Graphic Designer & Brand Specialist

Job Title: Graphic Designer & Brand Specialist – Full Time

Location: Hybrid

Hours: M-F 8am-5pm

Rate: $55,000 – 65,000 annually, based on experience

About the Role:

Food For Thought is looking for a creative Graphic Designer & Brand Specialist to help bring our brand to life across print, digital, social media, presentations, environmental graphics, and marketing campaigns. Working closely with our marketing, sales, culinary, and leadership teams, you'll transform ideas into compelling visual communications that support one of Chicago's leading hospitality companies.

This role requires strong design skills, proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, familiarity with AI creative tools, and the ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining a consistent brand identity.

Essential Duties:

• Design marketing materials. Create graphics for social media, email graphics and digital assets, product packaging, websites, and advertisements that align with brand identity.
• You’ll partner with Sales, Marketing, Executive Leadership, Culinary, Event Planning, Social Media, Business Development to bring ideas from concept through execution.
• Utilize graphic design software. Develop designs using tools like Adobe Creative Cloud including Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Canva, Figma, Firefly, and Acrobat.
• Incorporate typography and color theory. Use fonts, design principles, and color schemes to enhance the appeal of marketing materials.
• Maintain brand guidelines. Ensure consistency across all visual designs to build a strong brand identity.
• Develop visual concepts. Brainstorm and execute ideas that align with the company’s goals and target audience.
• Adapt designs for various mediums. Tailor visuals for digital platforms, print, and multimedia projects.
• Meet deadlines. Manage time effectively to deliver high-quality designs on schedule.
• Stay updated on design trends. Research industry trends to integrate modern and innovative styles into projects.

You’ll Be Working On:

• Museum branding
• Airline lounge presentations
• Environmental graphics
• Event branding
• Digital marketing campaigns
• Social media
• Food packaging
• Menus
• Sales presentations
• Website graphics
• Large-format displays
• Vehicle graphics
• Recruiting campaigns

Qualifications:

• Experience in marketing, brand knowledge, communication, and graphic design
• Comfortable incorporating AI creative tools such as ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, or similar platforms into the creative process. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Understanding of copywriting, graphic design and layout
• Ability to thrive and remain even-tempered when faced with a fast-paced environment.
• Team player, ready and willing to assist in departmental projects and emergencies.
• Ability to execute creative, tactical and strategic projects
• Balance of Creative + Analytical approach
• Portfolio demonstrating a range of print and digital work is required for consideration

Education and Experience Requirements:

• 2-5 years of marketing, graphic design, content creation or related experience
• Strong Portfolio
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Adobe Creative Cloud, Ai or LLM Platform, Figma

Why We’re the Leaders:

• Excellent training

• Employee Referral bonuses
• Flexible scheduling
• Career advancement opportunities
• Competitive Pay
• Anniversary Milestone Incentives

Company Values and Culture:

Food For Thought is one of Chicago's leading hospitality companies, serving Fortune 500 companies, museums, cultural institutions, corporate campuses, airports, and special events throughout the country. Every week brings new creative opportunities and new brands to help build.

• Collaborative and Open Communication
• Diverse, Inclusive, Safe and Motivating
• Our Triple Bottom Line – People, Product and Planet
• A Net Positive Organization

Benefits:

• Medical, Dental & Vision

• 401(k)

• PTO

• Wellness Program

• Pet Insurance

• Professional Development

• Employee Referral Program

• Career Growth

Join a team where creativity influences real guest experiences.

At Food For Thought, your work won't sit in a folder—it will be seen by millions of guests across museums, corporate campuses, airports, and events throughout the country.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functons.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift and carry items of 50+ pounds for a moderate distance.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is almost always exposed to outside weather conditions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is continuously exposed to heavy equipment such as delivery vehicles or fork trucks.

EEO Statement

Food For Thought provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

E-Verify Participation

Food For Thought participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.

Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

For more information on E-Verify, or if you believe that your employer has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact DHS.