Graphic Designer

The Graphic Designer is responsible for creating high-quality, visually compelling marketing collateral that aligns with GCU brand standards across multiple channels. This role manages the full design lifecycle, from concept development to final production, while collaborating closely with internal marketing teams and stakeholders to deliver effective, on-brand solutions. The designer must balance multiple projects simultaneously, adapt to evolving priorities, and maintain exceptional attention to detail in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. Success in this role requires strong creative expertise in layout, typography, and visual storytelling, along with the ability to translate diverse feedback into cohesive designs, ensure print production accuracy, and stay current with emerging design trends. ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES: Include, but are not limited, to the following: Develop the layout and production design for all marketing collateral material requested by GCU clients. Must be able to work on multiple projects at one time and remain flexible through multiple revisions while keeping a keen attention to detail. Responsible for determining size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and selecting appropriate style and size of type adhering to GCU brand and print standards. Meet with internal client marketing team to get final approval for designs and/or meet Prepares notes and instructions for print production which may include color specification, folds, bleeds and other print production instructions. May as needed meet with client to present design concept ideas. Performs administrative duties including deadline management, proper organization and archiving of files, completes job logs and follows paperwork process accurately. May prepare series of drawings to illustrate sequence and timing of story development for campaigns Stay current with design trends and emerging design practices. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBLITIES: None. QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to successfully perform the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Proven skills and educational training in art direction, typography, layout, composition, color theory, and information design. Ability to take direction and work independently in pressure situations with meticulous attention to detail. Ability to manage all aspects of complex design projects and synthesize direction from many individuals Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media. Demonstrated knowledge of structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar; able to follow AP writing style guidelines. Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Knowledgeable of theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of visual arts. Strong client relations skills; able to manage projects and keep clients well-informed and engaged on an ongoing basis. Ability to think creatively to produce stunning visual marketing collateral. Action-oriented; team player; ability to clearly set work priorities; ability to synthesize information from multiple sources and articulate into concise strategies. Working knowledge of printing processes. Must be able to work flexible schedule to meet deadlines, long work day hours and weekends. Must be able to build and maintain relationships with a variety of personality and cultural backgrounds. Must be able to work in a high volume, fast paced environment and be able to adapt to constantly shifting deadlines and priorities. Ability work successfully under pressure and tight time constraints. Ability to be a team player by exhibiting positive responses to tight deadlines, constant change and shifting priorities. Technical Skills Required: Proficiency with Mac platform and tools: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator Acrobat) and Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) Experience using Workamajig project management platform a plus. Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Graphics Design or other marketing/communications related field. A combination of experience and education may be substituted upon supervisor’s approval. Minimum of 4 years’ experience in marketing or communications, preferably supporting multiple internal or external clients in a high traffic design environment. Specific background must include broad design experience in all types of medium. Must have portfolio of work examples in a variety of medium (printed materials, advertisements, graphics, multimedia, etc.) for review. At Grand Canyon Education, it is our privilege to serve students and those who support academic advancement. We lead educational transformation by developing superior ways to help schools grow and prosper. We provide transparent programs, intuitive online learning technologies and well-established academic models that promote student success and institutional growth. Employment is contingent upon the satisfactory outcome (as determined by the university) of pre-employment screening activities, including a background check. For assistance with your job application please use our External Candidate Job Application Guide. All staff candidates will be asked to review GCE’s staff expectations as part of the application process. Our partner in education, Grand Canyon University, is Arizona’s premier private Christian university. GCU serves traditional and online students by offering quality academic degree programs, experienced leadership and transformative learning experiences both on our growing campus and digitally.