Senior Graphic Designer

D.C. United is seeking a talented Senior Graphic Designer to join the team as a full-time employee. Your role will be crucial in bringing D.C. United stories to life, conceptually and visually, and in connecting with our audiences through shared culture, passion, and pride. Your work will be instrumental in fostering a strong connection with our audience. Working closely with Design leadership, you will support the Graphics team from creative development (ideation) to final execution (production). This position will work across D.C. United and Audi Field.

A successful candidate must be an organized, inspired individual who demonstrates a high level of technical ability, a strong sense of design principles, and the ability to communicate clearly how their design decisions support the business objective. The Senior Graphic Designer will be a strong problem solver who is valued for their ability to support a wide range of initiatives and campaigns across the D.C United enterprise, including digital, social, and print media. You will have the opportunity to work on a diverse range of design projects, from digital to print media, and play a crucial role in evolving and developing the creative needs of the organization’s brand identity and visual standards.

When applying for this position, it's crucial that candidates include a portfolio of their work. This portfolio should showcase their creative process and demonstrate a diverse skillset, including but not limited to publication layout, typography, interactive/user interface design, identity/logo design and style guide development, photo editing and compositing, motion graphics, retail/product design, and environmental design.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as a lead designer in asset creation for traditional and digital channels.
• Create identity/logo design for internal initiatives, events, and corporate partner events and programs.
• Design in-game graphics and animations for digital channels.
• Adapt design elements to carry out the continuity of the brand(s) throughout all collateral based on supporting strategy and brand guidelines.
• Your role will involve close collaboration with photographers and videographers to produce creative and visually appealing content that aligns with the organization's business goals.
• Work closely with the brand team to develop the organization's creative needs, including the evolution and documentation of its visual standards.
• Present designs and concepts to clients and stakeholders for approval and feedback.
• Design retail capsules and products that connect with our audiences through culture.
• Author and develop style guides and identity systems for various programs and sub-brands.
• Prepare images for production through color correction and photo retouching techniques.
• Prepare final layouts for print and assist in the production process.
• Mentor intermediate and junior designer(s) and guide in creating concepts, layouts, and final artwork.
• Assist on location and in-studio during photo shoots and special events.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each duty. The requirements below represent the required knowledge, skill, and/or ability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• At least 5 years of full-time experience in a graphic design role. Strong preference will be given to candidates with experience working with an entertainment brand, sports team/league, or a brand aimed at building fandom.
• Strong sense of design and thorough understanding of design theory, including principles such as color, typography, and composition.
• Advanced ability in Adobe Creative Suite InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, and other graphic design technologies.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make informed design decisions.
• Intermediate experience using project management processes and software.
• Strong organizational and time management skills and attention to detail.
• Strong ability to multi-task and prioritize.
• A passion for sports.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain smoothly functioning relationships across various departments.
• Ability to lead projects and take on more responsibility as the business dictates.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work nights and weekends to assist in game night coverage.

Base pay is one part of the total compensation package and is determined within a range. The good faith anticipated base pay range for this role is shown below, and actual base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experiences, location, and other business and organizational needs.

Anticipated pay: $52,500 - $65,000 as a combination of base salary plus commission.

D.C. United is committed to uplifting our community, staff, and club. We are seeking candidates to be a part of our journey in our quest for continued organizational growth and another MLS Cup.

D.C. United will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform critical job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

D.C. United is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). D.C. United reaffirms its commitment to the principles of equal opportunity and diversity. D.C. United is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.

D.C. United is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, pregnancy, religion, creed, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or any other protected status in accordance with the requirements of all federal, state, and local laws.