Website Sustainability Solutions Group
Decarbonized, healthy, equitable cities for everyone.
Graphic Designer
Full Time, Permanent
Location: Remote, Canada or US
ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS GROUP
SSG is a 30-person worker co-operative founded in 2001 to carry out creative, challenging, and values-based work. Over the past 20 years, SSG has become a world leader in climate action planning. We aspire to a decarbonized world of thriving people, communities, and ecosystems—a world achieved with diverse collaboration and democratic participation, through analyzing the impacts of our choices, and by regenerative efforts achieving fossil fuels elimination.
Our work includes:
- Energy and emissions modelling and planning for communities and local governments;
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation planning;
- Equitable community engagement;
- Community and health planning;
- Neighbourhood planning and design;
- Energy systems planning;
- Cutting edge climate research, and more.
OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY
SSG celebrates diversity and strives to participate in restorative justice, in part by implementing just recruitment practices. We encourage applications from BIPOC, LGBTQIA2+ applicants, applicants with disabilities, and applicants from historically marginalized communities.
ABOUT THE POSITION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Under the guidance of SSG’s Design Lead, the Graphic Designer will help create, deliver, and continually improve graphic design standards for SSG.
The Graphic Designer will work with SSG project delivery teams to ensure that key client deliverables, including presentations, infographics and final reports, are designed according to SSG’s high delivery standards.
The Graphic Designer will work with SSG’s Business Development team to ensure that SSG proposals are designed to the same standard.
The Graphic Designer will also work with SSG’s Marketing and Communications team to ensure that various SSG communications, including newsletters, web materials, and annual reports, are designed to the same standard.
In addition to design work, all workers at SSG contribute to SSG’s strategic and organizational development. The Graphic Designer will be expected to assist and/or lead internal projects that may be related to strategic development, organizational knowledge management, or internal organizational equity work, among other things, on an as-needed basis.
SSG’s ideal candidate is looking for long-term employment, with an interest in becoming a committed member-owner of the co-operative.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Graphic Design for SSG Projects
- Work with the Design Lead and project teams to ensure that design expectations from client are set out at the beginning of each project,
- Define each designed deliverable for each project,
- Create graphics as necessary for reports, presentations, and social media, and
- Layout documents using the SSG template.
2. Graphic Design for SSG Proposals
- Work with the Design Lead and Proposal Writer to establish and train on standards related to proposal design.
3. Graphic Design for SSG Marketing Materials
From time to time, respond to design requests from the Marketing Communications Team to provide miscellaneous graphic design support. This could include
- Newsletter graphics,
- Annual Reports, and
- Conference or other Business Development-related presentations.
4. Other
Other work could include
- Working on internal project teams to improve organizational processes, streamline project delivery, and contribute to ongoing organizational innovation,
- Participating in the governance structure of the co-op, and
- Participation in the broader co-op movement.
AUTHORITY
Reports to the Design Lead for final recommendation and decision that each project deliverable meets SSG design standards and is ready for presentation to the client.
QUALIFICATIONS AND ATTRIBUTES
The successful candidate will have the following qualities and attributes
- A minimum 5 years of experience in graphic design and relevant software (e.g., InDesign, Photoshop, Adobe Suite etc.)
- A strong sense of aesthetics and creativity
- Ability to meet deadlines and work under quick timeframes
- Excellent attention to detail
- A commitment to continual improvement
- A high degree of self-motivation
- A high degree of competency in individual and team working arrangements
- Flexibility to adapt to different levels of workloads and schedules
- Ability to work in a non-hierarchical environment
- Comfort with working in a fully virtual workplace
The following technical skills and proficiencies are considered assets but are not requirements for the successful candidate:
- Passion for climate action
- Knowledge of municipal planning and climate action
- Ability to read/write in Spanish and/or French
- Familiarity with and/or enthusiasm for worker co-operatives
SOFTWARE
SSG’s primary software tools include Google Workspace, Adobe, Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Wrike, Airtable, and Zotero. Previous knowledge of these tools is not necessarily required and can be taught on the job.
SALARY, BENEFITS
SSG workers are paid according to a salary scale that factors in years of professional experience relevant to their position, as well as years worked at SSG. The salary scale applies equally to all workers, regardless of their position in the organization. The salary range for 2022 is CA$60,260 -CA$75,980 for non-members and CA$62,880-CA$81,750 for members*. SSG targets an additional 15% base salary top-up at the end of the year, for all workers past their probationary period, when finances allow.
SSG offers a benefits package, which includes health, dental, and vision. SSG also offers flexible holiday pay, two weeks of health & family care leave, 3 weeks of paid vacation, and a stipend for professional development.
*Amounts are in Canadian dollars. For US-based employees, SSG will convert these ranges to US dollars.
CO-OPERATIVE MEMBERSHIP AND PROFIT SHARING
This position will be eligible for membership in the co-operative (i.e., co-ownership) within roughly 12-24 months. SSG distributes a minimum 50% of its annual net income back to its members. Income distribution is in the form of shares and cash, as determined by SSG’s Board of Directors.
WORKING AT SSG
SSG has a relatively flat staff structure. Climate change and social justice values are embedded throughout our organization and work. SSG is a distributed organization with staff in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Texas, and Chile.
The Graphic Designer will work from home or a co-working space. Applicants from outside of Canada and the US are welcome to apply, but they must be eligible to work in Canada or the US. Typical work hours will fall within the Pacific, Eastern, and Atlantic time zones. Extensive work at a computer is required. SSG offers flexible work hours, although occasional overtime may be required.
We recognize that there are responsibilities and tasks that come with any position that do not necessarily get captured in a job description. SSG is a growing organization, and we aim to be as transparent as possible about the fluid nature of our roles, while also trying to work with employees to ensure that their work is aligned with their strengths, and vice-versa. Depending on the interests and skillset of the chosen individual, the job description may shift in a variety of directions. We encourage applicants to let us know where your strengths lie, so we are able to integrate them into the position as needed.
APPLICATION
If interested, please email your resume and responses to the questions below to the hiring team at work@ssg.coop no later than midnight Pacific Time on August 7, 2022.
Instead of a cover letter, please provide brief answers to the following questions (1 page max, please):
- How did you hear about this job opening?
- What are the top three things that interest you about this role and why?
- What are your top three attributes that make you a fit for this role?
- What’s something about yourself that you consider interesting (hobbies, favorite piece of art/literature/music, secret talent, etc.)?
Additionally, please submit a sample of a long form document design and sample infographic, in pdf format or as a link. The sample may be published or unpublished, a personal piece or professional work.
If you send multiple documents, please send them as a single file.
If you need application assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact work@ssg.coop.
Depending on the number of applicants, we may be able to contact only those candidates whom we wish to interview.