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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graphics Specialist Assistant

💰 $40,000 - $70,000

DesignCreativeMarketingProduction

🎯 Role Definition

The Graphics Specialist Assistant is an early- to mid-level visual production role focused on executing and preparing design assets under direction from senior designers and creative leads. Responsibilities include producing marketing collateral, retouching photography, preparing files for print and web, maintaining digital asset libraries, QA and version control, and supporting cross-functional teams to meet aggressive campaign deadlines. This role is ideal for candidates with strong technical skills in Adobe Creative Cloud, an eye for detail, and practical experience with prepress and digital asset workflows.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Graphic Design Intern or Junior Designer
  • Marketing Assistant with creative execution responsibilities
  • Production Artist or Prepress Technician

Advancement To:

  • Graphic Specialist / Graphic Designer
  • Senior Graphic Designer or Visual Designer
  • Motion Graphics Designer or UX Visual Designer
  • Art Director, Creative Manager, or Production Lead

Lateral Moves:

  • UI/UX Designer (visual-focused)
  • Motion Graphics / Video Production Assistant
  • Marketing Production Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Produce and deliver polished marketing assets for digital channels and print—banners, social media posts, email templates, web hero images, landing page graphics, presentation decks, and point-of-sale materials—ensuring correct sizing, color profiles, typography, and optimization for each channel.
  • Execute retouching, compositing, color correction, and photo edits in Adobe Photoshop to meet brief requirements and maintain visual quality and brand tone across campaigns.
  • Build and update vector artwork, icons, infographics, and scalable assets in Adobe Illustrator, ensuring clean paths, correct bleed, and export-ready files for a range of resolutions and formats.
  • Prepare production-ready files for print and vendor handoff, including creating bleeds, crop marks, color separations, embedded fonts or outlines, and PDF/X compliance; liaise with printers to resolve prepress issues.
  • Support designers by creating templates and master files in Adobe InDesign for multi-page collateral, catalogs, and brochures, maintaining consistent styles, linked assets, and version control.
  • Export and optimize raster and vector assets for web and mobile (PNG, JPG, SVG, WebP), balancing visual quality and file size; implement responsive image practices and naming conventions for efficient developer handoffs.
  • Assist in motion graphics and animated assets production using Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro—trim edits, basic animations, format conversions, and rendering compositions with correct codecs and frame rates for social and paid channels.
  • Maintain the digital asset management (DAM) system or shared creative library: tagging, metadata, naming conventions, version history, and archiving to ensure quick discovery and reuse of approved brand assets.
  • Produce on-brand variations and A/B test creative assets in adherence to brand guidelines and campaign objectives; implement rapid iterations under tight deadlines for performance testing.
  • Conduct quality assurance and visual checks across devices, browsers, and print proofs—identify and resolve alignment, color, resolution, and typographic issues prior to release.
  • Collaborate closely with marketing, product, and content teams to translate briefs into visual deliverables; clarify scope, timelines, and technical requirements during kickoff and review sessions.
  • Implement and maintain consistent brand standards across all touchpoints by applying approved color palettes, typography scales, grids, and structural layouts; flag and remediate off-brand executions.
  • Create and maintain documentation for production processes, export presets, print specifications, and standard operating procedures to streamline handoffs and onboarding of new team members.
  • Implement accessibility-aware design practices for digital graphics (contrast, legible type sizes, alt-text-ready exports) to support inclusive UX and compliance goals.
  • Manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines using project management tools (Asana, Trello, Jira), update statuses, and escalate resource or timeline conflicts to the creative lead proactively.
  • Convert legacy files to current brand templates and modern formats, migrating assets from outdated PSD/AI/INDD master files to updated, modular templates.
  • Support creative review cycles by preparing and presenting design options, annotating changes, and tracking stakeholder feedback in proofing tools (InVision, Frame.io, Adobe Cloud) to ensure clear revision histories.
  • Coordinate with external vendors (printers, photo studios, freelance illustrators) to obtain quotes, specify technical requirements, review proofs, and ensure timely delivery and budget compliance.
  • Assist in simple front-end tasks such as slicing assets for development, exporting CSS-friendly SVGs, and collaborating with developers to implement visuals cleanly within web templates or CMS.
  • Monitor asset performance and provide visual suggestions for optimizations based on campaign analytics or A/B testing insights, contributing to iterative creative improvements.
  • Troubleshoot technical challenges in file compatibility, font substitution, color management (RGB/CMYK), and export workflows, implementing fixes or escalating to senior production staff as appropriate.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain a prioritized queue of production tasks and participate in daily or weekly creative stand-ups to align on sprint goals and deadlines.
  • Support ad-hoc requests for event signage, internal communications graphics, and sales enablement collateral with quick turnaround requirements.
  • Archive completed campaigns and ensure compliance with records retention policies and legal usage rights for photography and licensed assets.
  • Assist in simple motion capture or screen-recording tasks and basic editing for product demos and tutorial content.
  • Provide training and onboarding support for new hires on creative tools, brand assets, and production workflows.
  • Coordinate and maintain stock imagery licenses and image releases, verifying legal usage and attribution across touchpoints.
  • Help compile and maintain a centralized library of templates and approved layouts for cross-functional teams to self-serve common creative needs.
  • Support sustainability and cost-saving initiatives by recommending digital-first alternatives and optimizing print runs or material usage.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (retouching, compositing, color correction) and Adobe Illustrator (vector artwork, icons, logo preparation).
  • Solid experience with Adobe InDesign for multi-page layouts, templates, and prepress output.
  • Basic motion graphics and video editing skills in Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro or equivalent.
  • Strong understanding of color theory, typography, layout grids, and visual hierarchy for digital and print.
  • Prepress and print production knowledge: bleed, crop marks, color profiles (RGB vs CMYK), PDF/X export standards, and vendor-proofing.
  • Export and optimization skills for web and mobile images (SVG, WebP, PNG, JPEG) and familiarity with responsive image workflows.
  • Experience with digital asset management (DAM) systems, cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox), and structured naming/metadata practices.
  • Familiarity with simple front-end asset requirements: SVG optimization, slicing, and basic HTML/CSS considerations for handoff to developers.
  • Competence with proofing/collaboration tools (Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries, InVision, Frame.io) and version control best practices.
  • Working knowledge of accessibility considerations for visual content (contrast ratios, legibility) and creating alt-text-ready deliverables.
  • Experience using project management tools (Asana, Trello, Jira) to manage task lists and communicate status.
  • Basic photography or studio knowledge: cropping, exposure correction, and image selection for campaigns.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail with a meticulous approach to visual quality and production accuracy.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and clear feedback capture.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance multiple fast-moving projects and tight deadlines.
  • Collaborative mindset with the ability to receive and implement constructive creative feedback.
  • Problem-solving orientation—troubleshoots file and production issues proactively and escalates when needed.
  • Adaptability to changing priorities in agency or in-house creative environments.
  • Initiative to document processes and continuously improve production workflows.
  • Client- and stakeholder-focused professionalism to manage expectations and deliver consistent results.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree, diploma, or equivalent vocational training in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Multimedia, or a related field; or equivalent hands-on experience with a strong portfolio.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, Multimedia Design, or Marketing with a design concentration.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Graphic Design
  • Visual Communications
  • Multimedia Design
  • Fine Arts
  • Marketing (with design/production emphasis)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–3 years of hands-on experience in graphic production, prepress, or creative support roles.

Preferred: 2–5 years experience in agency, in-house marketing, or creative studio environments with a demonstrable portfolio showcasing print and digital work, prepress examples, and basic motion pieces.

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