The Natural Step Canada and Smart Prosperity Institute work together to foster a strong and inclusive economy that thrives within nature’s limits. The graphic designer is a shared service role, focused on all brands across the TNS-SPI partnership.
Title: Designer
Location: This role is based in Canada, the location is flexible, and work is remote. Office space is available in Ottawa if desired.
Start date: As soon as possible - Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply early via the link at the bottom of this page
Salary: $60-$75k annually (depending on the level of experience) plus benefits
Are you a talented and experienced designer who wants to dedicate their expertise to tackle some of the most pressing issues we face, from climate change to pollution and their link to the economy? This role is an opportunity to bring your creativity and design prowess to contribute meaningfully to a mission-driven organization with leading initiatives that tackle these pressing issues. The person in this position will harness design to inspire key audiences to take action that advances a strong and inclusive economy that thrives within nature’s limits.
We are looking for a creative, nimble, driven, and versatile graphic designer to join our organization. The right candidate will be well-versed in designing myriad digital content, with a focus on long-form publications, as well as web design and the design of assets for social media, web, and internal corporate communications. They have experience bringing technical concepts to life visually with creative design that resonates with key audiences, and are passionate about harnessing design and graphics to tell a story that goes beyond words. The incumbent will be versatile with a range of brands, and will deliver consistency within individual brands while also finding opportunities to connect brands across the partnership where appropriate, and really own the design language across the partnership. In an ideal world, this individual would also bring a creative design-thinking approach to other parts of the organization, as we seek to continually evolve to be more creative and solutions-focussed.
Design (70%)
Design high-quality, high-impact, compelling reports
Employ design, imagery, and graphics to effectively communicate complex subject matter and reach communications objectives
Design digital content for social media and web, including image cards, event banners, and other assets
Develop and maintain visual identity of templated assets such as slide decks
Select colors, fonts, images, and layouts based on strategic needs as well as what resonates with - and is accessible to - audiences
Create original visual elements such as logos, graphics, detailed infographics, and illustrations to help deliver a message, and find creative ways to make charts and tables visually appealing
Establish creative direction within brand guidelines in collaboration with the Director of Marketing and Communications and communications leads
Develop web design occasionally, creating new pages and sections for brand websites, with ability to use CSS and HTML preferred
Brand and Rebrand (15%)
Update and maintain brand guidelines for a variety of initiatives
Contribute insights to a rebranding process and strategy, which will be conducted with an external agency
Once the rebrand process is complete, execute on the rebrand strategy across all initiatives, transitioning to the new branding across all media and assets
Develop templated designs in Canva for certain usages across brands
Collaboration (10%)
Collaborate with report authors and the publications manager to deliver high-quality publications on time
Liaise with external design consultants on occasion, at busy periods to deliver on communications strategies and requirements
Collaborate or liaise occasionally with external partner organizations on shared projects
Collaborate with partnership-wide communications colleagues to deepen the sharing of best practices and advancement of our collective mission, and find opportunities to use design to illustrate how collectively we are bigger than the sum of our parts
Other duties (5%)
Develop and manage an image library
Stay current with design trends and best practices in accessibility, and with design in the environment-economy landscape
Organize design files and projects effectively
Operate within project management frameworks and tools to deliver as part of a team
Experience with illustration and / or video are a desired asset
Minimum 2+ years of experience in design with a strong portfolio that illustrates quality and creativity
Proven experience of exceptional design quality, as demonstrated in a portfolio and/or examples of past work
Post-secondary education in design preferred
Advanced skills in Adobe Suite or similar, Google Suite, and Canva
Familiarity with HTML and CSS preferred
Knowledge of layouts, graphic fundamentals, typography, print, and web
Experience in designing a variety of media across print and digital
Experience collaborating with a web development team, communications team, authors, and other internal stakeholders
Experience and up-to-date with accessibility design standards
Proven ability to translate complex subject matter into accessible, compelling design
Highly creative and curious, with initiative to bring forward ideas
Visionary about how design can effectively tell a story and the varied media and approaches that can be used to do so
Attention to detail, quality, and nuance
Time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects in parallel and high degree on initiative to drive projects to completion
Collaborative with a variety of internal stakeholders
Flexible and versatile, with the ability to elegantly navigate different brands
Passion for our mission
Please submit a brief cover letter addressed to Alice Irene Whittaker and CV in one document, including any relevant links to your portfolio and/or past work. Apply for this position at the link at the bottom of this page. This role will be filled as soon as we find the right person for the role, so candidates are encouraged to apply early.
The deadline for applications is March 11th but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so apply early. This position may be filled prior to March 11th if the right candidate is found.
Please contact careers@naturalstep.ca if you have any questions about the role.
The Natural Step Canada and Smart Prosperity Institute understand that valuing diverse creative practices and forms of knowledge are crucial to and enrich our work. We encourage applications from everyone, including members of all equity-seeking communities, such as (but certainly not limited to) women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions.
We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race (including hairstyle and texture), religion (including religious grooming and dress practices), gender, gender identity, gender expression, color, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, domestic partner status, disability, sexual orientation, age, genetic predisposition, medical condition, marital status, citizenship status, or any other basis covered by applicable laws. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics or any other unlawful behavior, conduct, or purpose.
The Natural Step Canada is a national charity with over 25 years’ experience advancing science, innovation and strategic leadership aimed at fostering a strong and inclusive economy that thrives within nature’s limits. TNS engages thought leaders from industry, government, academia and civil society through labs, leadership coalitions and expert networks such as the Canada Plastics Pact, Circular Economy Leadership Canada, and the Energy Futures Lab. Learn more: https://naturalstep.ca/
Smart Prosperity Institute (formerly Sustainable Prosperity) is a national research network and policy think tank based at the University of Ottawa. We deliver world-class research and work with public and private partners – all to advance practical policies and market solutions for a stronger, cleaner economy. Learn more: institute.smartprosperity.ca
©2024 Smart Prosperity Institute. All rights reserved.
Contact us:
info@smartprosperity.ca | 1 Stewart St (3rd Floor), Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5