Graphic Designer I

Equip Leaders – Reach Kids – Change the World At Awana, we believe true change happens in the communities when children and youth are transformed by the gospel and engaged in Biblical discipleship in the presence of a caring adult. We believe that kids can come to know, love and serve Jesus, following Him for a lifetime. This is why, for 75+ years, Awana has been working with leaders in local churches in the US and around the world, providing solutions that equip these women and men to make disciples in children and youth. Today, God is using Awana to reach over 10 million kids in 140 countries around the world. With over 500,000 equipped leaders in 91,000 clubs/churches, Awana is able to play a vital role in global evangelism and discipleship of children and youth. If you are passionate about being integral to reaching kids with the gospel, join us, and become a part of our global cause. Summary At our ministry, we are passionate about forming lasting faith in every child, everywhere! As the Graphic Designer I, you will play an important role in furthering our mission by using current and trending design concepts, technologies and tools to create compositions that visually represent our brand, and by preparing files for production and managing technical specs for everything from ads to packaging. In this role you will collaborate with freelancers, vendors and team members across the ministry in preparing deliverables designed to engage our current and prospective partners, members, churches, clubs, discipleship leaders, and children in the mission and call to action of Awana. You’ll thrive in this role if you can craft compelling visual narratives and support the team with production responsibilities while having a heart for mission work that directly impacts the lives of children and youth around the world. We’re seeking someone who views creative and production work not just as a series of tasks, but as vital ministry work with eternal value. This position is primarily remote with some travel required based on strategic organizational meetings, including annual conferences and assisting with occasional photoshoots. Primary travel locations would be our offices in St. Charles, IL or Nashville, TN. Salary for this position is: $45,000 to $49,000 Must submit a portfolio or link to work with application. Who We Are Looking For Team player who supports, upholds and demonstrates the Awana values in internal and external communications and relationships. Collaborative partner who has a natural ability to create genuine relationships with our internal team and external partners. Logical problem solver who proactively communicates workflow and/or deadline status to the team. Self‑motivated, goal‑oriented professional with a passion for helping fuel exponential ministry growth. Flexible team member who is open to taking on new responsibilities and easily adapts to shifting priorities and needs. Champion of children to belong, believe and become resilient disciples. Key Responsibilities Graphic Design & Production Contributes to the graphic design process, including visualizing and creating basic to intermediate graphics such as layouts, icons, digital assets, and photo assets. Executes design work based on established templates and style guides, with opportunities to conceptualize new themes under the guidance of creative leads. Provides basic image editing, formatting, and file preparation for print and digital use. Helps build out approved campaign concepts across multiple print and digital platforms in collaboration with other departments. Prepares and refines design files for internal review and production, ensuring accuracy and adherence to brand standards. Creates and organizes production‑ready files, including PDFs for internal review. Identifies and flags potential design or production issues to senior team members. Project & Process Management Supports assigned projects by following development timelines and completing tasks on schedule. Maintains and organizes design assets including fonts, images, logos, and working files. Learns and applies departmental workflows, file structures, and best practices. Seeks opportunities to improve efficiency and quality within established processes. Communicates proactively with team members regarding project status, questions, or potential delays. Participates in design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and creative discussions. Receives and applies feedback constructively from creative leadership. Collaborates with cross‑functional teams to support ministry product development and communication needs. Organizational Culture & Values Supports, upholds, and demonstrates the Awana cultural values in internal and external communications and relationships. Performs other duties as assigned. What You Need Minimum 2 years demonstrated experience in graphic design/visual communications that shows working knowledge of design principles, typography, color theory layout and composition. Working knowledge of common graphic design technology including Mac and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Lightroom); also desired, working knowledge of printing processes and technologies. Proven ability to effectively and artistically apply elements of design such as: line, shape, space, color, scale, contrast, typography. Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) with a concentration in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or similar from an accredited college or university desired but not required. Experience working with external vendors and printers, including preparing production‑ready files and performing thorough preflight checks. Occasional local and out‑of‑town, overnight travel may be required. General understanding of the Bible and the Christian Church in its various expressions preferred. Experience with Awana Club, curriculum, resources, & solutions is a plus! Eligibility to work in the United States is required; this position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Spiritual Life Must be a born‑again Christian. Must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Must be in agreement with the Awana Doctrinal Statement. Must be in fellowship with the body of Christ through a local church. Regularly engages in reading the Holy Bible as a guide and standard for living. Physical Demands/Working Conditions While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly required to communicate. The team member is also required to regularly utilize computer equipment (e.g., screens and keyboards) to perform work for prolonged periods. Awana recommends maintaining ergonomic posture, utilizing properly positioned computer equipment to minimize strain, and taking regular breaks to stretch and move around. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to distinguish colors. Local and out‑of‑town, overnight travel may be required. What We Offer As a ministry that equips leaders to reach kids with the gospel and engage them in lifelong discipleship, we value our team that makes this happen and are excited to offer: Mission‑driven work that changes the lives of children and youth around the world. Intentional connection, flexibility, family, and community engagement are part of our culture. Remote‑first work environment, allowing you to do the majority of your work from where it is you call “home”. We also have two office locations designed for collaborative work and connection with colleagues in St. Charles, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee, that can be used at your convenience. Benefits package, including a variety of programs you can choose from to meet you and your family’s needs. Some of these include medical, dental & vision health insurance, paid family leave, 401(k) & Roth 401(k) retirement savings plans with employer match, generous paid vacation & holidays, adoption assistance, college scholarship, an employee wellness program, and more! This Job Description reflects the current assignment of essential functions and is not meant to be all‑inclusive. Responsibilities may be assigned or reassigned to this job at any time based on the needs of the organization and may be modified to reasonably accommodate an individual with a disability or for other reasons. Please note, this opportunity is contingent upon favorable completion of a reference check, background check, and I‑9 completion. #J-18808-Ljbffr Awana International