective visuals.

• Process-Oriented: A collaborative approach to defining and refining workflows, templates, and asset management systems.

• Feedback-Driven Improvement: An expectation of receiving and giving constructive feedback to ensure the highest quality creative output and continuous improvement of processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values a proactive, problem-solving mindset that combines creative talent with operational efficiency. Candidates who can demonstrate their ability to work effectively in a collaborative, feedback-rich environment and contribute to process improvement will be highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing AI Output with Human Touch: Effectively integrating AI-generated drafts while ensuring human judgment, taste, and brand consistency are paramount.

• System Building Under Pressure: Developing and refining creative systems, templates, and asset libraries while also managing urgent project demands.

• Translating Complex Data: Visually communicating intricate research findings and data points in a clear, persuasive, and aesthetically pleasing manner.

• Maintaining Aesthetic Standards: Upholding Tavern's visual identity across a wide range of deliverables and evolving creative needs.

• Client Communication: Managing client expectations, scope, and feedback effectively within established timelines and technical constraints.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced AI Creative Tools: Gaining hands-on experience and expertise in integrating cutting-edge AI tools into creative production workflows.

• Design System Mastery: Developing deep skills in building, managing, and scaling design systems and creative infrastructure.

• Data Visualization Expertise: Enhancing skills in translating complex data into impactful and intuitive visual narratives.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Deepening understanding of research, strategy, and technical engineering to better inform visual output.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to guide junior team members or take on more responsibility in operational aspects of creative production.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant opportunities for growth in areas at the intersection of creative work and operational efficiency, particularly with the increasing integration of AI. Candidates who embrace these challenges will find avenues for substantial professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to take raw or AI-generated content and transform it into a polished, persuasive piece. What was your process, and what were the key decisions you made?" (Focus on your design judgment, editing skills, and problem-solving).

• "How would you approach building a scalable template library for our video ads or presentation decks? What considerations would you prioritize?" (Demonstrate your systems-thinking and process-optimization skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Tavern Research values 'systems thinking' and 'clear logic.' How do these values manifest in your approach to visual design and creative production?" (Connect your skills to the company's stated values).

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment and collaborating with cross-functional teams. How do you ensure effective communication and project alignment?" (Showcase your adaptability and teamwork).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio thematically or chronologically, but ensure you can quickly pull up relevant examples for specific questions. Start with your strongest, most relevant projects.

• Narrative: For each project, articulate the problem, your solution, your specific contributions, the tools used, and the outcome. Quantify results whenever possible.

• AI Integration: Be prepared to discuss projects where you've leveraged AI, explaining your process and the benefits achieved.

• Systems Focus: Highlight any projects where you've contributed to templates, style guides, or workflow improvements.

• Engagement: Be ready to discuss your design rationale, accept constructive feedback, and engage in a dialogue about your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to articulate their process for refining AI-generated content, building scalable systems, and translating complex information visually. Demonstrating an understanding of the company's values and a proactive approach to learning will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Visual Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on rippling.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight specific examples of video editing, graphic design, data visualization, and template development. Ensure it clearly showcases your ability to refine AI-generated content and build efficient creative systems. Be ready to walk through 2-3 key projects that exemplify your skills and approach.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 2+ years of experience in relevant creative roles. Use keywords from the job description such as "video production," "visual design," "Adobe Creative Suite," "Final Cut," "Premiere," "systems thinking," "template development," and "AI tools." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice explaining your design process, your approach to problem-solving, and how you handle feedback. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and familiarize yourself with the company's work and values.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review the Tavern Research website (tavernresearch.com) to understand their industry, client base, and the type of work they produce. Pay attention to their mission and how visual communication supports it.

⚠️ 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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