Creative & Branding Associate

American College of Cardiology•Washington, DC

13h

About The Position

The Sr. Specialist, Creative & Branding is an individual-contributor graphic designer on ACC’s Creative and Branding team within Marketing & Communications. The role creates original design and production across print, digital, presentation, video, and display formats, using Adobe Creative Cloud on the Macintosh platform and applying brand and visual identity systems. Work is performed under the day-to-day direction of the Team Leader, Creative and Branding; priorities and project scope come from above, while execution and problem-solving on individual projects are largely self-directed. The position delivers projects on time, within assigned budgets, and in line with creative and business objectives. It maintains accurate creative resources and organized project files and archives on shared servers. The individual has no direct reports or departmental budget ownership, but is accountable for assigned project budgets and partners with the Creative and Branding Production Manager on cost-saving and production-efficiency recommendations. The role regularly exercises judgment about production feasibility, budget, and postal and printing regulations, and collaborates with marketing and communications teams and other College business lines.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Design, Graphic Design, Digital Design, or a related field.
At least 5 years of professional graphic design experience.
High proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud on the Macintosh platform, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, with the ability to move efficiently between print and digital production workflows.
Demonstrated digital design experience creating responsive campaign assets for web, email, social media, presentations, and other screen-based formats; understanding of hierarchy, readability, accessibility, image optimization, and channel-specific requirements.
Proficiency in video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro and working knowledge of Adobe After Effects or comparable motion graphics tools; ability to edit short-form video, select and trim footage, work with audio, add titles and captions, apply basic color correction, and export for multiple digital platforms.
Strong print design and production knowledge, including publication and collateral layout, typography, prepress, bleeds, color modes, image resolution, packaging files, proof review, and preparation of accurate press-ready artwork.
A technically and creatively strong portfolio demonstrating effective print and digital design, campaign adaptation across formats, video or motion work, and understanding of communication design and typography principles.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interpret creative briefs, ask thoughtful questions, present design rationale, and give and receive constructive feedback.
Ability to work independently in a high-volume, fast-paced environment; manage multiple deadlines; maintain organized files; learn new tools and techniques; and consistently deliver accurate, on-brand work within budget and schedule.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing integrated campaigns that extend a core creative concept across print, web, email, social media, presentation, motion, and video formats.
Advanced proficiency in Adobe Premiere Pro and working proficiency in Adobe After Effects, including motion graphics, animated typography, captions, audio editing, and platform-specific video exports.
Photography experience, including image selection, art direction, basic studio or event photography, use of Canon cameras, and professional retouching and color correction in Photoshop.
Working knowledge of digital accessibility practices, including readable typography, color contrast, captioning, and designing assets that support accessible web, email, social, and presentation experiences.
Experience in the creative services or communications department of a large association, corporation, design studio, or advertising agency.

Responsibilities

Create original, on-brand graphic design and production for print, digital, presentation, display, motion, and video projects.
Partner with marketing and communications teams to incorporate the expertise and input of relevant business lines across the College.
Manage assigned projects to ensure on-time delivery and alignment with creative and business objectives.
Work with the Creative and Branding Production Manager to keep projects within budget and compliant with postal regulations, and recommend solutions that improve creative results or reduce costs.
Adapt campaign concepts across print and digital channels, including publications, collateral, web and email graphics, social media assets, presentations, motion graphics, and short-form video.
Maintain creative asset files and resources, including stock and assignment photography, fonts, software and updates, and art materials.
Manage individual project workload using the team’s web-based job tracking system.
Organize project files according to department standards and keep shared-server project archives current for team access.
Collaborate with the marketing and communications team, support team members and business areas, and foster creative excellence.
Deliver assigned projects on time, meet turnaround expectations for standard design requests, and support positive partner feedback and re-engagement through creative quality.