Designer

About Athena

Athena is a creative place for leaders, risk-takers, and boundary-pushers. We partner with organizations looking to transform their presence, reputation, and performance. For more than a decade, we’ve delivered business insights, marketing strategies, and brand activations for leading organizations across industries ranging from telecommunications to major league sports. 

Our people make Athena, Athena. As a three-time Philadelphia Inquirer Top Workplace, we pride ourselves on fostering an environment where passion meets excellence. We are solutions‑oriented, collaborative, and not afraid to roll up our sleeves to make work that works—while sharing a few laughs along the way. 

About the Position 

We’re looking for an entry-level Designer who is excited to build their craft, contribute ideas, and create thoughtful work across a wide range of brands and projects.

In this role, you’ll collaborate with designers, art directors, writers, strategists, and project teams to bring creative concepts to life across print, digital, social, web, presentations, environmental graphics, and other emerging channels.

The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in design and a portfolio that demonstrates an understanding of typography, layout, composition, color, and visual hierarchy. You should be curious, detail-oriented, open to feedback, and eager to learn how ideas develop from an initial concept into polished, production-ready creative.

Requirements

What you’ll be responsible for: 

• Designing thoughtful, engaging creative across print, digital, social, web, presentations, and other brand touchpoints.
• Supporting the development of concepts, layouts, visual systems, and campaign ideas.
• Exploring multiple design directions and translating feedback into stronger creative solutions.
• Applying brand guidelines consistently while finding opportunities to keep the work fresh and engaging.
• Creating and adapting layouts across different formats, dimensions, and channels.
• Selecting and working with typography, color, photography, illustration, and other visual elements.
• Preparing organized, accurate, and production-ready design files.
• Collaborating with designers, art directors, writers, strategists, account teams, and project managers.
• Participating in creative reviews, presenting your thinking, and responding thoughtfully to feedback.
• Reviewing your work for accuracy, consistency, accessibility, and overall design quality.
• Managing files, versions, naming conventions, and project assets in an organized way.
• Balancing multiple assignments and deadlines in a fast-paced creative environment.
• Staying curious about design, culture, technology, and emerging creative tools.

The Skills and Experience You Should Have

• A degree in graphic design, visual communication, or a related field, or equivalent portfolio experience.
• A portfolio demonstrating a strong foundation in typography, layout, composition, color, and visual hierarchy.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
• Familiarity with Figma or other collaborative design tools.
• An understanding of how design translates across print and digital formats.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing polished, accurate work.
• An openness to feedback and the ability to apply it constructively.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
• The ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines.
• Curiosity, initiative, and a genuine interest in developing as a designer.
• An understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles, including readability, color contrast, and clear visual hierarchy.

It's a Plus If You Have

• Experience with motion graphics, video, animation, or basic editing tools.
• Experience preparing files for print or collaborating with printers and production partners.
• Interest in photography, illustration, image-making, or art direction.
• Familiarity with AI-powered creative tools and an interest in exploring new design workflows.
• Energy, a sense of humor, and an open and curious mind.

Benefits

·       Medical/Dental benefits including a 1K Health Reimbursement Account

·       Matching 401K

·       Generous PTO policy

·       Substantial Parental Leave Policy

·       Hybrid Work Environment

Curious about your career path at Athena? This role is at the Analyst level within Athena’s career path structure. This team has the following levels of progression for growth and development.  

Analyst --> Sr. Analyst --> Manager --> Sr. Manager --> Director --> Sr. Director --> Executive Director  

Equal Opportunity Employer

Athena is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law