Middleweight Graphic Designer

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication and relationships
Work with clients to solve complex design problems by communicating the potential issues that may arise and work to resolve these. Understand that different audiences have different needs and ensure that work is appropriate to a given audience.
Produce design solutions in a timely manner, in a busy environment, often with conflicting priorities.
Advise clients on the best methods to meet their graphic design needs to give both a high- quality finished product and be the best use of resources. This includes choosing from multiple options in order to select the best one for solving a complex design problem.
Liaise with internal and external printers in order to complete print jobs in a timely manner. Discuss timescales with clients for their work in advance. This can also involve discussing specialist print finishes and prices. Communicating by email, virtually, by phone or face-to-face.
Use tact and diplomacy when clients make unachievable requests or requests for unrealistic deadlines. Persuasion skills are needed in order for the client to accept an alternative method and negotiate a more realistic and achievable deadline. Work with the client in order to come to an agreeable solution.
Explain to clients that the Welsh Language Act makes it a legal requirement for patient communication to be in both Welsh and English.
Give advice and support to more junior staff, new staff and work experience candidates, in the procedures of the department and graphic design software.
Communicate with the section when presenting work at critique sessions and assist in the presentations to work experience groups that visit the department.

Knowledge, training and experience
Understanding how to use the design software and be able to setup files for the applicable use e.g. print vs web. This involves using the software in a way as to ensure that an appropriate design solution is reached.
Time management skills are needed in order to prioritise tasks effectively.
An understanding of, but not limited to; Copyright, Data Protection & GDPR, Welsh Language Act, NHS Identity Guidelines, in order to mitigate any potential issues.
Completing job sheets and time sheets. Updating records accurately with job information to allow jobs to be tracked quickly and easily.
Knowledge of current trends in the profession. This is important so as to keep abreast of new software and design skills that are needed.

Analytical and judgmental skills
Make judgments on the most appropriate design solution to ensure it is of high quality and the best use of resources.
Interpret the client's requirements and produce a design solution by choosing from a range of options utilising multiple different technologies to complete the job.
Make judgments on what can be completed in a given time, in order to ensure there is enough time to complete the work to a high standard.
Prioritise the jobs into deadline order, ensuring all jobs meet the agreed deadline. This also involves fault finding and trouble-shooting if there are technological issues or skill limitations.
Flexible attitude to be able to work on another designer's project due to workload or absence.

Planning and organisation
Organise own time, arranging workload to meet all the deadlines. Communicate with the client from start to finish, discussing the job, ensuring an understanding of the brief, designing the solution and managing the time to meet the agreed deadline.
When needed, communicate with clients to arrange a meeting to discuss what they need. This may be one other person or a group of people. This involves discussing what is needed, anything that needs to be organised prior to starting and agreeing a deadline.
Communicate with outside printers to discuss what is needed from a print job and resolve any problems with jobs. Sometimes colours may not output as intended, so this requires knowledge to use the correct colour and Pantone reference and correctly use RGB or CMYK setup as appropriate.
On occasion there may be a need to help more junior staff organise their time when they have conflicting priorities in the absence of more senior staff.

Physical skills
Creating artwork using keyboard and mouse. Accurate keyboard skills are required for using the design software. This ensures that the software keyboard shortcuts can be used correctly to avoid inaccuracies. The job requires high-level hand/eye coordination to use the software accurately.
Use of computers and specialist software. The job requires high-level hand/eye coordination to use the software accurately.
May involve needing to collect print orders from visiting suppliers or as requested by the Head of Graphics and Print from the Print Unit.
Undertake first line maintenance and troubleshooting of computer equipment.

Policy and service development
Comment on policies within the graphics section where efficiency or quality can be improved and participate in the amendment of policies within the graphic section e.g. if there is changes to workflow.

Human resources
Assist in communicating with junior staff and work experience candidates when necessary. Explain job role is and can show examples of work on screen.
Occasional supervision of work experience personnel if they are undertaking a set task in order to ensure they are supported when in the department. Provide feedback to help with their development.

Information resources
Completing job sheets and time sheets. Updating records accurately with job information to allow jobs to be tracked quickly and easily.
Responsible for saving work regularly and backing up work to the external hard drives and server space.
Send digital files to the print unit and external print agencies for printing, ensuring they have been correctly setup.
Ensure that all material is produced to a high quality whilst meeting time and budgetary constraints.

Mental effect
Interpret the client’s brief and advise on most efficient/ cost-effective methods of production and legal policies which may affect the job. Sometimes what the client needs is not achievable within the requested budget or deadline. In this case, work with the client to explain these issues and offer agreeable solutions.
Respond to client’s queries either by phone, email or at the reception desk, this may include frequent interruptions and ability to work with unpredictable work pattern and fluid deadlines.
Ensuring artwork is set up correctly for print and all information is accurate. This is important as incorrect setup can result in problems with printing, meaning that the output will not look as anticipated.
Organise deadlines with suppliers to ensure work is completed on time.

Emotional effort
Potentially having to explain to clients that their work has been delayed, or there has been a printing issue/delay.
Dealing with IT issues when there is a tight deadline to be met.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac.