Graphic Designer (Full-Time) A7D Creative Group San Diego, CA Job Details Full-time From $46,800 a year 16 hours ago Benefits Paid holidays Paid time off Flexible schedule Qualifications Photography Marketing design Teamwork Collaboration Event visual design Adobe Illustrator Adobe Creative Suite Graphic design Canva Presentation creation Professional art or design Leadership Art direction Full Job Description A Letter to the Next Graphic Designer at A7D Creative Group Dear Future A7D Designer, If you're reading this, you're probably looking for more than another graphic design job. And I'm looking for more than someone to fill a position. I'm looking for the next designer at A7D Creative Group someone who wants to grow, learn, contribute, lead, and be part of what we're building. A7D is my small business. I'm a self-taught designer, Creative Director, CEO, and small business owner. I've spent more than two decades building this agency around something I genuinely believe in: great creative work can make businesses stronger, communities more connected, and ideas more meaningful. Since 2004, we've worked with restaurants, hospitality brands, nonprofits, communities, tourism organizations, beverage companies, retailers, and large-scale events. And we're entering an important growth phase over the next two years. That means there is an opportunity here. A big one. This is not a job where you just design. I want you to learn how to think beyond the art board. You'll learn how design connects to marketing, communications, strategy, business, and relationships. You'll learn how to take an idea and build it into an entire campaign. You might start the day designing a restaurant menu, spend the afternoon in a client meeting, and end the day working on environmental graphics for a festival. You may help style a photoshoot. You may help build a website. You may attend a client event and see something you designed come to life. You may sit across from a business owner and present your creative thinking. You may lead the creative direction and support the marketing for an event developing the print, digital, social media, signage, environmental graphics, and interactive elements that make the experience feel like one complete brand. The work moves. And so will you. I want you to show up in spaces you didn't expect. I want you in client meetings. I want you presenting your ideas. I want you asking questions. I want you to learn how businesses work. I want you to understand why a client needs something, not just what they asked you to make. And I want you to become comfortable saying: "I have another idea." Because that's where the really interesting work starts. A billboard, Instagram campaign, event poster, website, menu, mural, sponsorship deck, and environmental installation may all look completely different—but they should still feel like they belong to the same story. That is the kind of designer I'm looking for. You'll diversify your skills. At A7D, you won't be boxed into one type of design. You'll have opportunities to work across: Brand identity and visual systems Campaign development Print and publication design Social media and digital campaigns Packaging Websites and digital experiences Signage and environmental graphics Murals and large-format applications Event branding and activations Photography and photoshoot styling Print production and prepress Marketing communications Client presentations and relationships And increasingly, AI-assisted creative workflows. I want you to be curious about AI not because I want AI to replace good design, but because I want our team to understand how emerging tools can make us smarter, faster, more efficient, and more creative. The goal isn't to use AI because it's trendy.

The goal is to ask:

Can this help us communicate better? Can it improve our workflow? Can it give us more time to think? You will learn client relationships. One of the most valuable things you can learn as a designer is how to communicate your work. You won't simply hand over a file. You'll learn how to sit with a client, explain your thinking, listen to feedback, ask better questions, and understand that sometimes the best creative solution isn't the first one you imagined. You'll learn that design is both creative and collaborative. And you'll learn that relationships matter. You'll see your work in the real world. One of the best parts of working at a small agency is watching something you designed leave the computer. A poster goes up. A menu lands on a table. A mural becomes a backdrop. A campaign launches. A festival opens. A website goes live. People interact with something you helped create. You may attend client events and off-site activations to support the marketing team and experience the work firsthand. Sometimes that means an evening or weekend event. And honestly, I think that's part of the fun. Because there is something very different about seeing a piece of design working in the wild. We are a small agency. That matters. You'll know the people you're working with. You'll know the clients. You'll understand the business. Your ideas can actually influence what we do. That also means everyone has to contribute. There will be days when you are doing something you didn't expect to be doing. You might help solve a production problem. You might jump into a photoshoot. You might help prepare for an event. You might need to rethink a concept quickly. You might have three projects moving at once. That is small-agency life. It can be challenging. It can also be incredibly rewarding. We intentionally work six-hour days. The position is Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM, 30 hours per week. I believe good work comes from good people who also have a life outside of work. But agency work has seasons. When we're deep into an event, campaign launch, or major project, the workflow flexes to accommodate what the work needs. I value people who understand the difference between working hard and simply being busy. I want us to do great work and enjoy all the beauty San Diego has to offer. What I'm Looking For You should have 3+ years of professional graphic design experience , ideally in an agency, hospitality, publishing, events, or similarly fast-moving environment.

You should be confident in:

Adobe InDesign Illustrator Photoshop Canva - Yes, Canva Typography Layout and composition Publication/editorial design Print production and prepress Managing multiple projects and deadlines Organizing your files so someone else can actually find them You should have a portfolio that demonstrates how you think , not simply how well you can execute a template. Experience with motion, video, animation, websites, photography, or AI-assisted creative workflows is a plus. Most Importantly, I Want a Thinker. Someone who notices things. Someone who is curious. Someone who wants to understand why. Someone who isn't afraid to speak up. Someone who can take feedback without losing their point of view. Someone who can look at a project and ask: "Is there a better idea?" Someone who wants to grow beyond being a graphic designer and become a creative communicator. Because great design isn't simply about making something look good. It's about making someone feel something, understand something, remember something, or do something. Why A7D? Because we're building something. Over the next two years, A7D is entering a growth phase and I want the people joining us now to grow with us. You'll have the opportunity to work with different industries, different personalities, different communities, and different kinds of creative challenges. You'll learn design. You'll learn marketing. You'll learn communications. You'll learn client relationships. You'll learn production. You'll learn business. And hopefully, you'll become better creative because of all of it. I don't expect you to walk through the door knowing everything. I expect you to walk through the door ready and excited to dive into client work. This is my small business. I care deeply about the work we produce, the clients we serve, and the people who help build A7D. I'm looking for someone who wants to support the work of a small agency, make a difference through the work we do for our nonprofit and community clients, and help us grow with the businesses, venues, organizations, and people who believe in the creative vision, work, and ideals of A7D Creative Group. I'm not looking to fill a seat. I'm looking for a teammate. Someone who wants to be part of the next chapter. Maybe that's you. Anna Hopkins Co-Founder + Creative Director A7D Creative Group Inc. North Park, San Diego The Details $46,800 annual base pay

•based on 30 hour work week 30 hours/weekMonday-Friday | 10:00 AM-4:00 PMIn-office | North Park, San Diego, CA 92104 Benefits include: 40 hours of accrued PTO 40 hours of holiday pay Flexible schedule during holidays Health care benefits, % shared costs How to Apply Send us your resume and portfolio link.

Your portfolio should include:

At least one multi-page publication At least one campaign shown across multiple formats A brief explanation of what you were solving for on one project

Note:

Your portfolio is the first thing we'll look at! Looking forward to meeting you.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

From $46,800.00 per year

Benefits:

Flexible schedule Paid time off

Experience:

Graphic design: 3 years (Required)

Adobe Creative Suite:

3 years (Required)

Adobe Illustrator:

3 years (Required)

Work Location:

In person