ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / DESIGN & VISUAL MEDIA

Central Michigan University; Michigan; Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Michigan University seeks an Assistant Director of Design & Visual Media to lead visual strategy for CMU Online. You will create and deliver high-quality assets across digital and print to support online and adult learner marketing campaigns.

You will collaborate with CMU Online’s marketing team, ensure brand cohesion, and drive creative excellence across social, web, email, and video channels. A light to moderate travel schedule may apply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, digital media, or visual communication.
• One year of professional graphic or multimedia design experience.
• Experience with vendors and printers to produce branded materials.
• Experience designing for multiple channels: social media, digital advertising, websites, email, video, and print.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, especially InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
• Strong conceptual design skills translating messaging into assets across formats.
• Understanding of typography, color theory, layout, photography, and visual hierarchy.
• Understanding prepress processes and print production workflows.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and accessibility standards WCAG 2.1 AA.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across the university.

Responsibilities

• Designs and produces high-quality visual and multimedia assets for marketing campaigns across digital and print channels.
• Translates marketing content into visually compelling assets in collaboration with CMU Online’s marketing team.
• Supports execution of integrated marketing campaigns by delivering creative assets that align with campaign goals, timelines, and audience needs.
• Develops graphics, layouts, illustrations, animations, motion graphics, and other visual elements that enhance campaign performance and engagement.
• Collaborates closely with the University Marketing and Communications office to ensure alignment with institutional brand standards and quality expectations.
• Works cross-functionally with CMU Online teams and other university stakeholders to support marketing and communication initiatives.
• Creates mockups and design concepts to support campaign planning and creative development.
• Maintains and organizes creative assets, templates, and design files to ensure consistency and efficiency across campaigns.
• Coordinates with external vendors on print production, materials, and specifications as needed.
• Stays abreast of current and emerging design trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of creative output.
• Ensures all visual content reflects the appropriate tone, quality, and audience alignment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Graphic design

Digital media

Adobe Creative Suite

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

Typography

Print production

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, digital media, or visual communication

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)

Job description

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / DESIGN & VISUAL MEDIA

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

*This position is available in Mt. Pleasant, Troy, Grand Rapids, or Traverse City. The work location for this position is negotiable based on the selected candidate’s qualifications, business needs, and operational requirements. Flexible work arrangements, including remote, hybrid, or on-site work, may be considered where appropriate. The accompanying salary offer will be determined based on candidate’s work location.

Position Information

Posting Number S-3930

Position Number 00370

Type of Recruitment External

Position Title ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / DESIGN & VISUAL MEDIA

Position Summary The assistant director of design and visual media for CMU Online is a design-focused role responsible for creating and delivering high-quality visual and multimedia assets that support integrated marketing efforts for online and adult learners. This position produces audience-centered creative across digital channels (web, social, email, and video) and print materials (brochures, flyers, and recruitment collateral), ensuring consistent, engaging design execution across all platforms. In close collaboration with CMU Online’s director of marketing, this role leads the visual expression of the unit’s campaigns, maintaining brand cohesion and elevating the effectiveness of marketing initiatives through strong, strategic design.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, digital media, or visual communication.
• One year of professional graphic or multimedia design experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with vendors and printers to produce branded materials.
• Demonstrated experience designing for multiple channels, including social media, digital advertising, websites, email, video, and print publications.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, especially InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
• Strong conceptual design skills with a demonstrated ability to translate messaging into clear, visually compelling assets across formats.
• Demonstrated understanding of typography, color theory, layout, photography, and visual hierarchy.
• Demonstrated understanding of prepress processes and print production workflows.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain consistency across campaigns and assets.
• Working knowledge of accessibility standards ( WCAG 2.1 AA) and inclusive design practices.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams across the university.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of progressively advanced experience in a creative role.
• Demonstrated experience creating motion graphics, animations, reels, and short-form video content.
• Demonstrated experience working within established brand guidelines.
• Familiarity with project management tools.
• Demonstrated experience working in a higher education, non-profit, or mission-driven marketing environments.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Designs and produces high-quality visual and multimedia assets for marketing campaigns across digital and print channels, including social media, web, email, video, and recruitment collateral.
• Translates marketing content and messaging into visually compelling creative assets in collaboration with CMU Online’s marketing team.
• Supports the execution of integrated marketing campaigns by delivering creative assets that align with campaign goals, timelines, and audience needs.
• Develops graphics, layouts, illustrations, animations, motion graphics, and other visual elements that enhance campaign performance and engagement.
• Collaborates closely with the University Marketing and Communications office to ensure alignment with institutional brand standards and quality expectations.
• Works cross-functionally with CMU Online teams and other university stakeholders to support marketing and communication initiatives.
• Creates mockups and design concepts to support campaign planning and creative development.
• Maintains and organizes creative assets, templates, and design files to ensure consistency and efficiency across campaigns.
• Coordinates with external vendors on print production, materials, and specifications as needed.
• Stays abreast of current and emerging design trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of creative output.
• Ensures all visual content reflects the appropriate tone, quality, and audience alignment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Exercised

None.

Message to Applicants

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

*This position is available in Mt. Pleasant, Troy, Grand Rapids, or Traverse City. The work location for this position is negotiable based on the selected candidate’s qualifications, business needs, and operational requirements. Flexible work arrangements, including remote, hybrid, or on-site work, may be considered where appropriate. The accompanying salary offer will be determined based on candidate’s work location.

Employee Group

Employee Group Professional & Administrative -Salary

Pay Range

Pay Range $55,000 - $72,150 per year*

Division

Division Academic Affairs

Department

Department CMU Online

Position Status

Position Status Regular

Position End Date

Position End Date

Employment Status

Employment Status Full-Time

FTE

FTE 1.00

Position Type

Position Type 12 month

Weekly Work Schedule

Weekly Work Schedule Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed

Location

Location Mt. Pleasant, Troy, Grand Rapids, or Traverse City, MI

About the Department

About CMU

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives. We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution.

CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Phone: [phone]
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: [e-mail]

Posting Ends

Open Until Filled Yes

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How did you first learn of this job opportunity? Please list the specific advertising source or indicate if it was word of mouth.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Are you currently an internal employee of CMU according to the university's definition?
  • Yes
  • No
• * If yes, to which employee group do you belong? (If not applicable, select "Not Applicable").
  • Not Applicable
  • Administrative Office Assistant
  • Dispatcher
  • Lieutenant
  • Medical Faculty
  • P&A, SO or Faculty
  • Police
  • Public Broadcasting
  • Sergeant
  • Service Maintenance
  • Supervisory/Technical
• * Do you have a bachelor's degree in graphic design, digital media, or visual communications?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have at least one year of professional graphic or multimedia design experience?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have experience working with vendors and printers to produce branded materials?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have experience designing for multiple channels, including social media, digital advertising, websites, email, video, and print publications?
  • Yes
  • No

Optional & Required Documents

• Required Documents
  • Cover Letter
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Optional Documents
  • List of References
  • Work Sample

Staff postings - Human Resources | Contact HR | [phone]| 109 Rowe
Faculty postings - Faculty Personnel Services | Contact FPS | [phone] | 308 Warriner

CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

All data submitted via this site is secure and encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. SSL protects information as it crosses the Internet.