Lead Designer

CHESS•Albuquerque, NM

About The Position

The Lead Graphic and Web Designer reports to the Art Director and serves as the creative lead for visual design across digital and print channels. This role oversees the development of brand-aligned design assets, manages web design standards, and collaborates with internal partners to support institutional initiatives. The position ensures high-quality design execution and contributes to the strategic planning for visual communication.

Requirements

Associate degree in Graphic Design, Web Design, Visual Communication, Marketing, or related field.
Four (4) years of professional design experience, preferably including work in higher education or a mission-driven organization, including two (2) years of experience designing for the web in a CMS environment (e.g., WordPress, Drupal, Wagtail, Omni CMS, Modern Campus, or similar).

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated portfolio showcasing accessible, design work for print and digital output.
Experience producing designs compliant with WCAG accessibility standards and institutional brand governance.
Experience collaborating with a diverse population of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

Responsibilities

Lead the creation, production, and delivery of design assets for recruitment campaigns, academic programs, student services, and community outreach.
Oversee the visual design and user experience of institutional websites, ensuring alignment with brand standards, accessibility requirements (WCAG 2.1+), and higher-education best practices.
Maintain and evolve the institution’s visual identity system, ensuring consistent application across departments and campuses.
Collaborate with Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, Education and Learning, and other units to support strategic communication goals.
Produce web-optimized graphics, interactive elements, and responsive layouts within the institution’s CMS.
Conduct quality assurance reviews of web content to ensure usability, readability, and ADA compliance.
Provide art direction, creative guidance, and mentoring to student workers, interns, or junior design staff.
Partner with internal print shops and external vendors to manage production of print materials such as brochures, posters, signage, and event collateral.
Support the creation of digital assets for social media, email campaigns, and campus-wide announcements.
Maintain an organized digital asset library, ensuring the availability of campus-specific imagery, logos, templates, and style guides.
Participate in cross-functional committees and working groups related to branding, accessibility, or web governance.
Support emergency and crisis communication efforts with rapid-turnaround design assets when needed.
Performs other related duties as assigned.