Senior Visual Comm. Designer, Systems Comm.

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Utah Health seeks a Senior Visual Communications Designer specializing in executive and internal communications. This role distills complex leadership messaging into compact, visual-first assets for a four-mission institution.

The position emphasizes AI-enabled template creation, brand integrity, and cross-functional collaboration across departments. Strong visuals, systems thinking, and stakeholder communication are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or related field (or equivalency) + 10 years design experience, preferably including internal/corporate communications or presentation design.
• Equivalency: 1 year of higher education can substitute for 1 year of related work experience.
• Portfolio demonstrating strong visual communication and professional design work.

Responsibilities

• Translate leadership communications into visual systems with concise visuals and limited text.
• Manage multiple projects, maintain brand consistency, and meet deadlines.
• Choose appropriate tools/platforms based on asset needs and audience.

Skills

Adobe CC

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

After Effects

PowerPoint

SharePoint

AI Tools

Visual storytelling

Education

Bachelor’s in Graphic Design/Visual Communication

Tools

Drupal

Campaign Studio

Acquia

Asana

Job description

Senior Visual Comm. Designer, Systems Comm.

Job Summary

University of Utah Health is seeking a Senior Visual CommunicationsDesigner specializing in executive and internal communications. This role supports organizational change and other institutional priorities by distilling complex leadership messaging into compact, visual-first assets designed for immediate comprehension across a large organization with four missions: health care, academics, research, and community collaboration. This is a senior design role requiring strong visual judgment, communication skills, and systems thinking. The ideal candidate knows not just how to design, but where—moving fluidly between Adobe and Microsoft ecosystems depending on what an asset needs to do. Importantly, this position understands how to leverage modern AI tools to build smart, on-brand templates and guardrails that enable leadership to self-serve without compromising organizational brand integrity. Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities

• Translate leadership communications into visual systems. Develop conceptual art, charts, infographics, and other visual assets that distill dense organizational messaging into compact visuals paired with limited text, built for immediate comprehension.
• Manage competing priorities and stakeholder needs. Work responsively across multiple concurrent projects, adapting to shifting timelines and requirements while maintaining accuracy, brand consistency, and a high standard of design execution.
• Choose the right platform for the job. Determine the appropriate tools and platforms based on how an asset will be used, shared, edited, and maintained. This judgment - not just tool proficiency - is central to the role.
• AI Tool Integration and Brand Stewardship: Leverage familiarity with LLMs and productivity AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini) to design standardized presentation templates, handouts, and brand toolkits for executive and leadership use.
• Design and maintain templates aligned to the University's brand and style guide, ensuring consistency across departments and campaigns.
• Provide design consultation to internal teams and stakeholders on design decisions, template use, and brand application.
• Produce motion, animation, and transition graphics to support communications and presentations where movement improves comprehension or engagement.
• Maintain cloud folder structures and file-sharing conventions in accordance with University network and information governance standards.
• Present and pitch design solutions to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders, articulating design rationale clearly and persuasively.
• Required Qualifications

Software & Technical Skills

• Fluency in Adobe Creative Cloud, with advanced proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign; working proficiency in After Effects/Premiere preferred. Hands-on experience using embedded AI features (e.g., Photoshop Generative Fill, Illustrator Text to Vector) to solve real-world production challenges.
• Fluency in Microsoft 365 apps - PowerPoint and SharePoint (priority); Word, Excel (secondary)
• Familiarity with LLMs and productivity AI Tools including: ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini

Core Competencies

• Strong critical thinking and systems-oriented problem-solving
• Excellent visual storytelling and information design skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Confident presentation and pitch skills, including the ability to explain design rationale to non-design stakeholders
• Collaborative and adaptable, with the ability to incorporate diverse and sometimes competing feedback while maintaining design quality, communication objectives, and brand standards.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment, with a track record of responsiveness, accuracy, and sound judgment as needs shift.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to producing highly accurate, polished work, particularly for executive and organization-wide communications

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Graphic Designer, V: Requires a bachelor's in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field (or equivalency) + 10 years Design experience, preferably including internal communications, corporate communications, presentation design, or change management contexts or a master's (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences

• Drupal - the University's CMS; this role will only occasionally touch web content, with support available from the Digital Experience team
• Campaign Studio (email/marketing platform)
• Acquia (digital asset management)
• Asana (project management)
• Prior experience in higher education, corporate change management, or large decentralized organizations

Special Instructions

What Makes This Role Distinctive

• Please attach a portfolio demonstrating strong visual communication, information design, and professional design work.

Requisition Number

PRN46214B

Full Time or Part Time?

Full Time

Work Schedule Summary

This position follows a standard 8 a.m.–5 p.m. schedule, with the option to work remotely up to two days per week based on departmental needs. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support special events or other organizational needs.

Department

01759 - PUBLISHING

Location

Campus

Pay Rate Range

$70,000 - $80,000

Close Date

10/13/2026