Brand & Design Specialist

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

7d

About The Position

The Brand & Design Specialist leads the NC Collaboratory’s visual identity, ensuring complex research is translated into engaging, accessible, and high-impact materials across print, digital, video, and web platforms. Through graphic design, video production, editorial judgment, and strategic communication, the position strengthens stakeholder engagement and communicates research impact to policymakers, academic partners, and the public. Reporting to the Director of External Impact & Strategic Communications, the Specialist collaborates with Communications, Research, and Leadership teams to maintain a cohesive and professional visual presence. Deliverables include branded reports, digital collateral, video projects, website updates, and the quarterly newsletter, with an emphasis on consistency, accessibility, and audience alignment. Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016, the Collaboratory connects UNC System research expertise with the practical needs of policymakers and communities. It conducts both directed and discretionary research across areas such as natural resource management, environmental quality, and public health, managing more than 250 active projects supported by over $250 million in appropriations. The Brand & Design Specialist produces strategic visual and video content that supports these research priorities and upholds consistent, high-quality branding across all communications.

Requirements

• Professional experience in visual communications, graphic design, video production, or related creative fields.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) or comparable design software, and video editing tools such as Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or After Effects for producing and editing short and long form video content for web, social media, and events.
• Familiarity with web content management systems, such as WordPress.
• Ability to translate complex research into clear visual and video storytelling while maintaining consistent branding across digital, print, video, and social media.
• Strong attention to detail, creative problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with research teams, leadership, and external stakeholders, and to contribute to both independent and team-based video production, including pre-production, filming, and postproduction.
• Demonstrated ability to create high quality design assets, including reports, presentations, infographics, social media graphics, and video content.
• Proven ability to manage multiple creative projects from concept through delivery while maintaining brand consistency.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of best practices in video production workflows, including lighting, sound, and editing techniques for professional quality output.
• Ability to weave visual and video storytelling into organizational narratives that maximize policy impacts and public visibility.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including experience with motion graphics, animation, and video editing in tools like After Effects or Premiere.
• Strong understanding of design theory, including typography, color, layout, and composition, with the ability to apply it across diverse platforms.
• Familiarity with search engine optimization (SEO) and web analytics tools to optimize content performance and audience engagement.
• Experience designing and leading integrated, multi format communications or visual campaigns that align with strategic messaging.
• Ability to manage complex, multi channel projects with multiple stakeholders with tight timelines.
• Ability to anticipate communications needs and proactively create solutions that strengthen institutional visibility.
• Experience designing visual assets for research, academic, or policy-focused audiences at the state, national, or international level.
• Progressive experience producing and editing videos for academic, research, or policy contexts, including interviews, event coverage, and explainer videos.
• Prior experience in higher education, nonprofit, or government settings, with an ability to adapt design and messaging for varied stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop the Collaboratory’s visual branding by creating high impact digital and print materials that support research priorities, elevate leadership visibility, and ensure consistency across all public facing assets.
• Combine strategic design thinking with hands on creative execution, managing collaborative design projects, producing print and digital assets, creating editorial aligned graphics, and overseeing brand and asset management.
• Lead the Collaboratory’s video storytelling by producing dynamic content that communicates research, leadership, and organizational impact.
• Apply creative direction and technical execution across formats to translate complex research into clear, compelling, and accessible stories.
• Manage and optimize the Collaboratory’s website to keep content current, accurate, and aligned with strategic goals.
• Integrate technical updates, content management, and user experience enhancements to maintain a dynamic, research driven web presence.
• Publish and optimize content, coordinate technical updates with IT, review and refresh site pages, improve navigation and user experience, and integrate regular research updates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed