Tauranga City Council Position Description
Position Title:
Graphic Designer
Position Number:
Group:
Chief Executive
Division:
Responsible To:
Manager: Communication
Responsible For:
No direct reports
Position Status:
Permanent, Full Time
Date:
April 2015
Position Purpose:
This position exists to:
To provide Tauranga City Council with brand management advice and high quality,
timely graphic design services to help build trust and confidence with the
communities we serve through high value communications
Delegated
Authority:
Communication
Refer to Council Delegation Manual
Organisation Context:
Chief Executive
General Manager: Strategy
Manager: Communication
Communication Advisor
Group Communication
Advisor
Graphic Designer
Functional Relationships:
External
Internal
External Committees and Groups

CCO’s

Communication Team

Marketing and
advertising suppliers

Business Unit
Stakeholders

Other agencies as required

TCC staff
.
Key Result Areas:
Success looks like….
What I am supposed to do
1. Graphic Design
By using intermediate ability in visual design:
 Interpreting client briefs to generate and
present visual design solutions in an
efficient and timely manner
 Apply graphic design solutions to briefs
by working with clients using a
consultative approach to aid in achieving
communication goals
 Negotiate client requirements around
production capabilities to ensure high
levels of service delivery and customer
satisfaction.
 Manage the design process required to
deliver on such goals so that client
deadlines, brand and quality standards
are met
 Evaluate completed design projects with
clients against measurements for
success.
 Quality control of design, layout and
creative to ensure that Council design
and brand standards are met.
 Ensure the Council’s Corporate ID is
always used correctly.
 Liaise with outside suppliers of graphic
design services when required,
monitoring quality, publication standards,
price and time standards ensuring clients
work is produced correctly and on time.
 Ensure that all jobs are completed to
budget and all transactions are processed
in an accurate and timely manner.
 Complete backup/administration/
workflow tasks as required.
 Proactively work to identify opportunities
for improving the overall quality and
consistency in Tauranga City Council
publications.

Projects are delivered on time and to budget.

Designers and Print team are well brief and working
seamlessly.

Time management and deadlines are consistently met.

Customers are informed about their projects,
expectations are ideally exceeded and they have
campaigns/projects successfully delivered from a
Creative Services perspective.

The team is focused on tasks; understand their
workload and stress levels are well managed.

Work is on-brand.

Billing and or re-charging if required is well managed
and transparent.
2. Relationship Management

Build and support positive relationships
with strategic customers, identifying the
needs of relevant parties and maintaining
effective liaison to meet those needs.

Keep manager informed re workflow
issues and abreast of any concerns.

Communicate any issues to manager

Demonstrate a high degree of verbal,
written and interpersonal skills to
communicate with clients, team members
and suppliers.

Take initiative where appropriate to solve
problems and generate creative
solutions.

Demonstrate team work and cooperation, and a genuine desire to work
co-operatively with others as part of a
team.

The ability to ascertain and meet
customer’s needs is a key focus of the
role.

The experience from communications to creative
services and web is seamless and integrated.

Keep informed of new developments that would
improve effectiveness and time management within the
team.

Minimise any bottle-necks in the creative services
process.

Positive feedback from people that work with us.

New improvements introduced as required

Health, Safety and Wellness initiatives are supported
and actioned as part of standard work practices.

Code of Conduct, Corporate Policies, Processes,
Systems and Business Conventions are used when
undertaking this position.

Council policies are followed.

You actively participate in training initiatives.

Our Sustainable Steps corporate sustainability strategy
is applied to your work practices.

Legislative obligations are followed.

You actively participate when TCC needs to activate its
Emergency Management plans.

You openly take on other duties as reasonably
requested of you
3. Technology
• Keep informed of technology
advancements in all areas of visual
communication industries, particularly
graphic design and web-based
information distribution, and advise the
Council on future developments.
4. Key Corporate Responsibilities

Actively participates in complies with all
Health, Safety & Wellness initiatives and
requirements.

Uses Code of Conduct, Corporate
policies,
Procedures,
processes,
Systems and Business Conventions
when undertaking roles

Adheres to Council policies

Staff are supported to actively identify
and participate in training initiatives to
develop themselves and their role
specific skills

Actively
supports
our
corporate
sustainability strategy, Sustainable Steps

Supports and participates in all relevant
legislation and undertakes obligations.
Person Specifications:
Qualifications
Essential:

Desirable:
Relevant tertiary qualification in visual
communication/graphic design, and/or
relevant work experience.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
Desirable:

Brand management

Design and print production processes

Adobe suite of graphic design software

Both Macintosh and PC platforms

Working to tight deadlines and budgets

Communication and interpersonal skills

A creative portfolio showing flexibility of style
and skill able to apply graphic design
principles to a variety of work

Three plus years’ experience in the visual
communication industry

Brand and quality control experience
Key Behaviours
Tauranga City Council’s key behaviours are:

TCC People: A person who is fully effective is friendly and professional. They recognise each other’s
contributions, are open and honest, while being respectful, and know how and when to have fun.

People First: A person who is fully effective would provide outstanding service (internal and external)
every time by consistently meeting expectations for customer service delivery, regularly engaging with
customers to ensure that we are meeting their needs, maintaining a focus on ensuring business
processes are designed to improve efficiencies and ensuring they have the knowledge and ability to
provide good customer service.

Working together: A person who is fully effective would work together with others to make a
difference, by delivering on their commitments, sharing the load, showing initiative, acknowledging the
roles and responsibilities of others, and celebrating achievements.

Effective Communication: A person who is fully effective would use appropriate communication
actions for their audience/s, always act in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner, is careful about
the use of jargon and technical terms, use approved methods for the message and the audience,
actively listen, receive feedback and check for understanding.

Personal Effectiveness: A person, who is fully effective gets things done and makes things happen
by helping out, has a high standard of work, puts forward ideas, knowing where they fit in, recognises
work well done and learns from their mistakes.
Job Specific Competencies required for this role:
• Communication: A person who is fully effective has well develop skills in delivering messages
effectively (and using effective means) to individuals or groups so that they are clearly understood and
accepted. Includes writing, speaking and listening skills.
• Relationship management: A person who is fully effective has well developed skills for interacting
with your team, other staff, members of the public, communities and other contacts in a way that
inspires confidence and builds productive relationships.
• Solution focussed: A person who is fully effective thinks beyond constraints and focusing on what is
possible to ensure proposals are results oriented and practical.
• Planning and organising for results: A person who is fully effective will organise your own work, or
project resources to achieve outputs.
• Problem solving: A person who is fully effective will analyse a situation or problem to make sound
decisions based on consultation and knowledge. Where appropriate, escalates decisions to higher
levels
• Personal skills: A person who is fully effective will have the;
o
o
o
o
o
Operational Ability – With a focus on value for ratepayers you will get things done and
eliminate roadblocks. You will create strong teams of empowered people who understand
organisational processes and always look for opportunities for improvement. You will be
motivated to demonstrate energy and drive for yourself and others to achieve results.
Energy & Drive - You will be motivated to demonstrate energy and drive for yourself and
others to achieve results.
Professionalism – You will promote and behaving in ways that support the culture and
values of the Council. You learn from mistakes and strive for personal development.
Politically Astute – To be effective you will understand the political context in which the
Council operates and be sensitive to political processes.
Customer Service – You will provide customer service accepting the customers problem
is our problem
• Concern for Quality: A person who is fully effective implements and monitors the standards for quality
within their area of responsibility, ensures we operate in an ethical manner, incorporates quality
measures into operational thinking and recommends further enhancements to quality measures. They
oversee activity area operations to ensure attention is given to detail and will deliver a high quality, right
first time, service.