Communications Design Associate

Status: Full time

Location: St. Paul, MN, Hybrid

Mission and Vision: The mission of Wallin Education Partners is to enable college and career success for high-potential Minnesota students with financial need through scholarships, comprehensive advising support. Our vision is to create a diverse, ever-expanding community of scholars and educated citizens with the skills, leadership, and dedication needed to build a stronger tomorrow.

Organization: Wallin Education Partners is a proven college completion program that includes financial aid and comprehensive support for students from low-income backgrounds. With a 91% six-year graduation rate compared to 64% nationally, Wallin Education Partners is one of the most effective college completion programs in the country. Wallin’s model of financial aid and comprehensive individual advising accelerates economic mobility and fundamentally increases the odds of graduation and employment for underrepresented students. Since 1992, Wallin Education Partners has helped increase access to college and degree completion for lower income students by partnering with high schools, donors, community organizations, and civic leaders to support more than 5,000 students on their college journeys.

Primary Responsibilities: The Communications Design Associate supports the strategic communications goals of Wallin Education Partners by developing and producing visual content that engages key audiences and strengthens the organization’s brand. Reporting to the Director of Communications, this role contributes to the design and delivery of digital and print materials, including social media content, email graphics, website assets, annual reports, yearbooks, and campaign collateral.

Creative Design & Visual Storytelling

• Design compelling print and digital materials including flyers, brochures, one-pagers, social media graphics, and large-format signage tailored for scholars, donors, and institutional partners.
• Create branded informational snapshots for partners, funders, and community stakeholders.
• Produce donor-centered documents that require strong attention to detail, including, but not limited to, the annual report, mid-year report, scholar yearbooks, and fundraising campaign materials.
• Lead and produce creative scholar-centered event identities by designing signage, programs, and visual displays.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to produce video and multimedia content for social media, events, and fundraising campaigns.

Digital Communications Management

• Design and size social media graphics (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook) to align with Wallin’s visual brand and accessibility standards.
• Write clear, engaging social media copy that supports brand voice and campaign goals.
• Schedule and publish content using Later.com, maintaining consistent cadence, tagging, and content mix.
• Design and build email campaigns in Constant Contact, integrating visuals, links, and copy for maximum readability and engagement.
• Perform regular updates to the organization’s website using the CMS, ensuring content accuracy, visual cohesion, and ADA compliance.

Multimedia Production & Project Coordination

• Maintain and organize brand-aligned design templates and media assets for consistent use across departments.
• Manage print production processes and coordinate with vendors to ensure timely, high-quality outcomes.
• Coordinate with external vendors—including print houses, freelance designers, and creative partners—to manage timelines, deliverables, and quality standards.
• Support creative planning through both independent initiative and collaboration in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Brand Stewardship & Communications Advocacy

• Uphold brand integrity by ensuring all communications materials reflect Wallin’s visual identity, voice, and positioning consistently across all platforms.
• Represent the communications function in cross-departmental meetings, advocate for team priorities, and share regular project updates with the Director of Communications to maintain alignment and workflow continuity.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communications, marketing, or a related field required.
• Two or more years of experience in graphic design, communications, or related fields required.
• Valid driver’s license and access to reliable form of transportation.
• Communicates clearly and effectively both orally and in writing to various internal and external audiences
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Lightroom.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating design expertise and creative problem-solving abilities.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Strong aesthetic sensibility with attention to detail and the ability to produce compelling, high-quality materials.
• Skilled in maintaining brand consistency across print, digital, social media, and web platforms.
• Experienced in crafting content for emails, newsletters, social media posts, and other formats.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills to meet deadlines effectively.
• Familiarity with website builders like Wordpress, Squarespace, Weebly, and CSS/HTML.
• Experience with web design and UX/UI basics.
• Photography and/or videography skills, including shooting and editing (e.g., iMovie, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro).

Compensation: $24-$28/hour

Additional Info: For further information on Wallin, please visit www.wallinpartners.org.

How to Apply: If interested, please email a cover letter, resume, and a portfolio including both writing and design samples to Caitlin Cardinal at hr@wallinpartners.org, and include “Communications Design Associate” in the subject line; or mail to: Wallin Education Partners, 451 Lexington Parkway North, Suite 100, Saint Paul, MN 55104

Wallin Education Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Wallin Education Partners provides equal opportunity to all applicants for employment in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and will not refuse to hire any qualified individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual by reason of an individual’s race (including hair texture and hairstyles), color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer related or HIV/AIDS related), genetic information, or sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.