Brand Design Specialist

Tailwind Group•Mankato, MN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Tailwind Group is hiring a Brand Design Specialist to support the visual identity and creative execution of its brands, with a strong focus on student housing. Working under the direction of the Graphic Design Manager, the specialist creates original design assets, including marketing collateral, digital and print materials, templates, and campaign creative. The role maintains brand consistency while using current design, visual storytelling, and marketing messaging to engage student audiences, support property marketing and leasing, and contribute to broader company initiatives. This is a full-time, in-person position based at Tailwind Group’s Mankato or Excelsior, Minnesota corporate offices; remote work may be considered for internal and/or highly skilled applicants. The standard schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with nights or weekends occasionally required based on business needs. Compensation is $52,000–$61,500, plus bonus potential. Applicants must submit a portfolio and/or examples of creative and design experience; applications without work examples will not be considered. The position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Requirements

At least one year of experience in a marketing- and/or design-focused position.
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, Lightroom, and InDesign.
Advanced proficiency in Canva, including creating designs and developing templates.
Understanding of design and marketing trends, with the ability to adapt as trends change.
Ability to demonstrate integrity and professionalism.
Strong project management skills, multitasking ability, and attention to detail.
Strong administrative, organizational, and communication skills.
Ability to think creatively and strategically.
Strong grammatical skills and ability to develop effective messaging.
Submit a portfolio and/or examples of creative and design experience with the application.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Marketing, Communications, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Create compelling marketing materials and scalable, user-friendly templates that enable on-site teams to execute marketing initiatives while preserving each property’s identity.
Develop and maintain reusable design assets, templates, and marketing resources to streamline workflows and promote brand consistency across the portfolio.
Design digital, print, social media, and onsite materials, including promotional items, signage, flyers, social media stories, and other creative assets for property marketing and leasing.
Fulfill custom design requests from Marketing, Leasing, and other internal teams, translating project needs and business objectives into polished creative deliverables.
Develop visual storytelling, marketing messaging, and creative hooks that appeal to student audiences, capture attention, and support lead generation and leasing conversions.
Collaborate with the Graphic Design Manager and cross-functional teams on property-level marketing and broader Tailwind Group initiatives.
Apply brand guidelines and creative direction to maintain consistency, quality, and accuracy across properties, campaigns, and company-wide materials.
Manage multiple creative projects and incoming requests, balancing priorities, incorporating feedback, communicating timelines, and meeting deadlines.
Stay current with design trends, student culture, social media practices, and developments in the student housing industry.
Identify creative opportunities, improve existing materials, and provide design support while ensuring deliverables meet quality and brand standards.