SUMMARY 

The Graphic Designer is a talented, visual storyteller for the Diocese of Nashville. This position is responsible for the overall layout, production design, and graphic creation for a multi-platform content team (print and digital) that engages and evangelizes the Catholic community in the Diocese of Nashville, connecting active and latent Catholics to their local parish, to the broader diocese, to the Church in the United States, and to the Universal Church.

Working closely with members of the content team and the digital team under the leadership of the Director of Communications, this position creates the layout for diocesan traditional print media: the bi-weekly Tennessee Register newspaper (24 issues per year) and quarterly Catholic Awakenings magazine (4 issues per year). This position also produces content for a range of digital platforms and mediums, including graphics for websites, podcasts, email, social media, and video streaming.

As a member of the Communications Department, the Graphic Designer strives to connect both the faithful and the unformed to the beauty, truth, and goodness of the Roman Catholic Church and the excellent works and beliefs of the faith via top-quality content and creative, engaging storytelling.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Visualize, design, and lay out collateral for two traditional print mediums, both newspaper and magazine.    
• Visualize, create, and design original digital graphics.        
• Under the direction of the Managing Editor, ensure projects are completed with high quality and on schedule. 
• Prioritize and manage multiple simultaneous projects within design specifications. 
• Capture photos for print, web, and social accounts and other communication and outreach efforts.
• Perform retouching and image manipulation.  
• Create original graphics, illustrations, logos, infographics, and ads.  
• Help make design choices, including fonts, colors, and sizing, for print and web content.  
• Attend diocesan and parish events, requiring some evening and weekend work.
• Propose ideas, topics, and subjects for coverage in diocesan media.
• Meet publication deadlines.
• Work with the Managing Editor to produce and schedule content via an online content management platform.
• Adhere to the style and production guidelines for all traditional and digital media of the diocese. Effectively implements the content strategy and follows the design direction provided by the Managing Editor.
• Ensure that diocesan content and media meet high journalistic standards and ethics, reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church, and reflect the views of the Bishop of Nashville.
• Keep abreast of local, state, national, and international news. Presents Catholic teaching in a manner that is accurate and responsible.
• Stay current with trends and developments in digital storytelling and multimedia production.
• Develop and maintain relationships with pastors, parish staff, diocesan officials, and the general public to aid coverage of events and programs in the Diocese of Nashville.
• Support internal communication activities for the benefit of parishes, churches, missions, the chancery, and other entities.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for entities within the diocese in need of specialized support.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy, accountability, and integrity.
• Use and maintain a global digital asset management system for storing and retrieving visual assets. 
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Managing Editor.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual arts, web design, or related field required. An associate’s degree in graphic design with a minimum of five (5) years of experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience as a graphic designer required, preferably for print publications, marketing firms, public relations firms, or news media organizations.
• Portfolio of complete design work required.
• Proficient in design software (e.g. InDesign & Canva)
• Proficient in image editing software (e.g. Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator)
• Proficient photographer preferred.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Computer skills to include MS Word software or Google Docs applications required.
• Practicing Catholic with thorough knowledge and firm understanding of Catholic teaching and the ability to apply this knowledge to news coverage and storytelling.
• Prior experience in Catholic communications or media organization preferred.
• Experience with a digital newsroom preferred, including familiarity with digital content management and project management systems.
• Willingness to learn and become proficient in content and asset management systems and stakeholder databases required.

OTHER SKILLS

• Proficient in the use of digital photography and video equipment, including DSLR cameras and smartphones.
• Excellent writing, editing, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work within publication deadlines.
• Thorough understanding of the Catholic Church, its beliefs, practices, and structures.
• Knowledge of Associated Press (AP) and Chicago Manual of Style.
• Ability to uphold style rules and implement standards across a variety of traditional and digital media.
• Experience with multi-channel content planning and management.
• Thorough understanding of traditional and digital communication platforms and their norms.
• Creative mindset, adaptability, and the ability to collaborate effectively with a team.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in Spanish highly preferred.
• Ability to travel within the Diocese of Nashville. Ability to work flexible hours, including some weekends and evenings.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Outlook, and Excel, as well as Adobe Creative Cloud.