Designer II

Job Description

Job Description

Designer II

The Opportunity

Rio Grande is seeking a talented Designer II to join our Brand & Creative team. This role is ideal for a designer who thrives in both digital and print environments and enjoys creating customer experiences across multiple channels.

The Designer II is responsible for designing and producing creative assets that support integrated marketing campaigns, including web pages, marketing emails, advertising, social media, catalogs, brochures, direct mail, and other print collateral. This role requires a strong understanding of UI/UX principles, responsive design, HTML/CSS, and email development, along with a passion for creating visually compelling work that is accurate, on brand, and customer focused.

Reporting to the Brand & Creative Team Lead, the Designer II works closely with another designer and collaborates with the Marketing Department, Merchandising, Sales, HR, and other stakeholders to bring campaigns to life. Success in this role requires exceptional attention to detail, strong technical design skills, and a commitment to maintaining Rio Grande's brand standards across every customer touchpoint.

What You'll Do

• Design high-quality creative assets across print and digital channels, including websites, landing pages, marketing emails, digital advertising, catalogs, brochures, direct mail, social media, trade show materials, and sales collateral.
• Design intuitive, customer-focused digital experiences using established UI/UX best practices.
• Design, build, test, and optimize marketing emails using HubSpot.
• Code and edit responsive email templates using HTML and CSS while following email marketing best practices and ensuring compatibility across major email clients.
• Design website pages, landing pages, and digital components using HTML, CSS, and content management systems.
• Translate creative briefs and marketing strategies into effective visual solutions that support business objectives.
• Prepare production-ready files for both commercial printing and digital publishing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure creative assets support campaign objectives and customer needs.
• Participate in creative reviews, proofing, and quality assurance to ensure accuracy, functionality, and brand consistency before publication.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced marketing environment.
• Contribute ideas that improve the customer experience and strengthen Rio Grande's visual identity.
• Stay current on design trends, accessibility standards, UI/UX best practices, email development, and emerging digital technologies.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Digital Design, Web Design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Three or more years of professional graphic or digital design experience.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in both digital and print design.
• Experience designing websites, landing pages, responsive marketing emails, digital advertising, and print collateral.
• Working knowledge of UI/UX principles, responsive design, and user-centered design practices.
• Experience coding with HTML and CSS for websites and responsive email templates.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat.
• Experience using Figma or similar UI/UX design software.
• Strong understanding of typography, layout, color theory, visual hierarchy, and branding.
• Experience preparing production-ready files for commercial print.
• Excellent attention to detail with a commitment to delivering accurate, high-quality work.
• Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to incorporate feedback and work effectively across teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a content management system.
• Experience supporting ecommerce or B2B marketing organizations.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards for web and email design.
• Familiarity with project management tools such as Smartsheet.
• Experience working within established brand guidelines across multiple marketing channels.

Application Requirements

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit:

• Resume
• Portfolio demonstrating both digital and print design work
• Portfolio examples should include website or landing page design, marketing email design, and print collateral

Applications submitted without a portfolio will not be considered.

As part of the interview process, selected candidates will be asked to complete:

• A brief design exercise to demonstrate creative thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to interpret a creative brief.
• A brief HTML/CSS exercise to demonstrate proficiency in front-end development and email or web coding.

These assessments are intended to evaluate skills relevant to the responsibilities of the Designer II role.

Department: Marketing
Reports To: Brand & Creative Team Lead

For more information about us please visit: 

Rio Grande is a Metal Free environment within our operations areas. 

At Rio Grande, our employees are the heart of our more than 80-year legacy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our culture is guided by our 3R principles: Respect, Responsibility, and Results. We believe in a bias to action mindset that turns ideas into outcomes and in empowering employees to take initiative, grow through continuous learning, and making meaningful impacts every day. Recognized as a 2025 Platinum Award Family Friendly Business, we promote a work-life balance, clear expectations, and a supportive environment, including quality benefits, robust wellness resources, and an onsite fitness facility. Through our employee recognition and community involvement, we celebrate individuality, foster belonging, and ensure every voice is valued. A career at Rio Grande offers more than a job. You’ll join a work place where your contributions matter and your growth is supported. Your work will help shape the future of the company and support our customers and industry.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:

Guided by our core values, Rio Grande is committed to treating all people with dignity and respect. We are an equal-opportunity employer with a zero-tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination of any kind. As an advocate for equity and equality, we hire, train, and promote qualified people of all backgrounds. We consider employment candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other underrepresented class. We value our associates and have won the yearly Healthiest Places to Work and Family Friendly Business awards on multiple occasions.

The Reward:
Rio Grande provides a generous benefit package for full-time (30+ hours a week) associates that includes:

• Medical plan with low premium rates and no high deductible (includes dental and vision) and telemedicine
• 401(k) matching program
• Paid time-off benefits, plus an additional seven paid holidays
• Paid life insurance and optional additional life insurance
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Flexible spending account
• Pet insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• On-site gym and company wellness program
• Bereavement leave
• Employee discounts at Rio Grande
• Local and national discounts on various travel and entertainment
• Competitive compensation, including an opportunity to share in the profits

Our associates strive for joint accountability. We work together for the success of our stakeholders, and we provide a thoughtful, fun, and creative environment to support them. We encourage professional and personal development through a variety of training opportunities and a focus on promoting from within.

The Company:
Established in 1944, Rio Grande, a Berkshire-Hathaway manufacturer/distributor, has thousands of valued customers around the world. We are a principle-based company with a highly evolved team-based environment. We can show you how a profoundly effective organization lives these values every day. You can find our guiding principles, The 3 R’s, Respect, Responsibility and Results, on our website as well as information about our community support and how we protect the environment.

Within our 186,000 sq. ft., solar-powered facility, with covered parking, Rio Grande has sales, marketing, supply chain, IT and administrative offices, a climate-controlled distribution center with more than 40,000 items, and a comprehensive, well-equipped manufacturing operation. Manufactured products include jewelry-making equipment (from basic tools to highly sophisticated induction casting machines) and jewelry components—both die-struck and cast. Capabilities include CAD/CAM, casting, stamp and form, metal finishing, CNC machining, manual milling, tool & die and electronics/mechanical assembly.