Graphic Designer

Michigan Athletics Graphic DesignerAre you a creative storyteller interested in sports and looking to grow your professional portfolio? The Michigan Athletics Graphic Designer will have their creative designs posted on the largest sport social networks in the country and shared with millions around the world, in addition to being distributed in-venue at some of the most iconic college arenas in the country. The individual will work on a range of graphic design campaigns to support Michigan Athletics' 29 varsity sports teams, providing our fans and our audiences exciting creative content on all our channels.Duties will include but are not limited to: working with various areas across the athletic department, creating materials for varsity athletic teams, ticket services, communications, digital marketing, fan experience, facilities and event management, among others, and providing leadership to student interns. The Graphic Designer will coordinate, ideate and execute designs for a wide variety of projects for social media, in-venue displays, print, email, internal audiences and other channels and outlets as assigned.ResponsibilitiesUse independent judgment and creative technical knowledge to create high-level graphic designs that must appeal to a wide range of audiences, through social media, print, digital marketing, event marketing and promotions, partnerships, recruiting, event management and operations, and other areas of the Michigan Athletics Department.Serve as the lead graphic designer for assigned sport and/or projects.Work alongside the athletic department's multimedia and graphic designers, collaborating and learning from our full-time staff of experts in the programs of Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and more.Scope of assignments will vary and range from creating branded themes and templates to generating unique designs and campaigns for use across digital channels and print.Make technical decisions regarding such design elements as line, shape, color, texture, space, and typography, while adhering to brand standards with a consistent representation across our communication channelsCollaborate with other units within the Michigan Athletics Department on unit-specific design needs, and be able to liaise with key staff to establish content goals, develop creative concepts and review content.Empower and collaborate with a team of student-interns, providing supervisory support and guidance as they assist with various graphic design projects and requests.Attend weekly staff meetings as well as other necessary inter-department meetings for assigned projects.Demonstrate the ability to handle multiple tasks and projects.Other duties as assigned.Required QualificationsBachelor's degree in fine arts, graphic design, art or related field.2-3 years of undergraduate experience with graphic design and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator is required; experience with Adobe After Effects is a plus.Passion for storytelling and creating content related to sports/athletics.Organized, have a strong attention to detail, and be able to complete projects independently.Willingness to work non-business hours (nights, weekends, holidays) if needed for event assistance.Knowledge of multiple sports and/or eagerness to learn additional sports.Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines.Open to receiving feedback and constructive criticism, and able to integrate it into projects.A diverse portfolio with samples of graphic design projects is required for consideration.Proven ability to learn quickly, work efficiently in a fast-paced environment and to skillfully distill/synthesize information to others, including senior level staff.High level of personal integrity and ethics.Knowledgeable of NCAA rules and a commitment to adhere to all rules and regulations of the University of Michigan, Big Ten Conference, and NCAA.Desired QualificationsA passion for college athletics and a desire to pursue a career in creative content or other related field are desired.Able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with athletic department and external entities.Experience working with a strong, prominent brand.Experience in college athletics and familiarity with current trends.Strong written and verbal communication skills.Ability to execute for a wide range of constituents.Modes of WorkPositions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.Additional InformationIn addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:Generous time offA retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vestingMany choices for comprehensive health insuranceLife insuranceLong-term disability coverageFlexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expensesBackground ScreeningThe University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.Application DeadlineJob openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.U-M EEO StatementThe University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.