Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graphic Designer & Video Editor

🎯 Role Definition

The Graphic Designer & Video Editor is responsible for concepting, designing, producing and delivering high-quality visual and motion content across digital and offline channels. This hybrid role partners closely with marketing, product, and content teams to translate campaign objectives into compelling static and motion creatives, ensuring brand consistency, technical optimization for each platform, and timely delivery against production schedules. Ideal candidates demonstrate proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects), strong storytelling instincts, technical post-production chops (color grading, audio mixing, encoding), and an organized approach to asset/version management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Graphic Designer / Assistant Designer
Production Assistant / Junior Video Editor
Social Media Content Creator or Videographer

Advancement To:

Senior Graphic Designer / Senior Video Editor
Motion Graphics Lead / Visual Designer
Art Director / Creative Lead
Content or Video Production Manager

Lateral Moves:

UX/UI Designer
Social Media Manager or Content Strategist
Brand Designer or Visual Communications Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead concept development and creative execution for video campaigns and static assets: develop mood boards, storyboards, scripts, and visual direction that align with campaign goals and KPIs.
Edit long-form and short-form video content from raw footage to final deliverables, including timeline assembly, cutting for pace, syncing audio, and applying transitions to maintain narrative clarity and audience engagement.
Create motion graphics and animated assets (intros, lower-thirds, logo reveals, animated infographics) using After Effects or equivalent tools to elevate storytelling and brand identity.
Design digital and print assets such as social posts, banners, email headers, print collateral, presentations, and ad creative, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines and accessibility standards.
Color correct and color grade footage to achieve consistent look and mood across shots and projects, using DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro Lumetri, or similar tools.
Mix and clean audio tracks: dialogue leveling, noise reduction, sound design, and adding music and effects to produce broadcast-quality audio for videos.
Prepare and export final video files optimized for multiple platforms (YouTube, Instagram Reels, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, programmatic ads) including proper codecs, bitrates, aspect ratios, closed captions, and thumbnails.
Produce and maintain organized project files, asset libraries, version history, and naming conventions to enable efficient collaboration and reuse.
Collaborate directly with marketing/product/project stakeholders to interpret briefs, provide creative recommendations, estimate timelines, and deliver assets that meet business goals and technical specifications.
Steward brand consistency across all visual and motion outputs by applying brand typography, color systems, voice, and composition while suggesting updates to maintain modern relevance.
Shoot and direct on-location or in-studio video shoots when required: set up lighting, frame compositions, direct talent, and capture high-quality footage with DSLR/mirrorless/cinema cameras and audio recorders.
Create and implement captions, subtitles, and metadata (titles, descriptions, tags) to improve discoverability, accessibility and SEO for video content.
Build templates and systemized production processes (video templates, caption workflows, export presets) to reduce turnaround times and increase team output.
Optimize creative assets using analytics and A/B test results: revise creative based on performance data to improve CTR, view-through rate, conversion, and other KPIs.
Collaborate with motion graphics and animation specialists for complex projects, providing design direction and integration of assets into final video compositions.
Produce storyboard-driven motion content for product demos, explainer videos, and internal training that communicates complex ideas clearly and visually.
Ensure all deliverables meet technical and legal requirements, including image licensing, release forms, accessibility standards, and platform specifications.
Troubleshoot technical issues across editing, rendering, and asset delivery pipelines and coordinate with IT or external vendors when necessary.
Mentor and review work of junior designers and editors, provide constructive feedback, and contribute to hiring and onboarding processes for creative team members.
Manage multiple projects concurrently, prioritize requests, and consistently hit deadlines in a fast-paced environment while maintaining attention to detail.
Coordinate with external agencies, freelance videographers, photographers, and contractors—scope work, negotiate rates, and manage deliverables to meet quality and budget expectations.
Maintain awareness of industry and platform trends (motion design techniques, emerging formats, codecs, creative trends) and proactively propose new formats or approaches to increase audience engagement.

Secondary Functions

Support cross-functional teams by providing design and video assets for sales decks, investor presentations, and corporate communications.
Conduct occasional product photography, retouching, and compositing to support e-commerce and marketing needs.
Assist in archiving and tagging visual assets to improve searchability and ensure proper asset lifecycle management.
Help document creative processes and create how-to guides for non-design stakeholders to request assets more effectively.
Participate in creative reviews and retrospectives to refine production workflows and identify efficiency gains.
Occasionally represent the creative team in client or stakeholder meetings to present concepts and collect feedback.
Perform inventory and maintenance of studio equipment, coordinate rentals, and ensure gear is production-ready.
Support captioning and QC checks for accessibility compliance and localization handoffs for translated assets.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud: Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Strong video editing skills across formats (short-form social, long-form interviews, product demos) with solid storytelling and pacing instincts.
Motion graphics and animation capabilities: keyframing, expressions, motion design principles, and compositing.
Color correction and grading experience (Lumetri/Resolve); understanding of color spaces and broadcast-safe limits.
Professional audio editing and mixing: noise reduction, equalization, leveling, and working with multi-track sessions.
Experience shooting video: camera operation, framing, lighting setups (three-point, LED panels), and on-set direction.
Encoding, transcoding, and delivery skills: familiarity with codecs (H.264, H.265, ProRes), containers, bitrate settings, and platform specs.
Knowledge of captioning/subtitling workflows and tools (SRT files, burns/subs, caption editors).
Strong typography, layout, composition, and color theory skills for both digital and print design.
Experience with version control and asset management tools (Frame.io, Dropbox, Google Drive, Wipster, Adobe Cloud Libraries) and production pipelines.
Basic knowledge of 2D/3D integration workflows (Cinema 4D, Blender, Element 3D) is a plus.
Familiarity with social media best practices, platform algorithms, and creative sizing/format requirements.
Ability to prepare print-ready files and liaise with printers for physical collateral.

Soft Skills

Strong visual storytelling and creative judgment with a collaborative mindset.
Excellent communication skills: presenting concepts, receiving feedback, and translating business requirements into creative output.
Time management and prioritization: comfortable balancing multiple deadlines and shifting priorities.
Problem-solving aptitude and technical troubleshooting skills to resolve production issues quickly.
Attention to detail and commitment to quality control across visual, motion, and audio elements.
Adaptability and eagerness to learn new tools, techniques, and platform formats.
Empathy for end-users and stakeholders to design assets that drive measurable engagement.
Team player who can mentor juniors and work across design, marketing, and product teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or equivalent in Graphic Design, Film/Video Production, Multimedia Arts, or related field. Strong portfolio may substitute formal education.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Film/Video Production, Motion Graphics, Visual Communications, or related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Graphic Design
Film & Video Production
Motion Graphics / Animation
Visual Communications
Multimedia Design

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–6 years of combined graphic design and video editing experience; portfolio demonstrating both static and motion work required.

Preferred:

4–7+ years of professional experience with demonstrated success producing high-performing video and design assets for digital marketing campaigns, social channels, and product launches.
Proven portfolio with examples of motion graphics, social-first video, branded content, and campaign deliverables.
Experience leading small creative projects or mentoring junior staff; comfortable working in agile/fast-turn environments.