We're looking for a Graphic Designer to join our in-house creative team! If you have a passion for maintaining and developing visual identities, designing for both print and digital, translating creative strategy and direction, and being part of a team environment-all while visually communicating Union Gospel Mission's hopeful and transformative work-you'll fit right in.

Reporting to the Supervisor, Creative Services & Projects (SCSP), you'll collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary, high-volume creative team. You will be responsible for concepting and executing design solutions for all kinds of creative requests from across the organization-big and small. From major print publications like donor newsletters and annual reports, to marketing campaign branding, out-of-home ads, program brochures, stationary, and everything in-between, you'll ensure every design deliverable upholds the UGM brand, resonates with our audiences, and inspires others to join our mission.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to submit your application and design portfolio, showcasing a variety of print and digital deliverables below. Please note, candidates must include a portfolio to be considered.

You may come into contact with clients in crisis situations, brought about by diverse problems. There will be other staff nearby to assist as required.

The starting wage for this position is $28.96 - $31.64 per hour.

This is a permanent, full-time (37.5 hours per week) position.

Who We Are

Demonstrating the love of Christ, UGM feeds hope and changes lives through a faith-based continuum of care. We are a proud member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities and have earned the Best Christian Workplace award again in 2025. We provide competitive salaries, generous vacation and sick leave, an RRSP matching program, as well as the potential for educational assistance and flexible work arrangements. In addition, our extensive benefits plan is fully employer-paid and includes extended dental and medical, as well as $4,500 per year in pooled paramedical expenses. A focus on employee resilience, support for professional development, engagement in meaningful work, and a fun and caring environment are all part of being a member of the UGM team. If you are someone who desires to learn and grow, has a passion to serve and make a difference, and connects with others with both humility and humour, then you will be a great fit at UGM.

What You'll Need

If you are considering applying for this position, you must:

• be legally entitled to work in Canada
• be able to demonstrate compatibility with our Core Values
• support our Statement of Faith
• be willing to provide, as a condition of employment, a current criminal record check, with vulnerable sector search, if you are the successful candidate.
• possess a valid, unrestricted driver's license and submit a current driver's abstract.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

Graphic Design & Production for Print & Digital

• Design excellent marketing and communications materials that align with UGM's brand, audiences, and visual identity guidelines, and meet project goals.
• Ensure a consistent, clear, and effective visual identity in all UGM materials by employing UGM's brand colours, typography, graphic illustration, photography, composition and layout, and other graphic design principles.
• Design high quality print materials and templates, taking into consideration best practices for each print format and its specifications, including newsletters, fundraising appeals, reports, out-of-home advertising, brochures, posters, stationary, and signage.
• Design device- and channel-optimized digital assets, systems, and templates for email marketing, social media, web graphics, display and social media ads, and landing pages-taking into consideration the current and evolving digital landscape.
• Design digital assets and motion graphics for use in UGM's videography, in collaboration with the Photographer/Videographer and Content Producer.
• Collaborate with the SCSP, Writer & Content Specialist, Photographer/Videographer, and Creative Producer on an ongoing basis to ensure graphic design elements appropriately align and bolster a project or campaign's copy and messaging, and photo/video storytelling.
• Monitor and research graphic design industry standards to ensure UGM is always aware of new trends and technologies, including AI, and makes recommendations to follow best practices and improve creative outputs and efficiencies.

Concept Development & Creative Process

• Ensure UGM's visual identity is be aligned with strategic goals and unique audience insights and needs, who include donors, community members, volunteers, churches, community partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Operates as the primary design influence of UGM's donor communications, including stewardship newsletters, reports, fundraising appeals, and email marketing, with oversight and consultation from the SCSP and Manager, Marketing (MM).
• Operates as the primary design influence to ensure UGM's brand and its programs and services are visually represented appropriately in consultation with the SCSP and MM.
• Strategically develops UGM's visual identity through graphic design elements aligned with unique audience insights and needs, including donors, community members, volunteers, churches, community partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Participate in discovery meetings with curiosity to understand internal clients' project purposes and goals, and lead an open, collaborative conversation around design solutions that meet the objectives.
• Participate in collaborative creative processes and sprints with the CS team (Writer & Content Specialist, Photographer/Videographer, Creative Producer, SCSP, and external contractors) to develop creative concepts that solutions internal client's goals and strengthens the UGM brand. This includes research and discovery, sketching, prototyping, concept development and presentation, and storyboarding.
• Develop mood boards, draft and present design concepts and solutions, and iterate work based on feedback from the internal client and CS team, and direction from the SCSP and MM.

Branding

• Naturally evolve UGM's visual identity in alignment with our mission, values, and strategic goals on an ongoing basis by identifying opportunities to introduce new visual styles or update existing elements, taking into consideration graphic design trends and classic styles.
• Develop and maintain UGM's brand and visual identity guide on an ongoing basis, ensuring the evolution or addition of any foundational visual styles or elements are accessible and understood by those who use the visual identity guide in their work, including internal stakeholders and external contractors.
• Develop styleboards that are unique to marketing campaigns, and aligned with the overall brand, including typography, icon sets, graphic illustrations, colour palettes, and patterns, taking into consideration target audiences and broader creative strategies, as directed by the SCSP and MM.
• Ensure the visual language of all print and digital materials contribute to a cohesive, consistent, brand experience for all stakeholders.
• Analyze and develop the use of UGM's brand on all outgoing communications, including email marketing, stationary, proposals, presentations, apparel, merchandise, building signage, and vehicles.
• Act as a brand ambassador to other departments as they communicate with stakeholders.
• Address any misuse of the brand in a timely manner through resource support and the presentation of solutions.

Teamwork & Portfolio Management

• Commit to providing servant leadership, nourishing a truthful, forgiving, approachable, healthy environment.
• Model openness and communication, seeking to work collaboratively with CS team members and internal clients toward the good of the organization, and in support of UGM's mission, core values, and strategic plan.
• Supervise and collaborate with graphic design contractors and vendors, procuring quotes, and providing creative briefing, moodboards, and constructive feedback, as necessary.
• Ensure all working and completed project files are backed up to the Creative Services NAS, and all completed projects are uploaded to Brandfolder, our digital asset management platform.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• University and/or professional certification in Graphic Design or related discipline.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience working in Graphic Design. Consideration may be given to an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
• Experience working on a multidisciplinary in-house creative team or agency setting.
• Strong, demonstrated understanding and execution of graphic design principles, including: colour theory, typography, hierarchy, composition, contrast, scale and proportion, and white space. (Portfolio required)
• Strong, demonstrated graphic design skills in the areas of branding, graphic illustration, publication design, and design marketing. (Portfolio required)
• Experience designing for specific print and digital specifications.
• Proficient with Adobe Creative Suite design software, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Lightroom, Firefly, and Acrobat.
• Proficient in daily team efficiency tools: Asana, Google Drive, and Milanote.
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office.
• Excellent communication skills in verbal and written English.
• Basic web editing skills using Drupal, and using Mac OS is considered an asset.
• Proficiency in After Effects is considered an asset.
• A skillset and/or interest in the areas of type design, motion graphics, and logo identity design are considered an asset.