Commercial Designer

  • Full-time

Company Description

The Toronto Star is Canada’s largest daily newspaper and is read in print and across desktop, mobile and tablet platforms by more than 6 million readers every week. Online, thestar.com is one of the most-visited newspaper websites in Canada.

Our Commitment To Diversity
We strive to be a leader in building and cultivating an employee community framed around fairness, support and opportunity. We believe that what makes us different, makes a difference. And as a team, the diversity of our backgrounds, interests and experiences is what enriches our work, and our workplaces. We welcome all, and we strive for an inclusive culture that allows individual growth and shared success.

Job Description

TEAM DESCRIPTION:

The Star Media Group team consists of Toronto Star and The Kit employees who are strictly focused on increasing revenue from custom content and creative lines of business. The Commercial Designer will report into the Art Director and the Managing Sales Director responsible for Content.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Commercial Designer will work closely with the Art Director and Content Managers/ Coordinators on pre-sales to post-sales creative concepting that involves mocking up and ultimately executing print, digital and experiential design projects on behalf of clients for the Toronto Star and The Kit. The Designer will work to produce impactful content campaigns that align to the quality of the Toronto Star with its own distinctive look and feel. He/she/they will work with the Art Director to brainstorm innovative media layouts that are both efficient to produce and effective in ROI. He/she/they must be able to visually convert that idea from concept into creation through mocking up the design and planning out the components. He/she/they will work with the Strategic Solutions team and Sales Directors to turn concepting into a packaged presentation, which is taken direct to market. Once the project sells, the Designer will work with the relevant Star Media Group managers to debrief and provide final client direction.

This role, reporting into the Star Media Group Art Director, includes the following breakdown of responsibilities:

STRATEGIZES:

  • Client creative liaison: on RFPs and client calls, attend meetings to listen and gather creative input that will ultimately inform creative and content strategy. Work with the Strategic Solutions team to brainstorm offerings and to find the right creative approach for the plan. 
  • Team project liaison: work with the project director and Art team on creative debriefs once projects are sold. This involves providing thorough documentation of deliverables along with client objectives and brand promises.  

 DESIGNS: the Designer is responsible for creating early concept and design work for substantial custom projects and integration opportunities within Toronto Star and The Kit. This includes (but is not limited to):

  • Mockups: build print, digital & new assets outside of the current portfolio, building strategy and concept from start to mock based on specific RFP and client needs
  • Proposals: build deck outlines and templates fit for business needs and client needs that help lead to sales conversions and opportunity purchase
  • Digital Assets for sponsored pieces in The Kit and The Star including feature images for stories, social assets and e-newsletters.

CREATES: the Designer creates the following B2B and B2C assets for final use:

  • Materials: work with Star Media Group leaders and Strategic Solutions team on sales materials, including media kits, editorial calendars, 1-pagers, verticalized decks, opportunity decks, roadshow materials, etc.  
  • House ads: work with The Kit’s marketing team to proactively push out new campaigns, both within and beyond The Kit network. This includes: social media videos and concepts, targeted programmatic ad units, partnership materials, etc.  
  • Event materials: create assets for The Kit’s events from pre-event to event to post-event, working with the project managers to direct the visual theme of the evening with the support of the art director  

 OVERSEES: the Designer will have ownership over:

  • Custom projects: upon request by the Art Director, work on custom client projects to develop print and digital campaigns in partnership with project managers and content managers
  • Custom social shots: art direct and shoots Instagram campaigns for The Kit, as assigned by the Project Manager and Art Director. Brainstorms new inspiration and photo techniques to evolve social brand image.
  • Visual Asset: design and manage visual assets for different platforms including website, email, organic and paid social assets, and customer communications ensuring brand consistency throughout.

Qualifications

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS: the Designer must:

  • Understand and have experience in Adobe Creative Cloud Suite (Including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premier Pro an XD)
  • Understand and use Photoshop, with the ability to create and edit in house photography for social
  • Have experience in working with print production projects, with a strong eye for detail and copy
  • Manage and brainstorm graphic designs from conception to delivery
  • Be well versed in design principles, including layout, typography and design systems
  • Have experience with UI/UX design for browser/mobile applications
  • Value brand consistency and quality throughout various projects
  • Be passionate about multi-platform media!

Additional Information

AODA
The Toronto Star is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process ensuring equal access to employment opportunities for candidates, including persons with disabilities. In compliance with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Ontario Human Rights Code we will endeavour to provide accommodation to persons with disabilities in the recruitment process upon request. If you are selected for an interview and you require accommodation due to a disability during the recruitment process, please notify the hiring manager upon scheduling the interview of your requirements.

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