Graphic Designer (Communications Specialist III)

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

King County’s Metro Transit Department seeks a Service Information Graphic Designer to lead the design, development and production of transit signage, maps and related public information materials. The role requires coordinating with internal teams and vendors to meet critical deadlines and ensuring brand consistency across publications and vehicles.

The position emphasizes collaboration with partners such as Sound Transit and Community Transit, and requires strong Adobe Creative Suite skills,

Qualifications

• Four or more years in design, visualization, and production across print, digital, multimedia, and exhibit formats.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite including XML and scripting in InDesign.
• Ability to develop graphic, publication, and mapping files for accurate production across media.
• Knowledge of print and sign production processes, 4-color and large-format printing, pre-press, and vendor coordination.
• Strong writing, documentation, and proofreading skills for targeted audiences.
• Knowledge of marketing and graphic communication principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development and production of Metro communications materials including brochures, timetables, maps and signage.
• Oversee project workflow, coordination with internal teams and vendors to meet deadlines.
• Ensure adherence to King County Metro Brand and graphic design standards across publications and vehicles.
• Collaborate with partners like Sound Transit and Community Transit on shared projects.
• Manage vendor contracts and consultants and assist in creating promotional materials.

Skills

Adobe Creative Suite

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

XML scripting

Tools

XML

Scripting

Job description

King County’s Metro Transit Department has an exciting opportunity for a Service Information Graphic Designer (Communications Specialist III) with Customer Communications and Services within the Mobility Division. Guided by our "ACTIVATE" values to make King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive, this position provides support and project planning for the creative development and production of Metro’s Service Information materials. The position is responsible for strategizing, designing, laying out and producing transit signage, maps connecting Metro services to other public transit services, fleet signage, brochures, posters, and related public information materials.

Serving a county with a population larger than 15 U.S. states, Metro provides bus, paratransit, vanpool, water taxi, and on-demand services, and operates the Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit Link light rail and Sound Transit Express bus service. The agency’s national honors include Best Large Transit Agency in North America (American Public Transportation Association, three times–most recently in 2018) and Most Equitable Agency in Tackling Climate Change (Federal Transit Administration, 2022).

Position Information:

This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) Career Service Graphic Designer (Communications Specialist III) classification vacancy. In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future Special Duty Assignment (SDA), Term Limited Temporary (TLT), and Career Service (CS) vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility list will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Who May Apply:

We welcome applications from all interested candidates, including current King County employees and the public. Please refer to the Supplemental Information section of this job bulletin for the required application materials. Applying our ACTIVATE values: being Accountable, Collaborative, Timely, and Impactful; how we Value Employees; staying Accessible; building what’s Trusted; and acting Equitably, is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. As a Graphic Designer, you will:

• Work with Service Information leadership to ensure communications needs are sustainably met for internal and external customers.
• Evaluate project requests and inclusively triage assignments to team members while overseeing continuous improvement of processes and practices related to design and production trends.
• Oversee project oversight, workflow coordination, and operational execution of the work.
• Strategically lead and execute the design, development and production of Metro communications materials, including brochures, posters, timetables, regional maps, displays, custom signage, digital signage, vinyl applications, presentations, promotional materials, and more.
• Oversee and use the developed tools (XML and scripting) and templates, create files to produce Metro’s bus stop sign program. This body of work requires extensive coordination with Transit Route Facility planners and with the Metro paint shop, to facilitate, coordinate, troubleshoot and follow-up with production of information signage to meet critical deadlines.
• Enforce and promote adherence to King County Metro Brand and graphic design standards, as applicable to publications, signage, and vehicles. This includes visual and physical review of coaches during procurement to assess signing and decal requirements and collaborating on branding for new lines of service that support the King County Metro brand and sub-brand identities (i.e., KC Sheriff, Dart, Access, Contracted Services & RapidRide).
• Work collaboratively in a very diverse work environment and be a resource across Metro to support work groups that require assistance and guidance as needed.
• Work closely with other community partners like Sound Transit and Community Transit on shared projects, new and ongoing, as needed.
• Manage vendors, vendor contracts, and consultants.
• Assist the Marketing and other internal staff in developing and designing promotional materials, including brochures, posters, displays, banners, presentations, and advertising incentives.
• Perform other related job duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least four (4) years in the last 10 of recent professional experience in design, visualization, and production of materials across print, digital, multimedia, and exhibit formats.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat Pro), including XML and scripting capabilities in InDesign.
• Ability to develop graphic, illustration, publication, and mapping/wayfinding files, ensuring accurate production across varying media.
• Strong knowledge of print and sign production processes, including 4-color and large-format printing, pre-press/pre-flight, press checks, vendor coordination, quality control, delivery, and installation.
• Excellent writing, documentation, and proofreading skills, with the ability to assess communication needs and determine effective tools and methods for targeted audiences.
• Knowledge of and skills in applying marketing and graphic communication principles.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and MS Teams
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a diverse team environment, demonstrating strong leadership, negotiation, and troubleshooting skills across projects, workflows, and technical systems.
• Highly organized, able to manage multiple complex projects, schedule work, coordinate with internal and external vendors, and efficiently develop draft visuals.
• Demonstrated experience incorporating cultural and racial equity, universal design principles, and inclusive practices into communication tools and visual materials.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with government bid process, working within defined budgets, and following government protocol.
• Digital animation, motion graphics, and/or video editing skills
• Ability to use GIS or similar database application software
• Proficient in a language in addition to English
• Public transportation work experience
• Signage regulation experience.

Licensing, Certification, and Other Requirements:

• Washington State driver's license or the ability to travel to multiple King County Metro locations in a timely manner.

Required Application Materials

• A completed Job Application (go back at least 10 years if you have 10 years of employment (more to include all relevant). Resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed job application.
• Complete the supplemental questions
• A cover letter that addresses why you are interested in this role and how your experience, skills and/or education have prepared you for this position.
• Please submit a Portfolio of Graphic Design and Production work (PDF format ONLY)– Please limit your submission to six (6) projects/samples that best illustrate your range and capabilities.

Selection Process

Applications that do not include all of the required materials listed above will not be considered. Only the materials explicitly requested will be reviewed—additional documents or information will not be evaluated. Application materials will be screened for completeness and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews and possibly other selection process elements. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks and/or a record review.

Work Schedule:

This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is therefore not eligible for overtime pay. The work schedule is normally Monday through Friday, within the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Work Location:

This is a hybrid position. The team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. Currently the team is required to work 2 days in office each week. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Union Representation:

The position is represented by PROTEC17.

Class Code/Grade:

252305 I58

Safety Responsibilities for an Employee:

• Responsible for understanding Metro Transit Safety Policy and their role in safety.
• Report all safety concerns.
• Follow safety practices and procedures as necessary to maintain a safe work environment and in conformance with applicable regulations, policies, and training.
• Report safety and security concerns and ideas to supervisors or anonymously through data collection system.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.