Temporary Social Designer

Forbes is an iconic global media brand that has symbolized success for over a century. Fueled by journalism that informs and inspires, Forbes spotlights the doers and doings shaping industries, achieving success and making an impact on the world. Forbes connects and convenes the most influential communities ranging from billionaires, business leaders and rising entrepreneurs to creators and innovators. The Forbes brand reaches more than 140 million people monthly worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature ForbesLive events and 49 licensed local editions in 81 countries.

The Forbes Editorial Art Team sits at the intersection of journalism and digital innovation, shaping the visual identity of success and influence that define the cultural conversation. From the split-second hook of a short-form social story to the prestige of our global franchises like 30 Under 30 and the Billionaires List, we turn data and reporting into compelling digital narratives. Our designers collaborate across the newsroom, product, and live event teams to tell holistic, platform-first stories that meet our audience exactly where they are. We are looking for a Social Designer with a visual journalism mindset, someone who can distill complex power dynamics and business trends into high-impact digital content. Reporting to the Design Director and embedded daily with the Social Strategy team, you will translate Forbes' deep-dive reporting into thumb-stopping visual narratives. The ideal candidate is a conceptual thinker who doesn't just follow trends but anticipates them, leveraging emerging AI tools and design best practices to keep the Forbes brand at the forefront of the feed.

Note: An online portfolio demonstrating a proven success in social-first storytelling is required for consideration.

Responsibilities

• Shortform Visual Content Creation: Design narrative-driven graphics, data visualizations and photo-centric stories for social-first features and Forbes major franchises (e.g., 30 Under 30).
• Animation and Motion Design: Transform static editorial assets into high-impact animations for social feeds, ranging from data visualizations and kinetic typography to list reveals and video covers.
• Platform Optimization: Translate long-form web content into platform-specific formats (Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), ensuring all assets meet technical specs, safe zones, and aspect ratio requirements.
• Iterative Design: Use social performance metrics and engagement data to refine visual formats and experiment with new storytelling techniques.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with design, photo, video, editorial and social strategy teams to ensure a "social-first" approach to editorial packages.
• AI & Tool Integration: Drive production efficiencies by integrating AI and specialized Figma plugins into your daily workflow to accelerate visual ideation and output.
• Brand Quality Control: Maintain rigorous alignment with Forbes' visual identity and brand guidelines across high-volume daily output.

• Experience: BA/BFA in Design with 2-4 years of digital design experience, preferably at a media or editorial publishing company.
• Social Expertise: Proven track record of designing successful social-first campaigns for editorial content. Deep understanding of social media trends and platform algorithms.
• Technical Skills: Fluent in Figma, Figma Buzz, Canva and Adobe Creative Suite including Adobe After Effects and Premiere. Comfortable utilizing third-party data visualization platforms such as Flourish, Infogram and Mapbox.
• AI Literacy: Comfortable using generative AI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney and Adobe Firefly, with the ability to proactively navigate new AI platforms as they emerge.
• Visual Storytelling: Advanced knowledge of editorial storytelling and a sophisticated sense of composition, typography and digital-first design.
• Soft Skills: Excellent organization with the ability to multitask in a fast-paced breaking news environment. This role requires daily communication and rapid response coordination to react effectively to the day's news cycle.
• Industry Knowledge: Passion for staying current on design trends and technology, sharing findings to facilitate new ways of problem-solving.
• Portfolio: A portfolio that demonstrates an eye for social-first storytelling, excellent taste and a keen sense of what performs well on different digital platforms.

3.83.8 out of 5 stars Jersey City, NJ Remote $25 - $45 an hour - Temporary