Company description

We conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants. 

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit (501(c)(3) status) organization dedicated to saving and sharing seeds.

Seed Savers Exchange takes threats to biodiversity seriously. We maintain a collection of more than 20,000 heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable, herb, and plant varieties, including over 1,000 varieties of heritage apple trees. We take great care to ensure the health and viability of our collection for generations of growers to come. We keep the bulk of our collection in a freezer vault at Heritage Farm.

Each year, we grow out select varieties in gardens at Heritage Farm to refresh our seed supply. To maintain accurate records of each variety’s traits, our Evaluation Team grows out other varieties and keeps careful track of them, updating descriptions, and checking for inconsistencies. Our seed historian researches the story of each variety, documenting its history and the lives of the people who brought it to our collection.

Job description

Primary Role: Promote and communicate the work of Seed Savers Exchange and its products through visual and graphic design. This role encompasses designing and creating print media, such as the seed catalog, brochures, seed packets, displays, and ads. The position works primarily within the organization’s marketing department, but fulfills graphic design needs across the organization.  The ideal candidate should have experience in print design, including publication layouts, advertising design, marketing collateral design (brochures, posters, etc.), art direction, and other branding work. Experience in digital design is a plus.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts based on knowledge of layout principles, design concepts and branding guidelines.
• Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
• Liaison with outside printers and assemble final layouts to send for printer.
• Review final layouts and suggest improvements as needed.
• Work simultaneously on several projects.
• Consult with staff to create cohesive designs that reflect the culture and goals of Seed Savers Exchange.
• Collaborate with marketing manager and communications coordinator on projects.
• Communicate graphic design needs for projects. This includes timelines, what specifications you, as the designer, need, etc.
• Lead visual aspects of marketing materials.
• Follow sign off processes for projects.
• Fulfill graphic design needs of external departments that are run through the marketing department project process.
• While this position primarily covers print and product design, the position could also encompass digital and web design duties, depending on a candidate’s qualifications and background.
• Other duties as assigned.

Example of Projects:

• Catalog production (layout catalog and work with outside printer on details)
• Design seed packets and prepare materials  for printer
• Design ads for newspapers, magazines, trade shows, etc.
• Create letters/envelopes for membership/fundraising direct mail campaigns
• Design brochures
• Create annual conference materials (signage, handouts, postcards, etc.)
• Create event print materials, such as posters, ads, signage, handouts
• Cards (print in house)
• Create and print on-campus signage
• Create materials for Visitors Center (signage, new product design, such as t-shirts, cards, towels, etc.)
• Design large-scale signage for the campus

Skills/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, Fine Art Design, Marketing or related discipline (Relevant experience in lieu of a degree will be considered.)
• 3+ years experience in graphic design, marketing, or related field
• Proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Innovative and adaptive design eye and skill
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to absorb and apply constructive criticism from peers
• Photography and digital design experience a plus

Physical Requirements:  

Sit at a desk for extended periods of time.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

November 15, 2017