Design Director for Global Human Rights Events & Brand

Human Rights Foundation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Flexible PTO

Holiday Schedule

Job summary

The Human Rights Foundation seeks an experienced Design Director to lead HRF’s core creative team in designing events, publications, and campaigns including the Oslo Freedom Forum. You will translate ideas into compelling visual systems, guide work from concept to production, and mentor junior designers.

As a senior, hands-on role reporting to the Creative Director, you will collaborate with Programming, Events, and Marketing teams and external partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Graphic Design or related field.
• 7+ years of professional graphic design experience, preferably in creative agency, event production or experiential marketing.
• Portfolio demonstrating concept development and execution, event design, and print, with strong craft and brand understanding.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and Figma; familiarity with AI design software.
• Strong communication and presentation skills; capable of collaborating with stakeholders.
• Experience managing junior designers, interns and freelancers.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and visual initiatives end to end — from research and strategy through concept, development, and execution — stewarding the organization’s brand presence across experiential and print
• Mentor and guide junior and mid-level designers, fostering growth and craft
• Develop cohesive event brand identities, including environmental graphics, signage, and print materials
• Collaborate with the Creative Director and designers to ensure clarity, momentum, and design excellence
• Advocate for design across internal teams and manage project pipelines and resources
• Partner with production teams and external vendors to deliver on-brand experiences and ensure quality and on-time delivery
• Oversee design, production, and implementation with strong judgment and technical expertise
• Document and refine workflows with the Creative Project Manager to improve efficiency
• Collaborate with videographers/photographers for event media assets
• Stay updated on industry trends and tools to drive innovation
• Split time between leadership (25%), design direction (25%), hands-on design (50%)

Skills

Graphic design

Brand identity

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Google Suite

Excel

Airtable

SketchUp

Blender

Rhino

Job description

The Human Rights Foundation seeks an experienced Design Director to lead HRF’s core creative team in designing events, publications, and campaigns including the Oslo Freedom Forum. You will translate ideas into compelling visual systems, guide work from concept to production, and mentor junior designers.

As a senior, hands-on role reporting to the Creative Director, you will collaborate with Programming, Events, and Marketing teams and external partners.