Director of Design - T1a

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine value diversity in our members, volunteers, and staff and strive for a culture of inclusion in our workplace and activities. Convening a diverse community to exchange ideas and perspectives enhances the quality of our work and increases our relevance as advisers to the nation about the most complex issues facing the nation and the world.

Keck Center

National Academy of Sciences Engineering Medicine

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provide independent, objective advice to inform policy with evidence, spark progress and innovation, and confront challenging issues for the benefit of society. We marshal knowledge and expertise across disciplines to study complex and sometimes contentious issues, reach consensus based on the evidence, and identify the best path forward. https://www.nationalacademies.org/

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Full time

Overview: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is recruiting an experienced creative professional to help lead a team of internal and freelance designers to update our brand presentation across digital, print, and brand experience applications.&nbsp;<br />This is a unique opportunity to shape the public face of one of the nation&rsquo;s most respected scientific institutions as it addresses crucial issues including COVID-19, climate change, education, science policy, and diversity, equity and inclusion. As the nation&rsquo;s leading independent, non-partisan voice on science, engineering and medicine, the National Academies&rsquo; 1000 professionals convene the nation&rsquo;s leading experts to give government leaders and the nation the highest quality advice on solutions to pressing problems. Through over 350 discrete design projects per year, the design team helps the National Academies inform the public debate for policy makers and other influencers. <br /><br />In a new position, the Design Director will steward the National Academies&rsquo; visual brand and identity across a wide range of products and platforms including print, digital, environmental spaces, social media, video, and data visualization. The Design Director is a pivotal member of the Communications team, working closely with colleagues to create visually compelling products that support the work of the institution. The immediate brief is to implement an integrated, flexible design platform that builds on the heritage of the National Academies and presents its contemporary work as part of a system designers and communicators can leverage to improve the cohesion and quality of our brand look and feel. <br /><br />This is a role for a person who loves design in all forms, is intrigued by finding new ways to express brand identity, and committed to producing top quality work regardless of medium. The National Academies work is sophisticated and can be complex. The National Academies staff are firmly committed to the mission and the institution, and energized by working in an intellectually stimulating environment. Given the nature of the Academy&rsquo;s work, the Design Director must be able to visually express ideas and concepts in ways that are accessible and compelling to a broad range of audiences. <br /><br />The successful candidate must be confident working with and presenting design concepts to leadership and leading conversations on the direction of the visual brand. The Design Director must be an exceptional project leader, working on and overseeing multiple projects and products at any given time; skilled at working with outside designers, developing and keeping to production schedules as well as budget and design briefs. <br /><br />The Design Director must be a skilled relationship builder. In a busy department, the Design Director will be responsible for engaging, directing and overseeing the work of vendors including design, video, photography, illustration and printers. The role includes vendor research and selection, writing and submitting design briefs, proposal and contract review, budgetary oversight and quality control.
Responsibilities: <p dir="LTR">The Design Director has oversight of the design work for National Academies:&nbsp;</p> <p dir="LTR">1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Leads the planning, development, implementation, and management of the National Academies&rsquo; visual brand and identity across a wide range of products and platforms including print, digital, environmental spaces, social media, video, and data visualization.&nbsp;<br /><br />2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Establishes, develops and creates an integrated, contemporary design approach that builds on the heritage of the National Academies and presents its contemporary contributions to the Nation in a compelling fashion.<br /><br />3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Leads, manages, and inspires fresh design thinking that expresses a consistent and compelling view of the National Academies and the important advice it offers the nation.<br /><br />4.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Coaches individual designers to develop their skills and growth as team members and design professionals, while sharing design expertise with broader stakeholder audiences.<br /><br />5.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Oversees the delivery of a range of projects, defining project scope, goals, milestones and deliverables in collaboration with key stakeholders.<br /><br />6.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Establishes branding and brand-related visual content including brand standards and guidelines for:&nbsp;</p> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Website and mobile applications</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Brochures and print publications</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Book and publication cover and art design</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Social media design</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Data visualizations</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Presentation design</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Video</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Email marketing, invitations etc.</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Environmental and event branding and installations including banners, programs, invitations, Projection graphics</div> <p dir="LTR"><br />7.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Provides leadership and mentors employees. Plans and assigns personnel for given projects or tasks. Trains and develops employees to successfully perform current responsibilities and encourages development of staff for future roles. Forms effective teams and cultivates a work environment that fosters teamwork. Interprets and ensures consistent application of organizational policies. Initiates personnel actions, including performance and compensation reviews and disciplinary actions.<br /><br />8.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Reviews and approves cost projections and estimates of communications and media programs and events. Manages finances. Compiles budget, approves expenditures, and ensures budget parameters are met.<br /><br />9.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Develops metrics to measure and evaluate success of communications design initiatives and provides reports to leadership.<br /><br />10.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Oversees establishment of core design platform principles, quality assurance methods, and uses findings to improve outreach.<br /><br />11.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Shows the Academies what good design is &ndash; serves as an expert voice in the area of design.</p>
Requirements: <p dir="LTR"><strong>Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:&nbsp;</strong></p> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Excellent and well-developed aesthetic and design sensibilities.</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Skill and experience working across media.</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Experience as an in-house design director.</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Knowledge of latest design trends, techniques and technologies such as adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign Motion: After Effects, Cinema 4D, Premiere Pro, Final Cut, front end design &amp; development: CSS, HTML, JavaScript, processing; user experience: process flow, wire-framing.</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Ability to apply design expertise to solve intellectual problems of substantial variety and complexity using originality and ingenuity.&nbsp;</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Ability to work successfully in a fast paced team environment and to form and maintain effective teams.&nbsp;</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Ability to lead and direct staff in demonstrating the value of high quality design to strong personalities through persuasion and quality of work.&nbsp;</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Ability to develop relationships and effectively communicate with co-workers and employees at all levels in other National Academies&rsquo; departments.&nbsp;</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Appreciation of a mission-driven organization and core values of transparency, excellence, integrity, and evidence-based decision making.&nbsp;</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Ability to operate using substantial latitude for independent judgment and action.&nbsp;</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Strong project management and budgetary skills.</div> <div dir="LTR">&middot;<span class="WEL2">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> Discretion and ability to handle confidential issues.</div> <p dir="DEFAULT"><strong><br />Minimum Education/Training Requirements:</strong> Bachelor&rsquo;s degree in design or related field, or equivalent knowledge.</p> <p dir="LTR"><strong>Minimum Experience: </strong>Eight years of related experience (i.e., designer/art director), leading a team of professionals, four of which were in a supervisory capacity.</p> <p dir="LTR"><strong>Physical Capabilities: </strong>Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.</p> <p dir="LTR"><strong>Required Licenses, Certification or Registration:</strong> None.</p> <p dir="LTR"><strong>Supervisory <span class="WEL2">Responsibilities/Controls:</span></strong> Reports to Publisher, National Academy Press (NAP). General direction is provided. Supervises assigned staff and freelancers.</p> <p dir="LTR"><strong>Work Environment:</strong> Office environment with occasional travel between National Academies&rsquo; facilities and to off-site locations.</p>