Senior Director, Marketing and Communications

The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) provides all Cal graduates with rewarding connections to the university, to fellow alums, and to current students. Founded by the original graduates of the University of California in 1872, the Cal Alumni Association today represents more than half a million alums living throughout the world.

Our mission is to cultivate a lifelong relationship with our alma mater by connecting and inspiring alums, students, and the campus community through meaningful and inclusive opportunities. We foster a culture that celebrates diversity, creates a sense of belonging, and advances equity.

Position overview

The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) is seeking a team-oriented senior brand designer to join our in-house Marketing and Communications team in providing creative services to CAA's diverse portfolio of programs.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, the senior brand designer is responsible for the execution of CAA's cohesive visual brand and its implementation in printed and digital materials, and web pages for a broad range of campaigns and internal clients.

Projects frequently include, but are not limited to: brochures, print and digital advertisements, email design and layout, HTML web design, and social media graphics. Our ideal candidate is a creative thinker with a solid foundation in design and typographic principles, a portfolio that showcases their user-centered design skills and experience, and an interest in joining a small team of creative professionals working in support of CAA's mission.

The Cal Alumni Association seeks candidates whose previous experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion and to increasing the participation of individuals from groups historically underrepresented in higher education. We are looking for applicants who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community.

Supervision

The senior brand designer reports to Senior Director, Marketing and Communications.

Location and Work Schedule

The position is located in Berkeley, CA at the Alumni House on the University of California, Berkeley campus. Work hours must be in line with traditional business hours to provide real-time customer service and support to our passengers. The position is eligible to work a hybrid schedule in line with job duties and business needs, with some time working in the office and some time working remotely each week. Must be able and willing to work occasional evenings and weekends to support CAA and campus events. Please note that remote work must be performed in the state of California.

Pay and Benefits

This position is classified as an at-will, full-time, exempt position. The pay range is $75,000 to $95,000 annualized. This job is eligible to participate in healthcare benefits, a retirement plan with company match, and generous vacation and holiday time-off. CAA staff, while not University of California employees, are eligible for many UC Berkeley staff programs, professional development and networking opportunities, and discounts on campus. We have a friendly and professional environment, and we pride ourselves on our team approach.

Responsibilities

• Serve as CAA's visual brand identity expert by setting brand standards, educating staff in best practices, and ensuring the correct use of CAA and UC Berkeley visual brand elements
• Design and produce publications and promotional collateral including direct mailings, reports, presentations, newsletters, postcards, posters, and digital displays
• Work within CAA's email marketing platform, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, to design and produce functional and compelling email newsletters and direct response campaigns
• Produce and update web page designs in our Wordpress CMS, following marketing best practices and accessibility standards to optimize for user experience and program goals
• Create simple, compelling infographics, charts, diagrams, and illustrations for presentations
• Collaborate frequently with colleagues over campaign and collateral needs; present creative ideas and executions to colleagues, incorporating feedback and meeting deadlines
• Serve as a design subject matter expert for non-technical staff; answering questions and providing training, documentation, or support in order to raise collective knowledge
• Prepare files for print publication and evaluate printers' proofs to ensure error-free print jobs
• Work with print vendors to maintain competitive job pricing and source options that meet budget constraints
• Actively participate in team and cross-departmental meetings by sharing ideas and project updates
• Maintain in-house image library, project files, and editable branded resources such as document templates
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in design, visual communication, or arts, AND 5 years of work in a professional design capacity; or an equivalent combination of work experience
• Proficient in use of current versions of Adobe Creative Cloud applications for production and design: Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom, Illustrator, Acrobat; and the Google product suite; comfortable in Mac environment
• Advanced knowledge of print production process and print industry standards, including color theory and setup of process and spot colors; color management, file setup, and pre-press standards Intermediate to advanced knowledge of digital tools and production—including concept, information architecture, navigation, layout, visual and web accessibility
• Ability to manage work on multiple projects simultaneously from concept to completion
• Ability to accurately estimate project hours and work to meet planned deadlines
• Ability to talk about designs with diverse non-technical audiences, collaborating effectively across all levels of the organization
• High standards for organization and attention to detail
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice, with an understanding of the roles visual and information design play in their advancement
• Knowledge of basic HTML, with basic knowledge of accessibility and SEO best practices in web/email design architecture; advanced knowledge a plus, or interest in learning
• Must submit to and pass Consumer Report and FBI/DOB fingerprint background investigations

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous professional experience in higher education and/or nonprofit sectors
• Experience working on web pages in a content management system (CMS), with a general understanding of CMS platforms.
• Wordpress/WPEngine experience is optimal
• Working knowledge of the email marketing production process—including list management, delivery, best practices, etc.
• Experience using user-friendly design tools such as Canva and Adobe Express Affinity for UC Berkeley