26th July 2017
Dear Applicant,
RE: Application for Graphic Design Placement
Thank you for your interest in the post of Graphic Design Placementat Northumbria Students’ Union. This role offers the successful candidate an amazing opportunity to be part of an innovative, award-winning organisation that seeks to have the highest standards of service required to be one of the country’s leading Students’ Unions.
Students’ Union of the Year 2011, we are recognised as a great place to work through Investors in People Silver and placed 25th on the Sunday Times’ 100 Best Not For Profits To Work For 2012. In addition, in our recent Staff Engagement Survey we scored 85% proving we are committed to supporting staff.
If successful in your application you will join a Students’ Union that is going from strength to strength, coupled with high volume commercial operations and strong membership services.
Please find enclosed the following information:
- Introduction to the Students’ Union
- Job Description
- Person Specification
- Application Form
- Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
The closing date for applications is 11th August 2017 at 2pm. Interviews will be held the following week with commencement of the role to follow as soon as possible. Please ensure that you are available for the interview date. If you have questions please contact Students’ Union HR at (t) 0191 227 3185 (e) .
Please note that the Students’ Union is working to increase the diversity of its workforce and has a strong commitment to equality of opportunity for all.
Yours Sincerely
Michelle Berry
Director of Commercial Services
Encl
Recruitment Briefing Pack
Graphic Design Placement
About Northumbria Students’ Union
Northumbria Students’ Union is independent from the University and a registered charity; however the two organisations work closely together to deliver a first-rate service to students and the University has a legal obligation to ensure the good management and running of the Union. Northumbria Students’ Union is integral to the provision of the modern, top class service provided to the student membership. When a student joins Northumbria University, they automatically become a member of the Union. There are currently over 26,000 members on campus.
The successful candidate will join the Union’s team of experienced and enthusiastic staff who deliver the range of our services to and for students. The organisation is wide and diverse, as are the messages we communicate. We offer commercial and non-commercial services ranging from bars and entertainment to advice and representation.
The post reports to the Marketing Manager, a key member of the Management team who in turn reports to the Director of Commercial Services. The Union employs over 170 staff at the busiest time of the year and employs a core of around 50 people on a year round basis.
About the Role
The role is a fixed termpositionof 12 months within the Marketing Department working full time alongside the marketing team. Candidates must have graduated in a relevant discipline no more than five years ago. The Marketing department consists of Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing Coordinator, Halls Engagement Coordinator, Advertising Sales Coordinator and up to 15 part time marketing assistants who are students at Northumbria.
The Students’ Union has a wide and diverse portfolio of media including magazines and corporate publications, traditional publicity materials including posters and flyers, websites, social media, e-newsletters and digital signage. The appointed candidate will be responsible for devising and developing new branding and design for all Union departments creating deliverables for multi media campaigns. We are seeking someone with strong experience and skill in graphic design who has excellent interpersonal communications skills, who is extremely organised and self-motivated.
The first six months of this role are part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Completing the Application Form
We only accept applications from candidates using our form attached in this pack. CVs and covering letters will not be accepted.
In completing the application please cover all points of the person specification that are tested at application, preferably in the order presented. Please ensure all examples are relevant to that point.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:Graphic Designer
Department:Commercial Services
Responsible to:Marketing Manager
Responsible for:To design the Students' Union's publicity materials as briefed by the Marketing Manager.
Salary:£18,474
Purpose of Post:Working within our busy Marketing Department, you will be responsible for delivering a high volume of marketing collateral, suitable for multimedia channels and formats.
You will be responsible for creation and development of NSU branding.
Contract:Fixed term 52 weeks a year
37.5 hours per week
25 Days holiday plus bank holidays
Principle Duties and Responsibilities
- To develop conceptual designs for the Students’ Union’s publicity materials after attending a briefing session with the Marketing Manager.
- To provide innovative and creative design solutions in line with NSU’s marketing plan, which engage with the student demographic.
- To ensure all design work from the Union adheres to brand guidelines.
- To produce finished designs for the Students’ Union’s publicity materials in a variety of digital and print formats.
- To provide advice and support to Students’ Union staff and volunteers on design formats, software and graphic design principles.
- To adapt designs for use in different mediums for example, newspaper advertisements, posters, e-banners, TV advertisements and more.
- To produce design layouts and typesetting for the Students’ Union publications.
- To attend meetings with the department manager as and when required.
- To attend training sessions and staff meetings as required.
- To undertake any other reasonable duties as requested.
- To uphold the Students’ Union’s environmental and wider corporate social responsibility practices.
- To be committed to NSU’s values of Democracy, Inclusive, Ethical, Innovation, Quality and Partnership
Other duties
To aspire to the highest standards of service at all times.
To attend appropriate and relevant training events, courses and conferences as required.
To respect the democratic structure of the Students’ Union; the post holder will be expected to work closely with elected officers.
To abide by the Students’ Union Constitution, policies and procedures at all times.
To uphold the Students’ Union’s environmental and wider corporate social responsibility practices.
To be committed to NSU’s values of Democracy, Inclusive, Ethical, Innovation, Quality and Partnership
The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and the post holder will be expected to undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required.
Person Specification
Job title:Graphic Designer
Essential / DesirableQualifications
Good General Education / XGraduate within last five years in fields of design, multimedia or related work / X
Experience
Evidence of image manipulation for a variety of media / XSpecialised knowledge and skills in the area of Graphic Design (e.g. typography/layout/image manipulation) / X
Specialised/advanced knowledge of specific relevant software for design (Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign) / X
Specialised/advanced knowledge of print/production techniques relative to graphic design/printing / X
Knowledge of other relevant areas of expertise such as copy writing, web programming and photography / X
Knowledge of relevant marketing techniques / X
Experience of producing initial concepts as well as expertise and creative input from the inception stage of design work through to its final production
/ XExperience of using creative flair under pressure to deliver positive outcome and impact
/ XKnowledge and Skills
Good technical skills / XDigital design ability and evidence of using Photoshop/In design and Illustrator /
X
Excellent PC and Mac skills / XAccurate Spelling and good standard of written English / X
General IT skills including a working knowledge of Microsoft Office / X
Strong time management skills- able to meet tight deadlines and cope with varying workloads / X
Excellent interpersonal skills-able to communicate well both written and verbally / X
Good organisational skills / X
Able to work effectively in a team / X
Ability to work well under pressure, to be flexible and adapt to changes in priorities / X
Possess a positive attitude to work and ability to organise own workload / X
Values/attitudes
Commitment to Union’s principles of Equality and Diversity / XAbility to work in a student led, democratic environment / X
Ability to perform in a goal-oriented environment / X
Commitment to high standards of customer care / X
Ability to work in a fast paced environment / X
Highly motivated, energetic and enthusiastic / X
Approachable and reliable / X
APPLICATION FORM
ALL SECTIONS TO BE COMPLETED IN BLACK INK OR TYPED
Application for the Post of:
Personal Details:
First Name:
/ /Surname:
/Address:
/ /Mobile Tel:
// /
Home Tel:
// /
Postcode:
/Email:
/ / /Education:
Higher Education and Further Education – Diploma / Degree etc and A-levels (or equivalent)
Institution
/Dates
/Qualification
/Results
Other Training and Professional Development Undertaken
Provider / Date / Details of TrainingCurrent and Previous Employment:
Current or Most Recent Employer
Organisation:
/ /Role:
/Address:
/Dates:
// /
Salary:
/Summary of Achievements:
/ / /Previous working (and voluntary) experience, providing details of any gaps in employment history
Organisation
/Role
/Dates
/Reason for Leaving
Experience and Skills:
Provide a detailed, specific breakdown of how your experience and skills meet the person specification for the role, in particular giving tangible evidence that proves you meet the criteria. Continue on a separate sheet if required (max 1000 words).
Other Information:
Provide further details that will add value or enhance your application (max 500 words)
Do you require any special provisions or facilities if you are selected for interview? / Yes / NoIf yes, please detail…
Referees:
Please provide details of two referees, that we may contact for a reference. One of these must be your most recent employer. Referees should not be current Students’ Union staff
Referee One:
/ /Referee Two:
/Name:
/ /Name:
/Company:
/ /Company:
/Address:
/Address:
Tel:
/ /Tel:
/Email:
/ /Email:
/Where did you see this vacancy advertised?
Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence? / Yes / NoIf yes, please detail (except for convictions regarded as spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974)…
Declaration:
I declare that all information contained in this application form is true correct and understand that this shall be the basis of any offer of appointment
Signed:Date:
Please return this form to:
Sarah SmithHR Coordinator
Northumbria Students’ Union, 2 Sandyford Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8SB.
Tel: 0191 227 3185 I Email:SU:
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING
This section of the application will be used solely for monitoring purposes.
Northumbria Students’ Union recognises and actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion and belief. We therefore welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Ethnic Origin:
WhiteBritish / Irish / Any other white background*
Mixed
White and Black Caribbean / White and Black African / White and Asian
Black or Black British
Caribbean / African
Asian or Asian British
Indian / Pakistani / Bangladeshi
Chinese or Other Ethnic Group
Chinese / Other Ethnic Group* / Any other mixed background*
Gender:
Date of Birth:
Do you consider yourself to have a disability: / Yes / No
If yes, please state nature of disability
The Equality Act defines disability as “A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term effect on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”
How did you become aware of this vacancy?
.
Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary.