Director of Creative Design

The Office of External Affairs in the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University is seeking a Director of Creative Design. This position is responsible for the creative development and management of all visual and branded materials directed by the Office of External Affairs and for overseeing and influencing materials developed in other offices and departments across the Bloomberg School. This position is also responsible for driving the visual branding and creative design for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health across a variety of platforms including print, digital, social media, and multimedia.

The Office of External Affairs encompasses three teams, Communications and Marketing, Development and Constituent Relations, and Finance and Administration. The award-winning Communications and Marketing team provides strategic communications, external and internal communications, and marketing services for the School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University across various digital, print, and physical platforms. This includes brand and identity management, digital strategies and web services, editorial and content strategies, visual communications, media and public relations, social media, and integrated marketing campaigns.

As the #1 school of public health in the country and the world's oldest independent, degree-granting school of public health, the Bloomberg School of Public Health offers unparalleled opportunities for mission-driven creative work at the highest levels. We value inclusion, diversity, anti-racism, and equity, and offer flexible work arrangements and a hybrid environment to support the entire individual.

The position is based within the Communications and Marketing Team (C & M), Office of External Affairs (OEA), and reports to the Associate Dean for Communications. The position works in an integrated manner with other communication and marketing positions. It serves as the visual lead for all creative visuals produced within the C & M team, including print, digital, video, and social media, and also for the development and constituent relations teams. The role oversees three design team members and collaborates closely with colleagues across the OEA, including the editorial, web, audience development, audience engagement, alumni relations, and development teams. The role works with various internal clients and an internal network of communications associates across the School. The Director of Creative Design also serves as a liaison to University counterparts and teams in similar capacities to ensure best practices are leveraged and applied across the institution. Identifying opportunities to lead is important for this position.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Creative Vision

• Develop, recommend, and deliver the creative design vision and leadership to best achieve the University and School’s strategic communications and marketing goals and its commitment to inclusion, diversity, anti-racism, and equity.
• Align creative strategies with the School’s overall communications and marketing strategy, as articulated and evolved, and the School’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, anti-racism and equity.
• Proactively recommend ways to leverage the creative design team’s time and talents for maximum success toward articulated goals and objectives.
  
• Use strategic thinking to drive engagement of audiences with strong communications graphics, photography, and impactful infographics for use within digital and social media platforms.
• Provide input on the latest and relevant visual communications and graphic design trends.

• Develop and deliver presentations to internal partners and leadership on visual communications, strategies, and projects when needed.

Creative Design

• Advise and contribute to all materials with creative visual and branded components, including advertising, digital, marketing, print, social media, video, etc. This includes videos, logos, infographics, special events invitations, collateral materials, digital posters, displays, environmental advertising, exhibits, books, postcards, print and digital ads, stationery, email Templates, animations, direct mail pieces, and branded giveaways/gift items.
• Develop and inspire creative solutions for design projects, including brand consistency, concept, execution, and production.
• Oversee creative design projects from inception to completion in partnership with project management and colleagues across OEA.
• Transition projects across print and digital platforms.
• Advise on timelines, best practices, and recommended approaches for all creative projects.
• Oversee the team’s budget, and determine what projects are best handled internally versus via vendors.
• Engage freelance design vendors when necessary, oversee and provide direction to vendors.
• Identify, contract, and liaise with creative design vendors and freelancers.

Team Leadership And Management

• Supervise the art director and two graphic designers (three direct reports total) in helping them manage workload and priorities, optimize workflows and communications, lead team meetings, manage performance, mentor, and recruit and retain.

• Inspire and mentor team direct reports and others to develop creative solutions while providing attention to detail and quality standards.
• Recommend and oversee other design and production resources to meet deadlines.
• Develop and manage the annual visual communications/design budget.

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Familiarity with budgets.
• Ability to lead projects from concept to completion.

• Expert knowledge of methods, procedures, techniques, and media available for visual design.
• Excellent typographical and conceptual design skills.
• Possess excellent design skills and understanding of clear visual communications for creating impactful messages and outcomes.
• Familiarity with various printing methods (offset, web, digital) and techniques, types of paper stocks, coatings, and inks.
• Experience conducting press inspections for high stake projects, prepare files for print.
• Experience organizing and directing professional photo shoots, directing illustrators, artists, and other creatives from concept to sketches to final art.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, project management skills, knowledge of professional business practices.
• Experience managing vendors and obtaining quotes.
• Experience with printing and digital mediums and related industries.

• Knowledge of and experience with institutional publications and related marketing materials.

• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a challenging but stimulating, immensely complex academic environment with high standards.
  
• Experience building and managing all aspects of a creative design for a brand.
• Attention to detail while maintaining the ability to think strategically and critically, aligning actions and ideas with others.
• Build relationships across the team, Bloomberg School, and Johns Hopkins University is important as well as identifying opportunities to lead and build a nimble team in this fast-paced changing environment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a challenging but stimulating, immensely complex, and academic environment with high standards, excellent design skills and understanding of clear visual communications for creating impactful messages and outcomes. Familiarity with various printing methods (offset, web, digital) and techniques, types of paper stocks, coatings, and inks.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in fine arts, graphic design, or related field.
• 5 years related experience and a portfolio.
• Advanced degree may substitute for required experience, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Communications, marketing, and branding experience.
• Experience in design for academic or scientific institutions.
• Prior experience leading a creative team, a plus.

Classified Title: Director Creative Services
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PE
Starting Salary Range: $71,230 - $97,880/Annually (Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: Hybrid/School of Public Health
Department name: ​​​​​​​Communications
Personnel area: School of Public Health

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:

JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

**Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

The following additional provisions may apply depending on which campus you will work. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

During the Influenza ("the flu") season, as a condition of employment, The Johns Hopkins Institutions require all employees who provide ongoing services to patients or work in patient care or clinical care areas to have an annual influenza vaccination or possess an approved medical or religious exception. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination of employment.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
https://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf
Important legal information
http://hrnt.jhu.edu/legal.cfm