Specialist, Creative

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); Alexandria (VA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is seeking a Specialist, Creative to shape brand visuals across digital, print, social, and events. You will blend graphic design, motion, and UX principles to translate data into audience-centered storytelling and support brand goals.

Collaborating with design, multimedia, and marketing teams, you will evolve the visual toolkit, explore emerging technologies including generative AI, and ensure assets align with established standards while remaining

Qualifications

• Three (3) or more years of professional design experience across digital, motion, and brand storytelling.
• Portfolio demonstrating cross-format design capabilities, including static and motion design and data visualization or interactive/experiential design.
• Experience working in fast-paced, cross-functional marketing or agency environments.
• Experience managing multiple creative projects from brief through final production.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and produce visual assets across digital, print, social, events, and other channels while applying brand standards.
• Maintain adaptable design systems, templates, and assets for modular, scalable content.
• Collaborate to translate research, data, and audience insights into compelling visual storytelling.
• Develop graphics, infographics, and presentations that simplify complex information for varied audiences.
• Create motion graphics, HTML5 assets, and other digital content optimized for engagement.

Skills

Adobe Creative Suite

Photoshop

Illustrator

After Effects

Figma

Generative AI tools

Canva

Midjourney

Runway

OpenArt

Education

Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or related field

Tools

Canva

Midjourney

Adobe Firefly

OpenArt

Runway

Job description

Summary

The Specialist, Creative is a multimodal designer who helps shape how the brand looks, feels, and moves across omnichannel marketing campaigns and experiences, including print, digital, social, and events. This role blends visual design, motion design, and user experience principles to bring data, insights, and ideas to life through audience-centered storytelling.

Working with moderate independence and in close collaboration with members of the design, multimedia, content production, and broader Brand and Marketing teams, the Specialist takes assigned projects from concept through final production. The role applies relevant design and industry trends, contributes to the evolution of the team’s visual toolkit, and explores opportunities to incorporate emerging technologies, including generative AI, into creative workflows.

The Specialist builds effective working relationships with stakeholders across the organization who submit creative requests and translates business needs into high-quality visual solutions that support organizational and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

Cross-Channel Visual Design

• Conceptualize, design, and produce visual assets across digital, print, social, event, and other marketing channels while consistently applying established brand standards, identity, and tone.


• Contribute to and maintain adaptable design systems, templates, and assets that allow content to remain modular, scalable, and easy for broader marketing and communications teams to repurpose.


• Partner cross-functionally to translate research, data, business priorities, and audience insights into compelling visual storytelling.


• Develop graphics, infographics, presentations, and other visual materials that simplify complex information for executive, professional, and public audiences.


• Stay current on relevant design, marketing, and industry trends and apply appropriate trends and best practices to assigned projects.

Motion, Interactive & Emerging Media

• Design and produce short-form motion graphics, animated explainers, HTML5 assets, and other digital content optimized for audience engagement.


• Collaborate with multimedia partners to develop animated overlays, transitions, typographic motion, and other visual elements that enhance video storytelling.


• Explore multimodal design formats, including augmented reality, generative visuals, interactive presentations, and AI-generated imagery, and share relevant findings and recommendations with the team.


• Prototype and test visual formats for emerging and evolving platforms, including YouTube Shorts, Maglr, LinkedIn carousels, interactive PDFs, and HTML5 experiences.


• Adapt creative concepts for multiple formats and platforms while maintaining a consistent visual experience.

AI, Brand & Experience Contribution

• Use approved generative AI tools in creative workflows for ideation, concept development, mood boards, asset generation, and other appropriate design applications in accordance with organizational guidelines and responsible-use standards.


• Contribute to the maintenance and refinement of the visual identity system to support brand evolution and campaign needs.


• Serve as a brand steward by ensuring creative assets align with established visual standards, whether developed through traditional design methods or generative AI-assisted workflows.


• Apply accessibility, inclusivity, usability, and clarity standards to visual design work and proactively identify opportunities for improvement.


• Collaborate with Brand, Marketing, Content, Multimedia, and other cross-functional partners to promote consistency across audience touchpoints.


• Develop creative templates, toolkits, and modular assets that support broader marketing and communications needs and recommend enhancements to existing resources.


• Identify opportunities to improve creative workflows, tools, processes, and production efficiencies.

Education & Experience Requirements

Education

Bachelor’s degree In graphic design, visual communications, digital media, or a related field preferred or relevant equivalent experience in lieu of degree.

Experience

• Three (3) or more years of professional design experience across digital, motion, and brand storytelling.


• Portfolio demonstrating strong cross-format design capabilities, including static and motion design, as well as foundational experience with data visualization, interactive, or experiential design.


• Experience working collaboratively in fast-paced, cross-functional marketing, communications, creative, or agency environments.


• Experience managing multiple creative projects simultaneously from initial brief through final production.

Certifications - NA

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects, as well as Figma and relevant generative design tools such as Canva, Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, OpenArt, Runway, or comparable platforms.


• Strong visual design, layout, typography, composition, and storytelling skills.


• Solid conceptual, creative, and critical-thinking skills with the ability to translate creative briefs, business objectives, and audience needs into polished, on-brand visual solutions with moderate guidance.


• Ability to review project intake requests, identify requirements, and establish project schedules that incorporate proof development, stakeholder review, revisions, and final delivery.


• Ability to identify incomplete or ambiguous project requirements and seek appropriate clarification before beginning design work.


• Ability to organize, balance, and prioritize multiple projects based on changing business needs, deadlines, and competing priorities.


• Working knowledge of accessibility standards, responsive design principles, digital platform specifications, and production requirements.


• Strong collaboration and communication skills with the ability to receive, interpret, and incorporate constructive feedback.


• Curiosity and technical fluency to continuously explore emerging creative technologies, platforms, and design approaches.


• Ability to effectively leverage artificial intelligence tools and technologies to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, support creative exploration, and improve overall work quality while adhering to applicable organizational standards and policies.

Physical Requirements

This position operates in a typical office environment (which includes a home office setting) and requires the ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Physical requirements may include:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.


• Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, handling documents, and using office equipment.


• Occasional standing, walking, bending, and reaching.


• Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds as needed.


• Clear verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with colleagues and stakeholders.

Work Environment

Hybrid Schedule (3 Days In-Office/2 Days Remote)

This position follows a hybrid work schedule, with Tuesday through Thursday in office and Monday and Friday remote. Employees must be available during standard business hours, with core hours beginning between 8:00–9:00 a.m. and concluding between 5:00–6:00 p.m. local time.

Travel: Occasional 0 – 10%

The hiring range for this position is $70,000 to $85,000 per year. This range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications. SHRM offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. The benefits for this position include professional growth and development, health, dental, vision, well-being, health savings, flexible spending, retirement, open leave, and annual discretionary bonus and incentives.