Lead Graphic Designer

Lead Graphic Designer – Durham, NC – Communications

, a leader in accounting and finance digital innovation and transformation, is seeking a Lead Graphic Designer to join our Marketing and Communications team. This is a key role responsible for evolving and maintaining the  visual brand, providing creative direction across projects, and ensuring high-quality digital and print design execution, including executive presentations, event branding, thought leadership content, marketing campaign assets and more.

The ideal candidate is both a hands‑on designer and a design leader, capable of managing freelance contributors, refining brand identity, and influencing strategic creative initiatives through close collaboration with business partners and executive leadership. This is a hybrid role, requiring three days in-office per week.

• Contribute to the  brand refresh initiative, helping to refine visual identity, guidelines, and design systems.
• Maintain and evolve design standards across all channels (digital, print, events, video, and presentations).
• Act as a brand steward, ensuring consistency, quality and creativity in all deliverables.

• Lead the design and production of digital assets for the bi‑weekly AICPA Town Hall broadcast series, including PowerPoint presentations, infographics, and promotional materials. You’ll work with a broad array of stakeholders, including executive team members and subject matter experts to design and manage content reviews, often producing new versions in a quick turnaround time.
• Provide creative direction, design reviews, and quality assurance for freelance designers; establish and execute processes to ensure all work aligns with brand standards and meets project deadlines.
• Design and manage customizable brand templates for core design assets, such as digital and print advertisements, whitepapers, newsletters, toolkits and graphics (web, social media, event and static data/infographics).
• Develop executive presentations, templates and visual frameworks that enable leadership to clearly communicate corporate initiatives.
• Design marketing collateral to support campaigns, thought leadership reports, sponsor ships, and events.
• Maintain and manage asset guidelines and libraries.
• Keep up‑to‑date on the latest design‑related trends, best practices and emerging tools and capabilities (including AI), helping us continue to innovate and drive content creation and workflow efficiencies.

• Partner with internal teams (executive leadership, marketing, R&I, HR, and sales) to translate business goals into compelling visual stories.
• Manage workflows and prioritize requests to balance quick‑turnaround needs with longer‑term strategic projects.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on design best practices, offering proactive guidance to stakeholders.

• Experience:
  
  7‑10 years of professional design experience, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead design role. Experience in financial services, technology, or professional services industries preferred.
• Leadership:
  Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide freelance or junior designers, with strong project management and quality control skills.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Advanced expertise in Microsoft Suite (especially PowerPoint) and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop). Experience with motion graphics, video editing, or interactive design tools a plus. Knowledge of emerging AI‑enabled tools or capabilities.
• Creative Strengths:
  Strong foundation in typography, layout, color theory, and visual storytelling. Ability to balance creative vision with practical execution.
• Soft Skills:
  
  Collaborative, detail‑oriented, adaptable, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment. Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills.
• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or related field. Equivalent experience considered.
• Portfolio: A robust portfolio showcasing brand design, multi‑channel campaigns, and presentation work.
• Ability to travel, as needed (up to 10%)

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