Associate Director of Creative Services and Brand Identity

Elon University; Elon (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Elon University in Charlotte seeks an Associate Director of Creative Services and Brand Identity to lead design and brand stewardship for the university’s Charlotte operations. The role focuses on strategic concept development, production of diverse materials, and maintaining consistent brand standards across platforms.

Based in Queens Campus, this senior design professional will guide a team, collaborate with academic and administrative partners, and ensure timely delivery of high‑quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, art, marketing communications or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum five years of professional graphic design experience with demonstrated project management and cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual and production skills across print and digital media.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary Creative Services resource for Charlotte-based communications and marketing requests.
• Conceptualize, design and produce high-quality visual communications for print and digital platforms.
• Manage creative assignments from concept through production, ensuring alignment with objectives and brand standards.
• Develop original concepts and adapt brand systems to meet needs across channels.
• Collaborate with writers, photographers, videographers, web professionals and marketers to deliver integrated work.
• Provide creative guidance to clients and students, maintaining timelines and quality.

Skills

Brand identity

Graphic design

Cross-functional collaboration

Portfolio development

Education

Bachelor's degree (graphic design/visual communications/marketing)

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

Associate Director of Creative Services and Brand Identity

Location: Queens Campus - Charlotte

Title: Associate Director of Creative Services and Brand Identity

Position Type: Staff Full-Time

Days Per Week: M-F

Hours Per Week: 40

VP Area: University Communications

Department: Marketing Communications

Location: Queens Campus - Charlotte

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Creative Services and Brand Identity is the primary Creative Services professional based in Charlotte, providing comprehensive design and creative support for communications and marketing needs originating from the university's Charlotte operations. The associate director is an experienced, hands‑on designer responsible for the full range of creative assignments, from routine production needs and adaptations of existing materials to original concepts, campaigns and complex visual communications. Working as part of University Communications' Creative Services team, the associate director collaborates closely with colleagues across University Communications and with partners in academic and administrative units to develop effective, audience-centered creative solutions. The position also serves as an on-the-ground resource for brand identity in Charlotte, helping university partners understand and consistently apply established Elon and Queens brand standards, visual systems and related guidance. The associate director exercises independent creative and brand judgment in day‑to‑day work while consulting with University Communications leadership on broader questions involving brand strategy, architecture, naming and policy. This position works within established University Communications project‑management processes and reports to the Director of Creative Services, who provides overall creative direction and leadership for the Creative Services function.

Benefits of Working at Elon

Community is foundational to Queens and a shared responsibility within our residential campus. All who work at Queens should demonstrate an understanding of and engagement with Queens' foundational commitment to relationships, mentoring and collaboration in a close‑knit residential community. We embrace the shared responsibility to foster inclusive excellence within a strong residential community. Accordingly, employees are expected to join together and build connections in activities that foster an active and engaged campus environment and engage in professional development to support the shared responsibility of enriching diversity, equity, and inclusion through meaningful relationships and mentoring at Queens. Employees are encouraged to, for example, attend or participate in campus activities such as campus cultural events, athletic events, continuing education, professional development opportunities and trainings, employee resource groups and other university-sponsored activities to demonstrate an active commitment to the Queens community.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, art, marketing communications or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Minimum five years of professional experience in graphic design, with demonstrated ability to manage projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual and production skills across platforms is required and might be used as substitute of education to assess appropriate skill mastery and esthetic qualities.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience in higher education, an agency, an in‑house creative team or another complex organization serving multiple internal clients.
• Experience providing visual identity or brand standards consultation within an established organizational brand system.
• Experience with motion graphics, environmental design, digital advertising or other complementary creative disciplines.
• Experience working across multiple locations, business units or organizational identities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Significant professional experience in graphic design and visual communications, with a portfolio demonstrating sophisticated creative thinking and strong execution across print and digital media.
• Demonstrated experience working within established visual identity systems and applying brand standards across a variety of communications.
• Advanced proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud applications and other tools relevant to professional design and production.
• Strong understanding of typography, layout, color, imagery, print production and digital design.
• Ability to move comfortably between routine production work and more complex, concept‑driven assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound independent judgment while working effectively within a collaborative creative team.
• Excellent interpersonal, consultation and communication skills, including the ability to explain creative and brand decisions to colleagues who are not communications professionals.
• Ability to manage one's own workload, balance multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, quality and consistency.

Job Duties

• Creative Services and Design Execution
  • Serve as the primary Creative Services resource for communications and marketing requests originating from Charlotte, providing design support across a broad range of needs and levels of complexity.
  • Conceptualize, design and produce high‑quality visual communications for print, digital and other platforms, including publications, marketing collateral, advertising, event materials, presentations, environmental graphics, social media assets and other communications.
  • Manage creative assignments from concept through final production, ensuring work is accurate, visually compelling, audience‑centered and aligned with communications objectives.
  • Develop original creative concepts as well as adapt established visual systems, campaigns and templates to meet specific needs.
  • Translate communications and marketing goals, key messages and audience needs into effective visual solutions.
  • Maintain a high level of craftsmanship and attention to typography, imagery, composition, accessibility, production requirements and other design details.
  • Prepare files and specifications for print, digital publication and other forms of production, working with university colleagues and outside vendors as appropriate.
  • Support Charlotte‑based needs while also contributing to university‑wide Creative Services projects when needed.
  • Work within established University Communications workflows, priorities and schedules to ensure the timely execution of assigned creative work.
• Brand Identity Stewardship and Consultation
  • Serve as a day‑to‑day resource for brand identity questions in Charlotte, helping university colleagues appropriately apply established Elon and Queens visual identities and standards.
  • Provide consultation on the appropriate use of institutional marks, typography, color, imagery, visual systems and other brand elements.
  • Review communications and creative materials for alignment with established visual identity standards and recommend adjustments when needed.
  • Help university partners determine the appropriate visual approaches for communications needs while maintaining consistency across university touchpoints.
  • Educate colleagues about available brand resources, templates, standards and processes and help increase understanding and adoption of those resources.
  • Identify recurring brand questions, gaps or emerging brand identity needs in Charlotte and bring them to University Communications leadership for consideration.
  • Recognize issues that extend beyond established guidance and elevate questions of brand strategy, architecture, naming or policy to the appropriate University Communications leaders.
  • Contribute observations and recommendations that support the continued implementation and evolution of university visual identity systems.
• Creative Leadership and Collaboration
  • Work closely with the Director of Creative Services and other members of the Creative Services team to maintain a consistent level of creative quality across all Elon campuses.
  • Contribute ideas and creative perspectives to major communications and marketing initiatives and participate in collaborative concept development.
  • Build strong working relationships with colleagues across University Communications and with university partners in Charlotte.
  • Provide informed creative counsel to clients, helping them understand how design and brand decisions support communications objectives.
  • Collaborate with writers, photographers, videographers, web professionals, marketers and other communications colleagues to develop integrated work.
  • Share expertise, best practices and emerging design trends with Creative Services colleagues and contribute to the ongoing development of the team's creative capabilities.
  • Provide creative guidance to student workers, freelancers, vendors or other contributors as appropriate.

Special Instructions to Applicants

A portfolio submission is required to be considered for this position.