Visual Communications Specialist

SUNY Cortland; City of Cortland (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement options

Paid family leave

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

SUNY Cortland is seeking a Visual Communications Specialist to design and produce marketing materials that align with brand standards. Working under the Assistant Director of Creative Services, you will manage photography, asset libraries, and production-ready assets to support enrollment and institutional priorities.

The role emphasizes visual storytelling across print and digital channels, with opportunities to contribute to marketing, communications, and enrollment objectives while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communications, or related field.
• Proficiency in graphic design and layout principles.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) or equivalent.
• Experience photographing events and campus environments and editing images for marketing and communications.
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Design and produce print and digital materials for enrollment marketing and collateral.
• Develop layouts and production-ready artwork.
• Refine design templates and visual assets.
• Prepare files for print and digital distribution with accuracy.
• Support creative campaigns with visual content and graphics.
• Enforce brand standards and ensure typography, color, and imagery consistency.

Skills

Graphic design

Layout principles

Attention to detail

Project management

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)

Job description

Position Details

Budget Title: Community Relations Associate

Campus Title: Visual Communications Specialist

School/Division: Institutional Advancement, Division of

Department: Marketing Office

Staff Sub-Type: Staff & Administration

Salary Level: SL2

Salary Range: $55,000 + depending on experience (DOE)

Position Effort: Full-Time

Is this a temporary position? No

Position Summary

The Visual Communications Specialist supports the development and execution of SUNY Cortland’s visual brand across print and digital channels. Working under the direction of the Assistant Director of Creative Services, this role designs and produces marketing and enrollment materials that are consistent, high-quality, and aligned with institutional priorities. The position supports photography, asset management, and brand compliance efforts across the university. Through creative design and visual storytelling, the role helps advance the university’s marketing, communications, and enrollment objectives.

What makes SUNY Cortland a great place to work?

• Our positions provide predictable salary progressions, and many offer permanency.
• Generous benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, various retirement program options, paid family leave and/or parental leaves, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, long term disability and tuition reimbursement.
• SUNY Cortland prioritizes work-life balance and well-being in all forms. The university’s state-of-the-art Student Life Center is free for employees to use, with membership options for families. Alternate work schedules are available with a supervisor’s approval.
• Professional development opportunities exist through training, continuing education programs, tuition reimbursement and conference travel, based on funding.
• Cortland County and surrounding areas offer easy access to arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation and much more. Experience Cortland dives deep into the region’s offerings

Major Responsibilities

Design and Production

• Design and produce print and digital materials, such as enrollment marketing, signage, and collateral.
• Develop layouts and production-ready artwork.
• Assist in the development and refinement of design templates and visual assets.
• Prepare files for print and digital distribution, ensuring quality and accuracy.
• Support creative campaign execution through the development of visual content and supporting graphics.

Brand Compliance and Quality Assurance (QA) Support

• Support enforcement of brand standards through design execution, review, and revisions.
• Apply university brand standards across a variety of communications and marketing projects.
• Assist in reviewing designs for consistency in typography, color, imagery, and visual presentation.
• Revise creative assets based on feedback from Creative Services leadership and stakeholders.
• Utilize approved templates, design systems, and visual assets to maintain brand consistency.
• Participate in proofing and quality assurance reviews for design accuracy and production readiness.
• Ensure files are properly formatted and prepared for print and digital distribution.

Photography and Content Capture

• Capture and edit photography for marketing, communications, and institutional storytelling.
• Photograph university events, student experiences, campus life, and academic activities.
• Perform basic photo editing, retouching, cropping, and optimization for multiple platforms.
• Coordinate photography logistics.
• Assist in the creation of visual content for enrollment, advancement, athletics, and institutional initiatives.
• Support multimedia projects through image selection and visual storytelling.

Asset Management

• Organize, tag, and maintain the university’s photo and visual asset library.
• Maintain metadata, file naming conventions, and archival standards.
• Upload, catalog, and distribute approved visual assets for university use.
• Assist with image selection and retrieval for marketing and communications projects.
• Support management of templates, graphics, and shared creative resources.
• Ensure assets are properly licensed, documented, and stored.

Creative Services Support and Workflow

• Support project intake, proofing, and production coordination. Provide backup to the Assistant Director.
• Assist in managing project schedules, priorities, and deliverables.
• Coordinate with university partners to gather content, specifications, and project requirements.
• Track project status and support workflow management processes.
• Assist with vendor coordination and production logistics, as assigned.
• Support department-wide creative initiatives and special projects.

Digital Adaptation

• Adapt assets for web, social, and digital platforms.
• Resize and optimize graphics, photography, and visual assets for multiple channels.
• Create digital graphics for social media, websites, email marketing, and digital signage.
• Support development of platform-specific creative assets and campaign materials.
• Ensure digital content maintains brand consistency across channels.
• Assist with updates and maintenance of digital communications assets.

Functional and Supervisory Relationships

• Reports to: Assistant Director of Creative Services
• Works closely with: Creative Services team, Marketing and Communications staff, Admissions, Athletics, and other university partners

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communications, or related field
• Demonstrated proficiency in graphic design and layout principles
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) or equivalent tools
• Experience photographing events, people, and campus environments and editing images for marketing and communications purposes.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education or a marketing/communications environment
• Familiarity with brand standards and asset management systems
• Experience designing both print and digital platforms
• Experience with digital asset management (DAM) systems
• Experience with Adobe Express, or similar content-creation platforms
• Experience creating social media graphics and digital campaigns
• Knowledge of accessibility principles (WCAG) for digital communications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong visual design and layout skills
• Attention to detail and commitment to brand consistency
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Ability to balance creative design with university brand standards
• Knowledge of photography composition and image selection
• Understanding of visual storytelling principles
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively with a range of stakeholders
• Working knowledge of print and digital production processes
• Basic understanding of digital design best practices (web, social, accessibility)

EEO Statement

SUNY is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants, including individuals with disabilities. Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application, interview, or hiring process may request an accommodation by contacting our HR ADA Coordinator in Miller Room 302, 607-753-2302, [e-mail]. Requests for accommodation will be considered consistent with applicable law. This process is separate from, and does not require, any voluntary self-identification of disability status.