Senior Digital Designer/Lead UI Architect
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Full-time
Design
Posted on October 21, 2022
Summary:
VCU Enterprise Marketing & Communications is seeking to hire a Senior Digital Designer/Lead UI Architect.
All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's generous benefits package that includes: competitive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, Virginia Retirement System (VRS), professional development & certifications, tuition waiver, parental leave, caregiving leave and community service leave. Learn more about VCU's benefits here.
PRIMARY PURPOSE AND GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
· Designs a variety of complex informational and promotional digital graphics
· Creates design systems and updates for university web sites
· Designs and develops UI standards for university websites and the university web framework
· Collaborates with content team, creative team, video/photography team and leadership team to identify and plan priorities; participates in team meetings to develop concepts and discuss projects to meet objectives, mentors and provides technical direction for designers and developers
· Identifies needs and shares information by collecting and reviewing analytics
· Assists departmental leadership to identify professional development opportunities for the digital team
Minimum hiring standards
Expert knowledge of digital communication and design, expertise in the creative use of type and illustration as design elements, understanding of digital information design and delivery including hierarchy and navigation; HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Adobe creative suite, digital animation; strong communication skills; experience working in a team; strong leadership and decision-making skills; bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a design/communications related field or equivalent combination of education and experience; demonstrated experience and portfolio; demonstrated experience working in an fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
Preferred hiring standards
Work in a university or agency setting
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
This position requires web design skills and knowledge, understanding of front-end web development, the ability to work in a creative team environment and leadership skills
Web design
· Designs complex informational and promotional digital design for a variety of platforms
· Creates design systems to support the university brand and university web framework
· Maintains a consistent brand identity on all pieces respective of audience, purpose, quality and schedule
· Assists content strategists in the development of site architecture and navigational structure
· Works with digital director, designers, developers, strategists and photographers to create assets needed to design and develop sites
· Ensures client specifications, departmental expectations and university guidelines are met; maintains a consistent brand identity and respective of audience, purpose, quality and production schedule
· Identifies and shares new strategies for content delivery
· Ensures final design approvals by directors before presenting to clients
· Interviews clients to determine goals as needed and discusses with the project team
· Generates templates from approved designs; flows and applies design concepts to content and graphics
Web development
· Develops test sites
· Comfortable designing and testing in the browser
· Creates design prototypes
· Ensures final project conforms to the approved concepts and limitations/capabilities of the internet (data transfer, download speeds and file compression)
· Understanding of ADA/web accessibility compliance
· Uses appropriate graphic/image optimization techniques to ensure quality and download speeds
· Generates source code using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
· Tests sites on multiple platforms; troubleshoots and corrects site compatibility issues
· Follows departmental production procedures ensuring appropriate reviews and approvals
· Uploads sites to university servers for testing, review and public access
· Ensures archiving of assigned projects using established procedures
Team concepting
· Participates in team meetings
· Connects with team to debrief client requests
· Provides team with resources to aid in the development of concepts and deliverables
· Offers constructive feedback and suggestions to execute project ideas
· Contributes and leads team discussions regarding project ideas, direction
· Collaborates width leadership to identify and plan priorities
· Serves as mentor for designers and developers by sharing knowledge
Departmental leadership
· Leads conceptual and strategic direction in a team setting
· Makes day to day creative decisions to ensure quality and accuracy
· Conducts educational workshops and facilitates presentations to internal teams and external clients
· Represents the digital director as requested in their absence
· Works with leadership as needed
Other duties as assigned
Salary Range: $68,000 - $75,000
Position Details:
Department: Enterprise Marketing & Communications
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status: No
FTE: 1
Exemption Status: Exempt