Graphic Designer (Maternity Cover)

Full time, fixed term, hybrid. The Graphic Designer will work within Essex Wildlife Trust’s internal design studio, ‘The Design Hide’, to produce compelling design work that creatively represents Essex Wildlife Trust’s brand. You will play a key role in maintaining the Trust’s brand, ensuring our content remains consistent, engaging and easily recognisable, and that it reflects our values across all external communications.

As Graphic Designer, you will work as part of the Communications team, aligning your work with several goals within the Trust’s 2030 strategy. You will work with the Design and Communications Manager to develop and deliver the Trust’s visual communications, while managing day-to-day priorities and your portfolio of work through our account management system, treating colleagues as internal clients. You will produce a diverse portfolio of work, from traditional media such as print collateral and signage to digital assets for web, email, social channels and other online platforms. Your work will support the Communications team in reaching wider audiences, recruiting more supporters and inspiring people to take action for nature. You will also help strengthen the Trust’s brand recognition and reputation with external audiences, using visual content to bring our conservation stories, impact and successes to life.

Key Tasks

• Meet with colleagues as ‘internal clients’ to support and clarify design briefs.
• Log your work using The Design Hide’s account management system to stay organised, offer a professional in-house studio service and prioritise work appropriately.
• Produce high-quality design, covering everything from print to digital, including social media assets, interpretation, print collateral, branded PowerPoint decks and digital content.
• Work closely with the Design and Communications Manager to maintain the Trust’s brand and to help achieve the Trust’s strategic goals.
• Act as a brand ambassador for the Trust, promoting the importance of brand recognition and consistency to colleagues and partners.
• Provide guidance and training to staff where needed, including video tips, photography advice, and basic design skills.
• Liaise with printers, merchandisers and third‑party customers to ensure sustainability and value for money on produced materials.
• Work with different departments to ensure effective visual communication is being successfully utilised throughout the organisation to increase the Communication & Marketing teams’ reach, recruitment and the organisation’s reputation.
• Work effectively with colleagues across the Trust and demonstrate the value of being Impactful, Collaborative, United and Proactive.
• Undertake any other duties required within the scope of the role.

Person Specification

• Qualified to degree level in a design-related subject.
• Proven experience delivering design projects in a design studio or in‑house design team.
• Experience of delivering both large and small design projects from conception to finish, for print and digital materials.
• Expertise with key design software, including Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator) and Canva.
• Creative and enthusiastic, with the ability to bring creative ideas to the table and turn design briefs into inspirational and mobilising pieces of work.
• Good communication skills both written and verbal, adapting style to suit the audience and with the ability to support all departments within the Trust.
• Strong technical skills, with the ability to quickly understand how to use new software.
• Confident and creative illustrator.
• Effective at prioritising, organising, planning and scheduling activities and resources to ensure deadlines are met.
• Great attention to detail and ensures high standards are achieved with a consistent and high‑quality approach.
• Works well on their own initiative and within a team, supporting and making a positive contribution to The Design Hide and the Communications and Marketing team.

Additional Information

The role requires an interest in working for a charity that is determined to protect wildlife for the future and for the people of Essex. The role requires the ability to drive, including a full driving licence and use of a vehicle, though pool vehicles may sometimes be available. The role is based at Great Wigborough, Essex, but allows for hybrid working at home. The role requires regular travel across the county and beyond to other sites. Mileage is paid for extra travel.

Disability Confident Statement

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible.

Armed Forces Covenant

We are proud to be an employer that supports the Armed Forces Covenant and are committed to supporting those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families. As part of this commitment, Armed Forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for an advertised role will be guaranteed an interview.