Job Functions Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCUarts) Department of Graphic Design is establishing a pool of applicants for possible adjunct teaching positions. This pool of applicants could be drawn upon to provide temporary staffing when needed; to provide special teaching expertise when needed; and/or to meet special programmatic needs not otherwise provided for within the program. The applicant pool will remain active until June 2023. Given these criteria, this pool will only be assessed when an adjunct opportunity arises. Possible adjunct opportunities could include teaching a course(s) in any of the areas of study offered by the Department of Graphic Design. If an adjunct opportunity arises, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Adjunct faculty are expected to be thoughtful and proactive members of the Graphic Design community and have a desire to work with a diverse student population in a collaborative, inclusive and learning-centered collective.
Required Qualifications: Terminal degree (MFA) in a related field, or BFA with additional training and/or professional experience that equates and/or parallels the artistic development expected in a terminal degree holder. Appropriate teaching experience and/or strong oral presentation and communication skills. Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.
Preferred Qualifications Qualified applicants must have an extensive design background in addition to experience managing creatives. This position reports into the Creative Director and is responsible for managing and mentoring the entire design team. An amazing portfolio will get you in the door, demonstrating excellency in design, but your personality, leadership skills and ability to manage anything that comes at you, will get you the job.
Demonstrated skills and experience in one or several of the following areas of expertise: Design Studio – includes teaching students the development and process of design ideas and philosophies, design principles and elements, human factors and behavior, creative problem-solving, research, survey and analysis, and project development.
Studio Management and Business Practices – able to address the professional and business practices as they relate to the graphic design profession, including responsibilities, services, ethics, business and project management, and marketing. Graduate-level Seminar Topics – a demonstrable record in design related research and praxis that can be fashioned into a highly structured series of lectures, readings and opportunities for student writing and related research investigations.
Submission Details
To apply, please submit application materials via the VCU Careers website. Only electronic applications submitted via the VCU Careers website will be accepted. Application materials should include the following:
• Current CV or Resume • A list of three current references including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses (references will not be contacted prior to applicant’s approval) Portfolio of work (as applicable), visual documentation of professional work, and examples of student work, if available. If file size is problematic, include an accessible link that points to a website or cloud storage (with access instructions) to view all visual work. • Diversity Statement – As a preeminent national, urban, public research university and academic health center, Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to organizational diversity, equity and inclusion – an environment where all can thrive in their pursuit of excellence. Applicants are asked to submit a Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (typically between 150-300 words) providing your career aspirations and contributions toward promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through this statement, you can share how your lived experiences; and past, present, and future academic and professional activities have or will contribute to VCU’s mission of promoting equity and inclusion. Note: Examples include working with others to further the goals of equity and inclusion; leading in any capacity that tangibly promotes an environment where diversity is welcomed, fostered, and celebrated; creative activity, research and scholarship that promotes equity and parity; teaching and mentoring students, and/or engaging with faculty and/or staff from traditionally underrepresented groups to create a positive and successful organizational experience. More information can be found at https://provost.vcu.edu/faculty/prospective/ VCUarts: Ranked by US News & World Report as a top-five arts and design school, VCUarts (arts.vcu.edu) includes over 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students with nationally recognized programs in design, visual and performing arts, and has an annual budget of $38 million and an endowment of more than $13.5 million. Students are taught by over 175 full-time teaching and research faculty members and the school is supported by over 50 staff members that assist in daily processes. The School includes two campuses; one in Richmond and one in Doha, Qatar. The Richmond campus is located on the university’s 75-acre Monroe Park campus situated in the city’s historic Fan District. Ultimately, the work of the School of the Arts extends globally with partnerships throughout the world and across fields as diverse as the humanities, health care, and business.
Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to providing accessible and equitable living, learning, and working environments free from discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or disability.
Salary Range: VCUarts Standard Adjunct Rate Department: Graphic Design Employment Type: AJ – Adjunct Restricted Status: No FTE: varies Exemption Status: Exempt
Job Functions Art Director/Designer for Packaging and Branding + Graphic Design
Description Full-time, Not fully remote, but flexible.
Watermark Design is an award-winning branding and package design studio delivering exceptional artistry. We offer branding, packaging and illustration services for craft beverage and other premium brands.
We’re looking for an Art Director/Designer who wants to join our small team of passionate people in Charlottesville, VA. We look for team members who want to find a long-term home in which they can continue to develop and grow. We are an intentionally small studio with big plans, ideas and work. We value the hand-crafted, focusing on delivering exceptional artistry. Our work has been recognized & awarded nationally and internationally and we are only getting started. We are looking for people who are excited to go big, but are also humble and team players so that we can really collab, design and have fun as a team.
The person we’re looking for is equal parts strategic thinker, creative genius, problem-solver, and empathetic manager.
We’re looking for someone who’s not afraid to roll up their sleeves, while primarily providing art direction, inspiring and pushing the design team, and bringing solutions to branding and packaging projects. This person is excels at speaking with clients, delivering concept presentations, and guiding clients alongside our Project Manager.
Qualified applicants must have an extensive design background in addition to experience managing creatives. This position reports into the Creative Director and is responsible for managing and mentoring the entire design team. An amazing portfolio will get you in the door, demonstrating excellency in design, but your personality, leadership skills and ability to manage anything that comes at you, will get you the job.
Responsibilities:
* Provide creative leadership across multiple design projects simultaneously, but also be able to design alongside your team as needed
* Mentor, inspire designers and provide thoughtful and constructive feedback that encourages team growth and professional development
* Oversee and guide the creative excellence of our work across the board
* Be a steward of agency culture and our obsession with the beverage and other industries; constantly learning and looking and improving upon our knowledge of materials, software, presentation and more.
* Be constantly in the know on what’s working and what’s not – and then work with our CD and PM to evolve and improve our creative process in a manner that keeps our team’s health, well-being, and balance
* Work closely with our Project Manager to manage creative resourcing and team assignments across client project
– Lead our team of award-winning designers and also design award-winning work – Meet time and budget requirements – Work through design problems and develop solutions – Illustration and/or hand-lettering skills are a plus – Attend all client meetings and develop creative briefs following – Review all outgoing artwork to ensure it meets Watermark standards – Lead critiques and provide constructive feedback in a timely manner – Inspire the Watermark team and help drive the most creative solutions – Work with management to ensure projects move smoothly – Work with clients to ensure their voices are heardSpecific Skills 7 or more years experience Expert within Adobe programs Extensive knowledge of printing processes, options and requirements in packaging Solutions-oriented person Constant learner. Always striving to be better and learn new techniques. Excellent organization and time management skills Extremely Detail-oriented and thorough Great communication skills, ability to work well within a team atmosphere. Must love teaching, people and be an empathetic leader. Ability to work under pressure, change direction when required and work on a range of client projects at the same time Does not believe in ‘thats not possible’ Passion for design
Submission Details Please submit portfolio to info@watermark.design.
