Desktop Publisher (Consultant)

The Manhattan Strategy Group LLC (MSG) in Bethesda, MD is seeking a desktop publisher with an accomplished portfolio and extensive experience in designing and producing technical paper, presentation, and other templates (using color, font, and styles) to be used for government clients and internal proposals. The desktop publisher will also be involved in proposal and report development to make documents more informative and visually appealing.

The successful candidate will create visually appealing and technically correct documents from rough conceptual sketches and convert complex technical ideas and abstracts into compelling graphics. The candidate should be able to clearly communicate ideas visually, verbally, and in writing. The individual will work with a team of stakeholders, copywriters, creative strategists, media experts, designers, consultants, communications experts, and web developers to ensure projects run smoothly and are accurate and complete in a fast-paced environment under tight deadlines, to ensure that production and delivery are accomplished in a timely fashion.

Job Responsibilities/Duties

• Develop and utilize Microsoft styles and themes for efficient, consistent deliverables that adhere to existing style guidelines and ensure brand consistency.
• Troubleshoot and implement changes to evolving document templates to correct errors, improve functionality, and apply revisions, with an eye for compliance with brand and style requirements.
• Format and combine text, numerical data, photographs, charts, and other visual graphic elements to produce publication-ready digital and print-ready material.
• Create proposal/report document layouts utilizing master templates and styles that comply with federal/client requirements and guidelines.
• Assist proposal/report managers with producing professional-quality, compliant, and visually appealing documents and materials.
• Update and swap text content or images as needed; proofread, edit, and occasionally rework submitted content, adhering to existing brand and proposal/report style guidelines.
• Resize images and apply filters to create engaging graphics for print, social media, and web collateral as needed, aligned with campaigns and cross-channel messaging.
• Ensure that pagination, headers and footers, tables, graphics, etc. are correct and compliant in Word and PowerPoint.
• Perform iterative desktop publishing tasks through multiple rounds of review cycles using appropriate version control of documents and materials, as well as for final delivery.
• Provide all original design files (not just final art) for future revision as needed.
• Use Section 508-compliant design principles.
• Stay current with design trends, technology, and digital file preparation.
• Work with minimal supervision and be detail-oriented.

Qualifications

• Must be proficient-to-expert in Microsoft Office, esp. Word and PowerPoint
• Knowledge of Adobe Suite products is desirable
• Section 508 Compliance knowledge/experience is desirable
• Must have an online portfolio or ability to send work examples
• Must be able to meet strict deadlines and manage workload
• Minimum 3 years of experience
• Experience with government contracts, a plus
• Excellent analytic thinking and creative problem-solving skills for visual information design
• Ability to work extended hours (nights and weekends) when needed