Design Specialist, Annual Giving

Job Summary

The Design Specialist is responsible for crafting compelling designs for annual giving solicitations for email and direct mail, as well as crowdfunding and Day of Giving pages for the central WVU Foundation, WVU academic units, and WVU Medicine. This position supports the Annual Giving team in the development of planned annual giving initiatives and campaigns through design, coding, and copy review.

Collaboration is essential: the Design Specialist will work cross-functionally with the Annual Giving team, Communications and Marketing, Digital Experience, and University units and departments to craft engaging content that addresses the goals and audience of each campaign. This role will also manage the setup and execution of digital and traditional channels, including email and direct mail, as well as results and analytics.

Understanding the needs and motivations of donors is important to the success of this role. The Design Specialist is responsible for ensuring the donor is at the forefront of every campaign and that the messaging of the design aligns with copy and speaks to donors’ desires, passions, and reasons for giving.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Design emails, direct mail, and graphics as part of Annual Giving yearly campaigns
• Design emails, direct mail, and graphics in support of unit solicitations
• Design header images and graphics for crowdfunding pages for student groups and staff/faculty projects to support their goals
• Work with the Content Specialist to align on themes and copy/design needs. Review copy
• Assist with production schedule, timelines, and deliverables for multiple projects simultaneously
• Contribute to brainstorming and development of stories and innovative annual giving and design approaches to engage and motivate donors
• Create Day of Giving website and unit page images to tell a cohesive narrative across the Foundation and University
• Build and code emails in Salesforce Marketing Cloud
• Review reports and analytics in Marketing Cloud and Litmus to understand trends and learn what’s working and what’s not
• Support design and setup of Marketing Cloud Journeys
• Work with print vendor to provide art packages and ensure accurate printing
• Design internal communications, such as PowerPoint decks, infographics, and processes and procedures as needed
• Be an expert in branding for WVU Foundation, WVU, and WVU Medicine
• Some travel will be required to campus (4-6 times/year)

Qualifications

Education, Experience and Competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 2 years of experience in graphic design, UX, or related field
• Experience with Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Canva, or Salesforce Marketing Cloud a plus

Physical requirements

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use his/her hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, and possibly at times, climb or balance, stoop or kneel. Vision abilities required to perform this job include close vision. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Supervisory Responsibilities

NA

Other Duties

Work Environment: The position is expected to be hybrid in alignment with the WVUF work/telecommuting policy.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.