The University Students’ Council at Western University is seeking a full-time Graphic Designer for the Communications department on a full time basis for up to a 2 year contract. This position is within the Collective Bargaining Unit and has a competitive pay rate. 

Reporting to the Communications Manager, the successful candidate’s main role will be to create graphic design content for the promotion of USC services, events, operations, and branding.  The ideal candidate must possess excellent working knowledge in design to print process as well as: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, and Procreate. They must also have a degree or diploma in Art, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Marketing or Multimedia Design, with a strong emphasis on graphic design. 

The successful candidate must be highly self-motivated, creative and a problem-solver. Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to lead and mentor others is an asset.

Hours of work are 8:30 am – 4:30 pm from Monday to Friday, however these hours are subject to change due to fluctuating operating hours. During peak periods, the hours of work may be adjusted to accommodate increased workload. Occasional overtime may be required.
 

Please forward resume and portfolio for review by April 5th at 11:59 p.m. to: 
https://westernusc.forms-db.com/view.php?id=320872 

USC People and Development, University Students’ Council of The University of Western Ontario
Please note: The Corporation is currently accepting resumes from USC Bargaining Unit Employees and other internal applicants as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Only those deemed qualified will receive notification of an interview.

The University Students’ Council of the University of Western Ontario is an equal opportunity employer. The USC is committed to providing accommodations to those with disabilities.  If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

OVERVIEW
About the Organization

The University Students’ Council (USC) is the official student association for more than 30,000 undergraduate students at Western University. Incorporated in 1965, we are widely viewed as one of the most reputable and effective student associations in North America. With a thirty million dollar operating budget, 40 full-time staff, and hundreds of part-time student staff and volunteers, the USC provides a robust offering of programs, services, and operations that significantly contributes to Western’s best student experience. 

We own and operate two restaurants, a clothing retail store, and a movie theatre; we facilitate the undergraduate health and dental plan, the student transit pass, and late night shuttle busses; we run major events including Western’s Orientation Program, the Purple Concert Series, and Beer Fest; we provide peer support through a comprehensive peer network, the Peer Support Centre, and our on-campus Food Bank;  and at our core, we are an advocacy organization, representing the voices of Western undergraduates to the university and all levels of government. 

Our organization is led by a team of six student executives who work full-time on one-year terms. With the endorsement of the USC’s 46 student councilors and support of the USC’s 8 student directors, the student executive directs all activities of the USC.

The USC offers a dynamic and exciting work environment, and an unparalleled place to grow as a professional and a person. With generous benefits, extensive professional development opportunities, and a highly supportive work culture, we pride ourselves on being a great place to develop and contribute to a meaningful cause. Our full-time staff are inspired by our ambitious and energetic student leaders every day to work passionately and collaboratively to achieve our mission and vision: to enhance the educational experience and quality of life for all undergraduates at Western and that students have the power to change the world. Our core values dictate that we are democratic, inclusive, student led, accountable to our students, and operate with integrity. 

About the Department

The USC’s communications portfolio exists to lead the organization’s communications, issues management, media relations, marketing, and branding initiatives, ensuring alignment with the USC’s strategic plan and the political priorities of the student executives. The primary role of staff and student leaders in the portfolio is to promote, protect, and enhance the reputation of the USC and its people. Our goal is to ensure that students know who we are, understand what we do, and appreciate the value that we bring to Western’s campus.

The USC’s communications portfolio is responsible for proactively and intentionally promoting our brand to build awareness, recognition, and trust with our students while simultaneously protecting our reputation by identifying potential issues and developing an appropriate response. It is our goal to spend the majority of our time communicating proactively through branding and marketing strategies that help students feel connected to the USC and understand the value we bring to Western’s campus and undergraduate students. Our most successful communications are planned, flexible, and deliver on intentional objectives.  

The communications team currently utilizes a number of strategies to achieve our communications goals, including: regular email newsletters, collaborations with sponsors and influencers, testimonials, paid digital and print advertising, digital and physical campaigns, contesting and engagement, earned media, social media, brand journalism, and others. 

We currently struggle to coordinate our communications across the organization and effectively tell our story to undergraduate students. Recognizing the need to do better, our team has made a strategic decision to invest in growing the portfolio and creating a new Communications Department dedicated to achieving our communications goals. We are all excited to welcome a new Manager, Communications who will provide much-needed strategy and long-term consistency to our organization-wide communications.   

Most importantly, our team values authenticity in all of our communications; we believe that how we communicate plays an integral role in demonstrating our commitment to our core values, making the function of communications a key priority in our organization.

Job Title: Graphic Designer                  
Immediate Supervisor:  Manager, Communications 

Division/Department: Communications, Grading: Band 6

Effective Date: February 2021

Position Summary:  

To coordinate and execute graphic design projects for all activities of the University Students’ Council. 

Position Responsibilities:  
OPERATIONAL

• Organize, prioritize, and execute all projects.

• Monitor work progress to establish deadlines for and to oversee the quality of assigned projects.

• Design and create logos, graphics, and promotional materials for print and social media.

• Generate digital files that are print-ready.

• Resolve system failures, software conflicts, storage and archiving problems and other operating situations by consulting with technical support personnel as required.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Provide design consultation services to internal clientele.

• Advise clients on turnaround time and design and layout of projects.

• Provide general information about art and reproduction services and establish cost estimates.

SUPERVISION

• Assisting interns with graphic design projects, while monitoring activities and output of interns.

• Training and orientation of department interns.

• Collaborate/brainstorm with part-time and interns.

• Assign/coordinate work of part-time staff and interns.

• Monitor activities and output of part-time staff and interns.

• Act as a mentor to  department interns.
   

• Prepare billing invoices.

• Prepare quotes, work orders and input sales into POS.

Other Responsibilities as assigned by the Manager, Communications 
REPORTS TO:  Manager, Communications 

EDUCATION:
Degree or diploma in Art, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Marketing or Multimedia Design, with a strong emphasis on graphic design. 

EXPERIENCE: 

• Excellent working knowledge in the following areas (3 to 5 years experience): 

  • Adobe Photoshop 

  • Adobe Acrobat 

  • Adobe Illustrator 

  • Adobe InDesign 

  • Adobe After Effects 

  • ProCreate 

  • Complete understanding of design to print process  

• Adaptability to new developments in graphic design and related software. 

• Creative problem-solving skills. 

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. 

• Ability to translate client’s needs and ideas into a professional, appealing and modern graphical representation based on provided information, elements, and vision for the project.

• Ability and willingness to take direction, including the management of multiple revisions throughout a project’s lifetime.

• Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.  Works well under pressure.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and multitask.

MAY USE AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

OTHER CONSIDERATION/SKILLS:

Organizational skills, ability to self-motivate and implement new technologies, experience with project management software such as Trello, Google Suite, and a willingness for continuous learning.
 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Frequent sitting/or standing at a computer terminal for extended periods; occasional light lifting.