Creative Services Specialist

YMCA of the Cedar Rapids Metro Area; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Vision Care

Dental

Generous Retirement Contribution

Paid Time off

Paid Holidays

Free Membership

Program Discounts

Job summary

YMCA of Metro Denver seeks a Creative Services Specialist to steward the brand visuals across print and digital campaigns. You will transform briefs into professional designs, photos, and videos that align with No Place Like This Place branding. This role partners with Marketing and Communications to serve multiple YMCA priorities.

You will manage projects, coordinate vendors, and contribute to website visuals, social content, and event materials while ensuring accessibility and on-brand quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design or equivalent with a strong portfolio.
• Minimum of two years of professional design experience.
• Portfolio required demonstrating print and digital work.

Responsibilities

• Turn briefs into visual layouts for print and digital campaigns.
• Create graphics, photography and video assets for web and social.
• Maintain brand guidelines and asset libraries across mediums.
• Coordinate print, signage, merch and freelance vendors.
• Support website visuals and email templates with accessible UI.

Skills

Web & mobile design

Branding & storytelling

Communication

Portfolio

Education

Bachelor's degree in graphic design

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

CapCut

Premiere Pro

Canva

Job description

DESIGN IT. SHOOT IT. EDIT IT. CREATE IT.CREATIVE MINDS WANTED!Do you dream in colors, see life through a camera lens, and have a knack for creating content that makes people STOP scrolling?WE WANT YOU!We're looking for a creative powerhouse who can:Design eye-catching graphicsCapture unforgettable momentsCreate engaging videosBring social media to lifeTurn big ideas into amazing contentTHE BEST PART?You're not just creating content. You're telling stories, inspiring people, and making a difference in our community.YOUR CREATIVITY. OUR MISSION. BIG IMPACT.POSITION SUMMARYThe Creative Services Specialist stewards the visual identity and overall look of the YMCA of Metro Denver brand. This skilled individual contributor takes campaign ideas and turns them into clean, professional designs, photography and video for print and digital platforms, ensuring materials are high-quality, consistent and easy to recognize.Working within YMCA brand guidelines and the No Place Like This Place brand campaign, this position exercises independent judgment in design approach, layout, visual storytelling and production methods. The Specialist manages creative projects from brief through final delivery, recommends creative concepts and coordinates print, sign, merchandise and freelance vendors.Working collaboratively with the Marketing and Communications team, executive directors and department leaders, this position serves as the department's creative resource across membership, fundraising, youth development, camp, aquatics and other YMCA priorities.OUR PATHFor 150 years, the YMCA of Metro Denver has been more than a place - it is a movement that lifts spirit, mind and body for all. Our direction is clear: Elevate Lives and Rise Together. Grounded by our mission and strengthened by the global YMCA movement we will elevate our people, purpose, partnerships and promise.SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIESThis position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities. The Specialist coordinates freelance designers and production vendors.ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/EXPECTATIONSPrint & Digital Graphic Design: Turns creative briefs and campaign ideas into visual layouts for digital ads, flyers, banners, brochures, invitations, event signage, email and social templates and presentation decks.Visual Identity Stewardship: Applies and maintains the rules for the brand's visual look, aligned with YMCA brand guidelines and the No Place Like This Place brand campaign; maintains the brand template, photo and video asset libraries.Fundraising Design: Designs appeals, donor emails, impact reports and event materials in partnership with the Director, Communications & Content.Photography & Videography: Handles on-site filming, photography, lighting and audio, and edits photo and video for social media, web, fundraising and campaigns; owns final video quality.Website Visual Layouts: Designs the visual look and user interface layout templates for the website and delivers optimized images and graphics that support SEO/AEO, in coordination with the Director, Marketing and the external web vendor.Flyer & Digital Signage: Manages flyer templates and digital signage content across YMCA facilities.Creative Recommendations: Recommends design concepts, ad taglines and copy direction for deliverables and advises internal partners on brand-aligned visual approaches.Promotional Items & Swag: Manages department requests, product ideas and design for promotional items; coordinates merchandise vendors, ordering, budget tracking and on-time delivery for events.UPACE & Mobile App Design: Supports the visual design of the YMCA mobile app and UPACE, including in-app content updates.Vendor Management: Works directly with print shops, sign fabricators, merchandise vendors and freelance designers to ensure final products are produced correctly, on time and on budget, including freelance support for overflow, high-level fundraising and summer camp creative.Project Management: Manages multiple creative projects, priorities and deadlines through the department intake process and resolves challenges within established goals and parameters.Continuous Improvement: Identifies opportunities to improve creative workflows and recommends appropriate use of emerging design, video and AI tools.Organizational Support: Provides occasional evening and weekend support for events, photo and video shoots, programs and time-sensitive communications.Mission & Values: Demonstrates the YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility and supports communications and workplace practices that foster inclusion and belonging.LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIESCollaborationCommunication & ListeningCritical Thinking & Decision MakingProblem SolvingSystems ThinkingInclusionRelationship BuildingFunctional ExpertiseWORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDSThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, including camera, lighting and event equipment.Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and the ability to adjust.Occasional support for indoor and outdoor community events across YMCA facilities on evenings and weekends may be required.The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.DISCLAIMERThe YMCA of Metropolitan Denver reserves the right to modify, add, or remove job duties and responsibilities as business needs evolve.This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications required for the position.Employment with the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver is at-will and may be terminated by either the employee or the organization at any time, with or without cause or notice, in accordance with applicable law.EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENTThe YMCA of Metropolitan Denver is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION & RISK MANAGEMENTThe YMCA is committed to the safety and well-being of all children and vulnerable individuals. As part of our commitment to child abuse prevention and Praesidium accreditation standards, all employees are required to comply with YMCA abuse prevention policies, including screening, training, supervision, and reporting requirements.QUALIFICATIONSEducation & Experience: Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, digital media or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training and relevant experience. Minimum of two years of professional design experience. Portfolio required.Design Tools: Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Canva or similar template platforms.Photo & Video: Experience with camera, lighting and audio equipment and video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, CapCut or similar tools.Digital Design: Experience designing for web, email, social media and mobile apps, with working knowledge of user interface and user experience principles and image optimization for web.Print Production: Knowledge of print specifications, file preparation and working with print, sign and merchandise vendors.Communication & Project Management: Strong communication, organization and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, present creative recommendations and incorporate feedback.BENEFITSHealth and Vision CareDentalGenerous Retirement Contribution Options -Includes company contribution of 10% once eligibility is metPaid Time offPaid Sick LeavePaid HolidaysFree MembershipProgram DiscountsEmployee Assistance Program