Assistant Director, Creative Services

Summary of Position:

The Assistant Director, Creative Services supports the Communications Director and Executive of Community Impact with leading visual design, brand management, and creative strategy across print, digital, and web platforms to ensure all communications align with the organization’s vision, mission, and strategic goals.

Background on FIRST 5:

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County (FIRST 5) was formed when California voters approved Proposition 10 in November 1998. FIRST 5 is a public entity governed by a nine-member Commission. FIRST 5 Santa Clara County supports the healthy development of children prenatal through age 5 and enriches the lives of their families. FIRST 5 allocate funds to promote, support, and improve early childhood development for children prenatal through age 5 and their families. Potential applicants are encouraged to visit FIRST 5’s website at www.first5kids.org to better understand FIRST 5’s programs and services.

FIRST 5 is a local governmental entity with 50 employees.

Key Responsibilities

· Provide graphic design oversight and lead the creation of visual content across print and digital platforms.

· Support web design and content updates, ensuring visual consistency, accessibility, and user-friendly layout.

· Coordinate with the Director of Strategic Communications to ensure visual messaging

aligns with the agency’s strategic priorities.

· Produce visuals and creative support materials for campaigns, presentations, reports, events, and outreach.

· Maintain and enforce visual brand standards, templates, and usage guidelines across all departments and platforms.

· Collaborate with internal teams to develop materials that support programming, community engagement, and partner communications.

· Design and order organizational swag (e.g., apparel, event materials, promotional items), ensuring alignment with brand identity and managing production timelines and vendor relationships.

· Lead and promote the Potter the Otter brand, including:

§ Book and collateral development, updates, and reprints

§ Managing inventory and coordinating distribution of books and materials

§ Overseeing design and production of new Potter-branded educational and promotional items

§ Supporting and maintaining brand partnerships

§ Supporting sales and marketing strategy related to Potter merchandise

§ Maintain organized systems for managing creative assets, collateral inventory, and distribution logistics.

· Collaborate on the development of branded materials for all campaigns and communications

· Oversee design consistency across all media (print, digital, events, merchandise, etc.).

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

General Knowledge of and desire to grow in:

· Strong creative direction and graphic design skills.

· Brand management and storytelling through visuals.

· Project management across design, merchandising, and product distribution.

· Experience with children's branding or literacy/health education content is a plus.

· Ability to manage vendors and oversee product deliverables (books, promotional items, digital assets).

· Marketing campaign planning, development, implementation, and evaluation

· Project management

· Racial equity, inclusion, and needs of diverse ethnic, social and economic communities

· Effective teamwork and collaboration

· Computer programs (e.g., Word, Outlook, Power Point, Excel, MailChimp, etc.)

Ability to:

· Maintain standards of confidentiality and a strong commitment to ethical practice.

· Demonstrate professionalism in work practices

· Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask and prioritize projects while working on a deadline or in a fast-paced environment

· Maintain positive work relationships in a respectful and collaborative manner.

· Maintain good communication with others ensuring others have necessary information.

· Actively work towards organizational improvement and professional growth.

· Manage priorities and projects in a fast-paced environment with excellent attention to detail and accuracy

· Strong interpersonal and communication (verbal & written) skills: the ability to interact effectively and sensitively with people of diverse professional and cultural backgrounds.

· Speak and present effectively in public settings

· Prepare and review reports

· Establish and maintain organization’s objectives, priorities and policies

Educational and Work Experience Requirements

· Bachelor’s Degree in communications, design, or marketing, OR a minimum of 3 years

of communications, design, or marketing experience.

· Experience in the public/nonprofit/government sector a plus

· Bilingual a plus (Spanish, Vietnamese)