Principal Designer

DonorsChoose.org seeks a part-time or full-time Principal Designer to enhance the user experience of our unique web-based philanthropic marketplace and to develop creative for online marketing campaigns. This position will play a central role in influencing and presenting the visual identity of the organization and will report directly to the CTO and the VP of Consumer Marketing.

The successful candidate will collaborate with engineers and marketers to develop user-friendly, best-of-breed online experiences and campaigns that will help build the DonorsChoose.org brand and increase donation revenue. S/he has a solid understanding of user-centered design principles, an ability to develop compelling marketing creative, and proven success in designing for the web. S/he will be joining a nonprofit organization with deep private-sector management experience. The DonorsChoose.org team is young, committed, and passionate, and the work environment is informal, fast-paced, and fun.

About DonorsChoose.org
DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to fulfill needs and foster innovation in public schools. At this nonprofit website, public school teachers submit their best ideas for materials and experiences that their students need to learn—everything from a classroom library, to basketballs, to a field trip to the zoo. Any individual can search by areas of interest, learn about classroom needs, and fund the projects they find most compelling. All donors then hear back from the classrooms they chose to help.

Since its inception, citizen philanthropists from 50 states and 10 countries have funded more than 42,000 classroom projects at DonorsChoose.org, channeling over $18 million of resources to students in low-income communities. Recognition of DonorsChoose.org includes the Nonprofit Innovation Award given by Stanford Business School and Amazon.com; the Fast Company Social Capitalist Award; a Global Technology Laureate from the TECH Museum of Innovation; and selection by Ashoka. Major supporters include eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, Yahoo! co-founder David Filo, venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, and Netflix founder Reed Hastings.

Responsibilities:
• Design web-based experiences for donors, teachers and staff that are simple and intuitive
• Develop high level and/or detailed storyboards, mockups and prototypes to effectively communicate interaction and design ideas
• Design creative for online marketing campaigns, including homepage banners and emails
• Example projects: o Design for new web features, such as a shopping cart o Improving design of existing web features, such as site search and gift certificate redemption experience
• Estimate and deliver on rapid implementation schedules
• Maintain consistency and quality control of user experience and visual identity

Skills and attributes:
• 4+ years experience designing robust user experiences and marketing creative for commercial web sites and applications; experience with e-commerce and/or transactional websites preferred
• Excellent eye for clean layout and strategic use of typography and color
• Mastery of primary production tools (Illustrator, Photoshop, etc)
• Experience designing light-weight web pages that can be built mostly in HTML and CSS
• Strong sense of ownership throughout the web design life cycle, including testing and maintenance
• Superb self-management skills and ability to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with little supervision • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Passion for improving K-12 education and/or the DonorsChoose.org mission
• Extra credit for candidates with commercial experience in these areas: print graphic design and layout, illustration, information architecture, online advertising, HTML/CSS

Application Procedure
Please send a cover letter, resume, and link to your online portfolio via email to erica@donorschoose.org with “Principal Designer” in the subject line. Part-time basis is preferred initially, with opportunity to transition to full-time.

Due to the large number of people that apply, we will only be responding to those that we believe are most qualified. DonorsChoose.org is based in New York City. No relocation assistance. No phone calls or faxes please.

DonorsChoose.org is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.