Description

Why work for the Society?
At WSHS, you will join a team of talented and committed professionals who work on projects that are incredibly rewarding and invigorating. You will work collaboratively with WSHS staff across departments and support the WSHS mission through your efforts. PLUS, working for the State of Washington provides for many great benefits.

• Ability to contribute to community conversations and engage in creative pursuits
• Work/life balance
• Exposure to a diverse array of programs, traveling exhibitions, and cultural experiences
• Workplace in the museum district of downtown Tacoma
• Free parking (to include personal weekend fun)

A little about us:
Founded in 1891 and now into its second century of service, the WSHS is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and vividly presenting Washington's diverse and storied history. Our work illuminates the past, enlightens the present, and informs the future.

Our mission is to partner with our communities to explore how history connects us all. Our vision is to be the recognized destination for Washington State history. We achieve this by serving as our state's primary history educator, making history relevant to our modern lives, and supporting civic dialogue where all are welcome.

The Society serves individuals and organizations statewide through publications, outreach programs, curriculum, free virtual public programs, and other online services. However, the majority of the Society's interactions with the public occur at the Washington State History Museum, located in Tacoma, Washington. The Museum traditionally serves more than 80,000 annually, including more than 15,000 K-12 school children visiting the museum on a field trip. We also welcome more than 10,000 visitors free of charge each year through a variety of access programs.

We are much more than a regional museum. We continually ask ourselves how we can better serve Washingtonians across our state. Our Heritage Capital Projects grant program distributes up to $10M per biennium to fund public heritage, history interpretation, and historic preservation projects across the state. Our popular public history magazine COLUMBIA is enjoyed by readers of all ages. And the Historical Society’s collections at our Research Center, along with a digital collections database, are a resource to scholars and researchers from across the nation.

The Washington State Historical Society is a dynamic place to work with a dedicated staff. We expand our impact by connecting with communities across the Evergreen State through exhibitions, heritage projects, workshops, public programs, publications, and conversations. Our goal is to bring history into focus in such a way that the participant cannot help but discover valuable insights from and feel deep connections with the people and events of the past.

We have an active commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility and are looking for team members who have a passion for professionalism and serving the public, and a desire to contribute to a positive work culture.

Duties

Some of what you will be doing includes:

• Work proactively with the COLUMBIA Editor and Marketing & Communications (MarCom) Director to design and produce the quarterly journal COLUMBIA and Explore It.
• In collaboration with the editor, identify and gather all the content elements for each issue of COLUMBIA.
  • Includes reading articles and researching to source relevant images from WSHS collections, other heritage org collections, Library of Congress and other no-cost image resources, and to obtain rights for use of images and purchase images as needed.
  • Coordinating with advertisers to obtain their ad copy; occasionally reaching out to authors for higher resolution images, headshots, bios.
• Lay out articles and advertisements. Work with editor to meet requirements.
• Maintain COLUMBIA style guide, update as needed.
• Manage production process with print vendor including scheduling, uploading files, reviewing proof, possibly press check.
• Production tasks for COLUMBIA and Explore It also include determining counts for print order, defining distribution or mailing instructions, obtaining cost estimates for printing and for mailing, opening purchase requests, following up on invoices.
• Explore It: In collaboration with MarCom Director and Programs Manager, gather content and images or source images from shared drive; lay out content, proof/copy edit.
• Manage production for Explore It. Package and upload final to print vendor, coordinate with mail house.
• Post production tasks include preparing PDF files, uploading to website, transmitting to EBSCO (the magazine), archiving endnotes and footnotes if applicable, sending copies of magazine to authors/contributors, archiving any associated agreements.
• Determine the most effective way of getting the agency’s message across in print and electronic media using a variety of methods such as color, type, illustration, photography, and various layout techniques, in accordance with agency standards and industry best practices.
• Design, production, and sometimes distribution management for posters, exhibition branding, brochures, advertisements, rack cards, event signage, invitations with reply devices, annual reports, presentations, handouts, guides, curriculum, building banners, pins/buttons, swag, PowerPoint templates, digital graphics, and other design needs.
• Initiating purchase requests, processing invoices.
• Proactively communicate with, meet with, and coordinate with staff, vendors, and partners at other organizations as needed, to gather information, images, and cost estimates, to define and review projects, and meet deadlines.
• Develop and maintain WSHS brand standards. Assist WSHS staff in applying brand standards, accessing logo files, understanding and using color palette and fonts.
• Ensure graphic design and communication products comply with guidelines for Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VI.
• Proactively communicate with agency staff to support design needs.

Qualifications

• Experience designing multi-page publications for magazines, catalogs, journals etc.
• Experience with large format design for items like banners, displays, and posters
• Proofreading own work and the work of other communicators and providing constructive feedback
• Designing to graphic identity standards and/or experience developing a graphic identity program.
• Creating styles and templates in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for use by non-designers.
• Experience preparing electronic files for printing and working with print vendors to provide instructions and meet specifications.
• Experience using Adobe Creative Suite including Adobe InDesign, Acrobat Pro, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

OR
Qualifying education/experience totaling five years.

• Bachelor's and Master's degrees will require at least one year of experience.

Required Competencies :

• Demonstrated knowledge of the methods and techniques of visual design and printing, including use of Pantone® Match System, type, illustration, photography, and various layout techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of computer equipment and peripherals including printers, scanners, and digital cameras.
• Demonstrated knowledge in prioritizing and managing multiple tasks and meet agreed-upon deadlines.
• Communicates effectively both in writing and verbally.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

PREFERRED/DESIRED:

• Experience using Chicago Manual of Style.
• Experience working for a non-profit organization.
• Digital photography experience.
• Interest in history.
• Experience serving multiple in-house or in-agency clients.

Supplemental Information

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest, describing how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting;
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education; and
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

NOTE: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not substitute for completing the “duties summary” section of the application. Please do not refer to resume for detail, or your application may be disqualified.

Conditions of employment:

• Background Check Notice: Prior to any new appointment into the Department of Enterprise Services, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

• 
  COVID Vaccination Requirement: Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. Please note that any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing verification of your vaccine status, having an approved medical accommodation, or having an approved religious accommodation. No start date will be approved until you have either verified your vaccine status or have an approved accommodation.

Union Inclusion:
This position is included in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Opportunity for All:
The Washington State Historical Society celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact Information:
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Angie Anderson at (360) 407-8446 or email jobs@des.wa.gov.