Contract Designer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Who we are:

ICMA is a mission-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing professional local government. Founded in 1914, ICMA is the leading professional association for local government leaders, managers, staff, and stakeholders – serving more than 14,000 members across the globe. As a membership association, we equip professionals with the research, knowledge, and tools needed to create and sustain thriving communities.

By advancing professional local government, we help communities deliver better services, engage residents, enable economic development, strengthen leadership, uphold ethics, and provide forward-thinking management.

We ensure a diverse and inclusive workplace by welcoming people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives and by learning from each other, individually and collectively.

A Great Opportunity:

ICMA is seeking a creative and detail-oriented Contract Graphic Designer to support the development of visual communications across conferences, publications, educational resources, marketing campaigns, and organizational initiatives.

This role is for a senior-level designer with 5 - 8 years of professional experience who enjoys variety, thrives in a collaborative environment, and is passionate about creating thoughtful, brand-driven design solutions.

Working closely with the Design Manager, project managers, marketers, and stakeholders across the organization, you will help shape visual experiences that connect with local government professionals and support ICMA's mission.

In addition to contributing to meaningful work, this role offers a unique opportunity to build an exceptionally diverse portfolio. Designers will have the chance to create conference branding systems, environmental graphics, publications, marketing campaigns, resource guides, presentations, infographics, and digital assets - all within a single role.

This role will be classified as an independent contractor. The contract will remain in effect for one year, with the potential to transition to a full-time role in the future. The individual selected must be available 25 – 35 hours per week. The hours and workload may vary based on organizational needs. The selected candidate must have some availability during ICMA's core hours, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am ET – 5:00 pm ET. The pay is commensurate with experience and ranges from $30 - $37 per hour.

Interested applicants should include a resume and portfolio showcasing relevant professional work in:

• Branding and identity design
• Publication and editorial design
• Marketing campaigns
• Conference or event-related design
• Print and digital communications

*If your portfolio is password protected, please include the password in your application.

What You'll Do:

• Collaborate with marketing teams, project managers, copywriters, and stakeholders to develop effective visual communications.
• Translate project briefs into compelling visual concepts and polished creative assets.
• Design and produce a wide range of print and digital materials aligned with ICMA brand standards.
• Support the development and execution of branding for conferences, educational programs, campaigns, and organizational initiatives.
• Execute design projects from concept through final production.
• Create visual assets including:
  • Publications and resource guides
  • Conference branding systems
  • Event signage and environmental graphics

• Presentation templates and PowerPoint decks

• Infographics and illustrations

• Email and marketing graphics
• Social media assets
• Booth graphics, banners, and promotional materials
• Digital advertising and web-ready imagery
• Maintain consistency across visual touchpoints and brand experiences.
• Participate in creative reviews and incorporate feedback thoughtfully.
• Explain design rationale and help stakeholders understand design decisions when appropriate.
• Provide project updates and participate in recurring check-ins with the Design Manager.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Five to eight years of professional graphic design experience in an agency, in-house, freelance, or contract environment.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating:

• Brand identity design and application
• Publication and editorial design
• Marketing and campaign design
• Typography and layout systems
• Event and conference-related creative work
• Print and digital communications
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, including:
• InDesign
• Illustrator
• Photoshop
• Working proficiency in:
• Canva
• Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint
• SharePoint, Dropbox, or similar file management systems
• Experience preparing files for print and digital production.
• Strong understanding of:
• Graphic design principles
• Typography and information hierarchy
• Visual storytelling
• Brand identity systems
• Design trends that balance innovation with long-term effectiveness
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting conferences, events, and environmental graphics.
• Experience working with associations, nonprofits, or mission-driven organizations.
• Familiarity with social media campaign design.
• Experience designing presentations, reports, and educational resources.
• Basic understanding of motion graphics, video editing, or Adobe After Effects.
• Familiarity with accessibility considerations in visual communications.
• Understanding of how AI can be used responsibly as part of the creative process and design toolkit.

A high-speed Internet connection is required. Contract personnel must provide their own Internet service and use their own personal computer, telephone, printer, and other technology at their own expense. The internet connection must be of sufficient bandwidth to allow the individual to perform the job functions.