Position summary:
Sojourners seeks a dynamic art director to lead the visual presentation of our award-winning print magazine as well as other editorial and non-editorial content.
Our ideal candidate will be experienced in publication design; skilled at working with both artists and editors; and comfortable managing many projects, details, and deadlines without any dropped balls—a formidable mix of creativity and logistics. We’re looking for someone enthusiastic about the boldness of Sojourners’ editorial mission and whose commitment to faith and justice is evident in the variety of artists and styles they employ, as well as the way they use design to communicate sensitive and complex topics. Being a kind person with a great sense of humor doesn’t hurt, either.
About Sojourners:
Since 1971, Sojourners has articulated the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and faith-rooted action. Our award-winning coverage of religion, politics, and social justice includes daily news and commentary on sojo.net, 10 annual issues of Sojourners magazine, and multimedia coverage. We publish essays, op-eds, original reporting, analysis, and reviews that inspire people of faith to take action for justice and peace. We’ve earned awards from Religion News Association, Associated Church Press, the American Academy of Religion, and the Society of Publication Designers.
Editorial responsibilities:
- Design and layout 10 issues per year of Sojourners magazine (52 pages each), including commissioning original work from artists and photographers and finding high-quality stock images
- Design magazine covers from concept to execution in collaboration with the editorial team and commissioned artist/vendor
- Manage monthly art budget for magazine to ensure expenses per issue are maintained accurately within set limits. Additionally, oversee artist payments to ensure artists are paid promptly
- Broaden our directory of freelance artists and illustrators, with special effort toward including people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and those who are at different stages in their career; we want our artwork to be as diverse as our authors and the topics we cover
- Participate in magazine team meetings and planning sessions with editorial staff to maintain workflow and production
- Coordinate the production process for each magazine issue, including two rounds of proofing and three rounds of corrections, checking that all edits are implemented
- Oversee advertisement layout and placement, working with marketing team on house ads and paid ads
- Convert final magazine article files to .rtf (rich text format) and organize photos for online publication
- Archive magazine issue files to cloud-based server and maintain file organization for future use
Other responsibilities:
- Design and layout non-magazine materials as needed
- Work alongside Senior Director of Marketing, Multimedia Graphic Designer, and other staff to oversee the organizational branding guide
- Oversee contracted photographers/videographers for Sojourners promotional material
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Applicants based in D.C. are a plus, but remote applicants are welcome provided they are willing to travel to the D.C. office 2-3 times per year
- Ideally 3-5 years of publication design experience or equivalent; experience in nonprofit journalism a plus
- A strong portfolio showcasing magazine or publication design
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator
- Experience commissioning illustrators/photographers and managing budgets
- Proven ability to translate complex topics into creative designs
- Familiarity preparing files for print and digital publication
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines
- Excellent collaboration skills and proven success at managing both people and projects
- Nuanced understanding of Christian faith and diverse movements for racial and social justice
- Desire to work in a Christian workplace that strives to continually deepen its commitments to faith and social justice
To Apply:
Please send a cover letter, resume, portfolio, and three professional reference contacts to jobs@sojo.net or Art Director search, Sojourners, 408 C St. NE, Washington, DC 20002. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Sojourners is an equal opportunity employer that continually seeks to diversify its staff and create an inclusive and equitable culture.
Starting annual salary for this position is $65,000-70,000, based on experience. Excellent benefits package includes fully paid health insurance, 20 days paid vacation, 12 days paid sick leave, 12 paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, and a positive, faith-based work environment.