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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graphics Coordinator Assistant

💰 $ - $

DesignMarketingProductionCreative Operations

🎯 Role Definition

The Graphics Coordinator Assistant supports creative operations by coordinating artwork production, preparing print- and web-ready files, maintaining brand consistency, and facilitating communication between internal teams and external vendors. This role requires strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, print-prep best practices, digital asset management, and project coordination to deliver high-quality marketing and product collateral on time and within budget.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Graphic Design Intern supporting production and asset prep.
  • Production Assistant engaged in print and digital workflow tasks.
  • Marketing Assistant handling basic creative requests and vendor liaising.

Advancement To:

  • Graphics Coordinator / Production Coordinator
  • Senior Graphic Designer or Production Manager
  • Art Director or Creative Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Marketing Coordinator (creative project focus)
  • Digital Asset Manager
  • Content Designer / UX Production Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Coordinate the end-to-end production of print and digital graphic assets by receiving briefs, creating production schedules, assigning tasks to designers, tracking milestones, and ensuring on-time delivery for campaigns, signage, packaging, and point-of-sale materials.
  • Prepare and proof print-ready artwork by performing prepress checks (bleeds, crops, color modes, resolution, and PDF/X compliance), generating press-ready PDFs, and liaising with vendors to resolve artwork issues prior to print.
  • Maintain strict brand consistency by applying, updating, and enforcing brand guidelines and templates across all channels, auditing assets for correct logos, color palettes, typography, and messaging.
  • Manage the digital asset management (DAM) system by uploading, tagging, organizing, versioning, and archiving files to ensure fast retrieval, consistent metadata, and controlled access for creative and marketing teams.
  • Resize, reformat, and adapt master artwork for multiple platforms (social, web banners, email, mobile, OOH, and print) while optimizing file sizes and export settings for each channel’s technical requirements.
  • Coordinate vendor selection, obtain and compare print and production quotes, negotiate timelines and pricing, issue purchase orders, and follow through on delivery schedules and quality expectations.
  • Conduct detailed proofs and quality assurance inspections for color accuracy, layout integrity, and content correctness, including soft proofs and physical press checks when necessary, and document any deviations.
  • Track production budgets and inventory for print runs, signage, and promotional materials by maintaining production cost logs, updating budget forecasts, and escalating cost variances to management.
  • Support cross-functional teams (marketing, merchandising, events, product, and retail operations) by clarifying briefs, translating business requirements into technical production specs, and coordinating handoffs for campaign launches.
  • Maintain and update design templates, asset libraries, and style sheets in creative tools and CMS platforms to accelerate campaign production, reduce errors, and standardize output across product lines.
  • Provide hands-on creation of simple graphics, layouts, and edits (banners, social tiles, basic packaging edits, and templated collateral) using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop when workload requires.
  • Manage incoming creative requests and ticket queues using project management tools (Asana, Trello, Workfront, or Jira), prioritizing jobs, assigning tasks, communicating timelines, and reporting status to stakeholders.
  • Prepare detailed production specifications and job jackets (color profiles, dielines, substrate, finishes, and proofs required) for printers, sign shops, packaging suppliers, and internal production teams.
  • Troubleshoot technical file issues such as font embedding, linked asset resolution, transparency flattening, and color conversions, and implement corrective actions to prevent printing delays or rework.
  • Coordinate logistics for large-format printing and installation projects, including scheduling deliveries, supervising vendor site installs, arranging shipments, and confirming final placement for events and retail displays.
  • Maintain version control and documentation of creative revisions by cataloging change requests, approval timestamps, and sign-offs to ensure auditability and prevent rework.
  • Implement and maintain color management workflows, including Pantone matching and ICC profile usage, to ensure cross-media visual consistency between digital proofs and physical output.
  • Conduct vendor quality assessments and maintain a preferred vendor list by evaluating print samples, turnaround consistency, communication responsiveness, and cost performance.
  • Create and distribute production status reports, asset delivery reports, and post-project recaps to inform stakeholders of milestones, delivery confirmations, and lessons learned for process improvement.
  • Train and mentor junior coordinators, interns, or freelancers on production procedures, proofing standards, DAM usage, and job submission protocols to scale team capabilities and maintain quality.
  • Enforce accessibility and legal compliance in collateral (e.g., alt-text for web images, ADA considerations for signage, trademark and copyright checks), escalating risks and facilitating remediation.
  • Coordinate asset localization and translation workflows with vendors or language teams, ensuring artwork adjustments do not compromise layout, typography, or regulatory requirements for international markets.
  • Support digital performance optimization by preparing responsive image sets, compressed formats (WebP, optimized PNG/JPG), and HTML/CSS specifications for campaign and website deployment.
  • Manage ad-hoc production requests for events, tradeshows, and retail windows, including rush jobs, overnight proofs, and collateral replenishment while maintaining quality and timeline commitments.
  • Develop, document, and refine standard operating procedures for creative production workflows, reducing bottlenecks and improving scalability across multiple campaigns and teams.

Secondary Functions

  • Support cross-team reporting and ad-hoc data requests related to production timelines, vendor performance, and asset utilization to help optimize creative operations.
  • Assist in continuous improvement initiatives by contributing to the creative operations roadmap, suggesting automation or tooling changes, and documenting best practices.
  • Coordinate with IT and digital teams to translate asset and workflow needs into technical requirements for DAM integrations, CMS updates, and project management tooling.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies when the creative operations function is embedded in agile marketing teams to ensure production work is visible and prioritized.
  • Monitor emerging graphics and production technologies, recommending tools or processes to increase efficiency (e.g., templating engines, asset automation, or preflight software).
  • Support archival and retention policies by ensuring final assets and production records are stored according to organizational or regulatory requirements.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Expert working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign for layouts, Illustrator for vector artwork, Photoshop for image retouching and compositing, and Acrobat Pro for PDF preflight and proofing.
  • Prepress and print production expertise including PDF/X standards, bleeds, trims, dielines, trapping, imposition basics, and knowledge of common substrate/finish options.
  • Digital asset management (DAM) systems experience such as Bynder, Widen, Adobe Experience Manager Assets, or similar for tagging, versioning, and archiving large creative libraries.
  • File preparation and optimization for web and mobile (image compression, responsive asset export, WebP/JPEG/PNG best practices) and basic understanding of CMS image handling (e.g., WordPress or proprietary CMS).
  • Basic motion graphics and video editing capability using After Effects or Premiere Pro to create simple animated assets or social video edits when needed.
  • Familiarity with color management workflows, Pantone systems, ICC profiles, and soft proof vs. press proof concepts to maintain visual fidelity across media.
  • Experience with project management and ticketing tools (Asana, Trello, Jira, Workfront, or Monday.com) for prioritizing work, tracking requests, and communicating status.
  • Knowledge of print vendor workflows, quoting processes, purchase orders, and shipment tracking to manage production logistics and vendor payments.
  • Understanding of typography, layout principles, and composition for both print and digital deliverables, including accessibility considerations (contrast, legibility).
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Google Workspace for status reporting, production logs, and stakeholder communications.
  • Basic HTML/CSS familiarity to communicate technical requirements for web teams and to ensure assets are implemented correctly on digital properties.
  • Experience with color-correcting images and preparing photos for print and web, including basic photo retouching techniques.

Soft Skills

  • Meticulous attention to detail with an obsessive approach to quality control, proofing, and error prevention in high-volume production environments.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills to coordinate requirements and manage expectations with internal stakeholders and external vendors.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with shifting priorities and tight deadlines.
  • Proactive problem-solving mindset to identify root causes of production issues and implement preventative solutions.
  • Collaborative team player who can work cross-functionally with designers, marketers, product managers, and external suppliers.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to triage urgent requests while keeping long-term projects on schedule.
  • Negotiation and vendor management skills to obtain competitive quotes and ensure delivery to specification.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new tools, processes, and industry best practices as creative technology evolves.
  • Customer-service orientation to provide internal clients with responsive, clear, and constructive support.
  • Accountability and ownership for deliverables with the ability to document decisions and maintain production records.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent with proven hands-on experience in graphic production, or an associate degree in a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Multimedia, Marketing, or a closely related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Graphic Design
  • Visual Communication
  • Multimedia Design
  • Marketing or Advertising
  • Fine Arts / Illustration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–3 years of experience in production coordination, graphic production, print or digital asset management, or a design studio/agency environment.

Preferred:

  • 2–4 years of progressive experience supporting print and digital production workflows, vendor coordination, and DAM/CMS operations with demonstrable portfolio of delivered projects.
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