Senior Designer

FrameWorks Institute; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

FrameWorks Institute is seeking a talented Senior Designer to lead the visual design and production of reports, publications, presentations, digital campaigns, web content, infographics, and data visualizations.

The role combines strategic design thinking with hands-on production management, owning the design production pipeline in Asana, coordinating with editors, researchers, program staff, and external vendors to deliver high-quality work on schedule.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of education and/or work experience in graphic design, interactive design, multimedia, or related field.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating visual design, information design, typography, layout, and storytelling.
• Experience translating complex information into clear visual communications for broad audiences.
• Experience designing across reports, presentations, digital content, web, and campaigns.
• Strong command of design tools such as Adobe CC, Figma, Canva or comparable platforms.
• Experience with data visualization and information design.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail with focus on accessibility and brand consistency.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of FrameWorks' visual communications from concept through final production.
• Translate complex research, data, and social science concepts into clear visuals.
• Develop concepts and visual approaches that maintain FrameWorks' visual identity.
• Collaborate with writers, editors, researchers, and staff to communicate ideas visually.
• Develop templates and design systems for recurring products.
• Create data visualizations and information-design products for audiences.
• Provide art direction for external designers and vendors.
• Ensure final products meet quality, accessibility, accuracy, and brand standards.
• Stay current with developments in design, visual storytelling, and emerging tech.

Skills

Graphic design

Information design

Typography

Visual storytelling

Data visualization

Adobe Creative Cloud

InDesign

Figma

Canva

Project management

Communication

Tools

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Figma

Canva

Google Workspace

Asana

Slack

Zoom

CMS

Job description

SUPERVISOR: Senior Director of Communications

JOB TYPE (FT, PT, TEMP): Full-Time

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION (EXEMPT, NON-EXEMPT): Exempt

SUPERVISORY ROLE (YES, NO): No

BARGAINING UNIT STATUS: Covered by the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement

SALARY RANGE: $90,000–$110,000 depending on experience

About the Role

The FrameWorks Institute is seeking a talented, strategic, and highly organized Senior Designer to join its communications team and help bring FrameWorks' research and ideas to life through compelling visual communication. The Senior Designer will lead the visual design and production of a wide range of FrameWorks products and communications, including reports and publications, presentations, digital campaigns, web content, infographics, data visualizations, and other communications products.

This role combines high-level design thinking and creative execution with hands‑on production management. The Senior Designer will translate complex research and ideas into clear, engaging, accessible visual communications for a range of audiences, while ensuring that projects move efficiently from concept through final production. The Senior Designer will own the organization’s day‑to‑day design production pipeline in Asana, working closely with communications colleagues, researchers, program staff, and external vendors to scope projects, establish timelines, manage reviews and revisions, coordinate handoffs, and ensure that work is delivered on time and to a high standard.

This is an ideal role for a designer who is both creatively ambitious and exceptionally organized—someone who enjoys developing strong visual concepts but also knows how to build the systems, workflows, and production processes that make excellent creative work possible.

Design & Visual Communication

• Lead the design of FrameWorks' visual communications from concept through final production, including research reports and publications, presentations and slide decks, infographics and data visualizations, graphics and visual content for website, illustrations and visual storytelling, fundraising and development materials, and toolkits, guides, and other public‑facing resources.
• Translate complex research, data, and social science concepts into clear, compelling, and accessible visual communications.
• Develop creative concepts and visual approaches that advance communications goals while maintaining a cohesive FrameWorks visual identity.
• Collaborate with writers, editors, researchers, communications team, and program staff to determine the best ways to communicate ideas visually.
• Develop and maintain templates and design systems that make recurring communications products efficient, consistent, and high quality.
• Create data visualizations and other information‑design products that make complex findings easier for audiences to understand.
• Provide art direction and creative guidance for projects involving external designers, illustrators, photographers, videographers, or other creative partners.
• Ensure that final products meet FrameWorks' standards for visual quality, accessibility, accuracy, and brand consistency.
• Stay current with developments in design, visual storytelling, information design, and emerging creative technologies.

Production Management & Workflow

• Own and manage the end‑to‑end design and communications production pipeline in Asana, ensuring that projects have clear scopes, timelines, review stages, and final deliverables.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects and proactively identify potential bottlenecks, resource constraints, and timeline risks.
• Establish realistic production schedules and communicate clearly with project stakeholders about deadlines, dependencies, and changes.
• Coordinate the design process across internal teams, including research, programs, communications, development, and leadership.
• Manage design review and revision processes, ensuring that feedback is consolidated, actionable, and incorporated efficiently.
• Coordinate with external copy editors and other editorial vendors as needed to ensure that publications and other major products move smoothly through editing, design, proofreading, and final production.
• Identify when projects require additional external design capacity or specialized expertise and manage freelance designers and design vendors from briefing through delivery.
• Conduct final quality assurance on design files and coordinate final production, including preparation of files for digital publication, print, web, social, and other channels.
• Maintain organized design files, templates, assets, and production documentation.
• Continuously improve FrameWorks' creative production systems and workflows to make the organization's communications work more efficient and effective.

Creative Strategy, Brand & Innovation

• Contribute to the evolution of FrameWorks' visual identity and creative strategy.
• Help establish and maintain visual standards and guidelines across programs and communication channels.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Communications and other communications leaders on major campaigns and high‑priority organizational initiatives.
• Bring new ideas and creative approaches to how FrameWorks presents its research and reaches audiences.
• Explore and appropriately incorporate emerging design technologies and tools into the creative workflow.
• Use AI tools where appropriate to increase efficiency in the production of standard, repetitive, or highly templated products, in accordance with FrameWorks' AI policy, while maintaining FrameWorks' standards for accuracy, accessibility, originality, and quality.
• Help establish responsible and effective practices for AI‑assisted design production, including appropriate human review and quality control.

Other Duties

• Attend staff, departmental, and other required meetings and trainings.
• Occasional domestic travel may be required for organizational meetings, conferences, or events.
• Other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Experience, and Education

• 5-10 years of education and/or work experience in graphic design, interactive design, multimedia, communications, or a related field, with experience preferred in nonprofit, mission‑driven, or agency environments preferred.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating excellent visual design, information design, typography, layout, and visual storytelling.
• Experience translating complex information, research, data, or ideas into clear and compelling visual communications for broad audiences.
• Experience designing across multiple formats, including reports/publications, presentations, digital content, social media, web, and campaign materials.
• Strong command of industry‑standard design tools, such as Adobe Creative Cloud, InDesign, Figma, Canva, or comparable platforms.
• Experience with data visualization and information design.
• Experience managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong understanding of production processes, including editorial review, proofreading, file preparation, digital publishing, and quality assurance.
• Exceptional attention to detail without losing sight of larger communications and strategic goals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with people with different areas of expertise.
• Ability to take initiative, identify problems before they become obstacles, and develop practical solutions.
• Comfort working independently while also seeking and incorporating feedback.
• Interest in or familiarity with social issues, public‑interest communications, social science, advocacy, or narrative change.
• Commitment to accessibility, inclusive design, and communicating respectfully about communities and social issues.
• Interest in emerging creative technologies and demonstrated ability to learn and adapt to new tools and workflows.
• Commitment to FrameWorks' mission and values.

Computer and Equipment Skills

• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and/or comparable professional design software (e.g., Figma, Canva).
• Experience with data visualization tools and information design.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Gmail, Calendar).
• Experience with project management platforms such as Asana.
• Comfort with collaboration and communication tools including Slack and Zoom.
• Familiarity with web content management systems (CMS) for publishing and updating web graphics.
• Interest in and openness to emerging design technologies and AI tools, within the bounds of FrameWorks' AI policy.