Graphic Designer

ACLU - National Office • Washington, DC

3d • $108,254 • Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Graphic Designer in the Communications & Marketing Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington D.C. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.
The ACLU Communications & Marketing Department creates, maintains, and expands message narratives to engage our supporters and other target audiences, to help protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights, and also illustrate the value and impact of the ACLU’s work. Through our messaging, engagement with newsmakers, our written and social content, branding, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to create a more perfect union.
This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).
Reporting to the Design Director, the Graphic Designer will be responsible for supporting the creative development and execution of design projects that translate campaign strategies into clear, compelling, and engaging visual assets. This role contributes to the creation of bold, mission-driven design work that resonates with a wide range of audiences and advances organizational goals across digital platforms, campaigns, and select print materials.
The Graphic Designer works collaboratively within the Brand Studio and across departments to deliver high-quality, on-brand design solutions, contributing to visual identities, campaign assets, and rapid-response materials. With a strong foundation in design craft and brand application, the Graphic Designer manages assigned projects with a degree of independence, incorporates feedback thoughtfully, and supports efficient workflows and processes. Through close partnership with the design director & senior designers, creative leadership, and cross-functional teams, this role plays a key part in ensuring design excellence, consistency, and impact across the organization.

Requirements

• Demonstrated relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience producing high-quality graphic design for digital platforms, including web, social media, email, presentations, and select print materials.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple design assignments simultaneously while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to delivering polished, on-brand work.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working on campaign-based, advocacy, or mission-driven design work.
• Experience with Figma
• Familiarity with project management tools such as Asana
• Experience supporting or coordinating design work across multiple stakeholders or teams.
• Familiarity with merchandise or branded collateral design.
• Basic understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles
• Familiarity with branding and storytelling for social justice or nonprofit initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of visual identities for campaigns by understanding project goals, conducting research as needed, generating and refining design concepts, incorporating feedback, and executing final assets in alignment with brand guidelines.
• Participate in rapid-response design efforts, producing timely and effective visuals in response to urgent organizational or advocacy needs.
• Design and produce graphics for ACLU websites, social media channels, and email communications in accordance with established design standards, project objectives, and branding guidelines.
• Assist with the layout and design of digital and print publications, including reports, white papers, and informational materials; support the creation of data visualizations such as charts, tables, and infographics.
• Create promotional materials for digital and print advertising, ACLU-branded merchandise, and website special features.
• Produce a range of additional design assets as needed, including presentations, internal communications templates, video text cards, and informational graphics; assist with basic photo retouching for documentary, portrait, and marketing imagery.
• Create and submit moodboards and be comfortable presenting and pitching creative ideas to internal teams
• Serve as a creative thought partner across the Brand Studio & Communications & Marketing teams
• Support project planning and coordination by tracking timelines, deliverables, and approvals across creative projects
• Assist with day-to-day project management tasks, including scheduling, status updates, and organizing assets and documentation
• Help ensure projects move smoothly by communicating updates, flagging risks, and supporting cross-team coordination
• Collaborate with colleagues across Marketing & Communications, Policy, Legal, Affiliate Support, and Development to support the creation of design assets that align with organizational goals.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with project stakeholders, incorporating feedback and updates to support smooth collaboration and timely delivery of work.

Benefits

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

What This Job Offers

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