Director of Graphic Design & Social Media

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Associate Athletics Director of Creative Services and Digital Strategy, the Director of Graphic Design and Social Media works as a part of the Creative Services Team, to create exciting and engaging graphic design content for Massachusetts Athletics with a primary focus on football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and ice hockey sales collateral to support attendance and revenue generation. This position is responsible for playing a lead role in developing, implementing, and managing comprehensive social media strategies to enhance the visibility, reputation, and engagement across UMass Athletics’ accounts.

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Associate Athletics Director of Creative Services and Digital Strategy, the Director of Graphic Design and Social Media works as a part of the Creative Services Team, to create exciting and engaging graphic design content for Massachusetts Athletics with a primary focus on football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and ice hockey sales collateral to support attendance and revenue generation. This position is responsible for playing a lead role in developing, implementing, and managing comprehensive social media strategies to enhance the visibility, reputation, and engagement across UMass Athletics’ accounts.

Essential Functions

• Work with the creative team, communications team, marketing team in developing design materials for Massachusetts Athletics.
• In conjunction with the Associate Athletics Director of Creative Services and Digital Strategy, responsible for developing and implementing a graphic strategy for Massachusetts Athletics and assists in enforcing brand guidelines among social media platforms.
• Assist Associate Athletics Director of Creative Services and Digital Strategy, in collaboration with coaching and communications staffs, with the overall ideation, creative direction and production of engaging digital content across multiple mediums, with a focus on the @UMassAthletics and several sports-specific social media platforms.
• Create, develop, and implement social media strategies, guidelines and creative campaigns.
• Devise, storyboard, and plan multimedia feature content, telling the story of what makes the Massachusetts Athletics, coaches, and student-athletes different and special.
• Track platform specific analytics and recommend content engagement and growth strategies.
• Plan, coordinate, and craft creative athletic team graphic design and social media content. This includes, scheduling, ideation, and post-production.
• Produce compelling graphic design content focused on exposure and expansion of the Massachusetts Athletics Brand.
• Produce content and edit images using multimedia editing software, such as InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere, Premiere Rush or other Adobe Creative Suite products. Attend events (when applicable) to capture content as needed.
• Research and assess new graphic design methods and technology. Make recommendations for new equipment, software and process enhancements.
• Produce graphic design content that tells the story beyond just what happened in competition.
• Recruit, hire, train, and manage creative content team staff and interns.
• Constantly research best practices to ensure content strategy is in-line with audience trends and employ project management methodologies and content management applications to plan and execute content and campaigns. Explore new and alternative ways to leverage social media.

Other Functions

• Stay abreast of strategic university initiatives as well as topical campus and higher education issues.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of related work experience.
• Demonstrable knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom).
• Understanding and knowledge of design concept and application.
• Ability to provide a portfolio which highlights a variety of projects including identity design, advertising and/or page layout.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and manage several projects at one time.
• Excellent communication skills, including written and verbal, and have the ability to present ideas clearly and concisely.
• Ability to work independently and self-manage project flow.
• Team player with the ability to work well in a team setting and across diverse groups, organizations and departments.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, creative thinker, trouble shooter and problem solver.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Degree concentration in in Graphic Design, Visual Design, Sports Management, or related field.
• A strong understanding of sports.
• Proficiency in graphic design (Photoshop).
• Knowledge of Motion Graphics.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment activity.

Work Schedule

• Full time (37.5 hours/week); shift varies based on the demands of the position.
• Requires work outside of normal business hours, including nights, weekends and holidays.

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.