Production Designer

ABOUT US
Uncommon Goods offers a constantly evolving assortment of original, creative products. We partner with independent makers and small businesses to offer our customers a wide variety of items that they love to surprise loved ones with (and treat themselves, too)!

We are built on better business practices and committed to having a positive impact on people and the planet. Learn more here.

The best part of Uncommon Goods is us—our team. We've been around for over 20 years because of all the wonderful people who make UG the one-of-a-kind company it is.

Learn more about our products, B Corp certification, guiding principles, Better to Give program, and team members you might be working with. Learn about the story of Uncommon Goods from our Founder and CEO here and here.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE
At Uncommon Goods, we believe we’re all out of the ordinary. That’s why we’re committed to making diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging part of everything we do. In pursuit of that goal, we’ve made significant changes to our business, from how we find our products to how we build and cultivate our team. Our hope is to be everyone’s favorite place to work!

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you would like to request any accommodations during the application process, please email [email protected].

ABOUT THE ROLE
The Production Designer prepares designs for digital and print publication, maintains our library of digital assets, and works hand in hand with our Design team on all the technical, detailed aspects required to bring designs to life across our channels at the highest professional level. To be successful in this position, you will combine your strong creative and technical skills to ensure quality and standardization for projects that involve many moving parts.

The Production Designer will report to the Creative Brand Director. This is a hybrid role and will work onsite roughly 15 days per quarter supporting pre-press and RGB to CMYK color conversion for our catalog. 

ABOUT YOU
You zoom in to finesse the tiniest details—and you can also step back and see the whole picture, where everything connects. You have the technical know-how to get the job done with strong layout skills, natural organizational abilities, and professional file-categorizing skills to ensure artwork is production-ready and projects are completed on time. You are as comfortable collaborating with others—from our writers and marketing team to product and tech teams—as you are working on your own. You don’t consider something complete until the kerning or QA is just right, and you love a detailed style guide—you may have even created one.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Handle production of designs for our homepage and other web pages; maintain/create design templates for emails and organic social posts
• Maintain a digital library of photo and visual assets to be used across our marketing channels
• Document our designs by maintaining a web module guide and template library, and by creating wireframes in collaborative programs such as Miro
• Own the production process of our quarterly 100-page catalog, which involves coordinating layout and copy programs (think: Adobe InDesign and InCopy); flowing product copy and styling it according to our internal style guide; formatting artwork and layouts; linking images; trafficking files between designers, writers, and editors; and handling pre-press duties
• Communicate with external vendors, such as printers
• Collaborate with other creative team members to create consistency across platforms and assets
• Build strong collaborative relationships with cross-functional partners in Product Management, Merchandising, and Marketing; coordinate the sharing of assets across these internal departments
• Be a proactive problem solver by seeking out opportunities to better streamline our workflow

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Graphic Design preferred, but not necessary if experience and portfolio warrant
• 3+ years of production design experience
• A strong balance of typography, layout, and design skills
• Knowledge of CMYK, RGB, color modes, and conversion from digital to print
• Experience with catalog or print production design, as well as production for email, web and social channels
• Digital software file management experience
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently under pressure, handle multiple projects, contribute to a team, and deliver on individual responsibilities
• A solutions-oriented mentality and an open, positive, and collaborative communication style
• Advanced experience with InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Sketch.
• Basic knowledge of HTML is a plus
• Experience with a publishing systems editor or an editorial workflow system is a big plus

COMPANY PERKS

• Casual work atmosphere, fun company events. (Thanks to our team's creativity, we've devised ways to feel connected remotely, too, and it's still fun.)
• 40% discount on our products.
• Benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with match, PTO, and paid parental and family leave. Learn more about your FMLA rights here.
• Confidential 1-on-1 coaching through Bravely available to all year-round team members
• Professional development opportunities & education reimbursement
• Company stock options and eligibility for our annual performance bonus program

This is currently a hybrid role; onsite work will be necessary to support color conversion for our catalog production. Uncommon Goods complies with New York City's COVID-19 vaccination mandate. All offers of employment for positions located in New York City are contingent upon the successful candidate showing proof of being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19. Uncommon Goods will consider requests for exemption from this mandate because of a medical or religious reason. The health and safety of our team is of utmost importance. We are continually updating our hybrid work strategy with this in mind. Masks are currently required for onsite work and we require monthly COVID-19 testing.

When applying please include the following:

• Resume
• Portfolio: Submit as a Cover Letter attachment -or- as a link in the application questionnaire
• Answers to the following questions:
  • What excites you about the Production Designer role at Uncommon Goods?
  • Is there anything you would like to add that is not communicated in your resume?