We’re hiring an experienced Information Designer

The Role: Information Designer (aka Visual Storyteller)

  • You will lead information design projects.
  • You will manage client-facing creative projects.
  • Your role is flexible and highly independent: you are self-directed and accountable to the varying demands of projects.
  • This is a long-term role. 4/5th time may be possible. Flexible working hours. Compensation depends on qualifications. We typically start with a 1 month contract as a test period.

You may be a good fit if:

  • You’re a storyteller at heart and you excel at translating complex content into clear visuals. You have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in information design or content-focused graphic design.
    • You design to distill ideas and show/tell stories.
    • You know how to pull the story out of a long research report to energize the most important points.
    • You understand how to create visuals and shape content to focus on an audience.
    • You are experienced in working within brand guidelines.
    • You are able to communicate design concepts, build consensus, and justify your design decisions.
  • You understand how to work with data. You understand what types of graphs to use in which scenarios. You are comfortable translating rough text into visuals, and raw data into data visualization.
    • You create compelling, accurate, and engaging data visualizations that organize statistics, research, process and other information into a cohesive visual story for a variety of clients and media.
    • You recognize that data visualization is not always the answer.
  • You’re experienced managing client projects. You have 3-5 years’ experience in working directly with clients, and with teams on client-facing projects. Project management responsibilities include: generating and keeping timelines, determining priorities and managing budgets/scopes. Client management responsibilities include: managing client expectations and keeping clients updated on project progress.
    • You set and meet deadlines.
    • You keep clients happy.
    • You manage multiple projects at once – often with multidisciplinary teams
    • Excellent time-management, multi-tasking ability, and the ability to prioritize.
    • You’re diligent about tracking your time.
  • You are a self-starter and strategic thinker. You have the ability to translate that strategy into action steps to get things done. You thrive working independently and you manage your own workflow.
  • You are a collaborative team player. You approach your work along the lines of ‘everything is figure-out-able’. You have an experimental mindset and constantly seek to iterate, test and try things. You know your strengths, and your own limits: you can identify when it’s time to step aside and seek the expertise of others.
  • You are an excellent communicator. This goes for written and spoken communication, as well as visuals.
  • You are passionate about sustainability. You are knowledgeable about social and environmental topics, and the science that supports it.
  • You are comfortable with the every-changing nature of a small, growing business. You enjoy learning new things.

Necessary software skills:

  • Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop
  • Your favorite tools for working with data.

These things would be helpful, but are not essential:

  • Experience working with digital and online media; especially as it relates to the latest technologies for infographics and updatable data visualization.
  • An understanding of principles of behavior change strategy.


About Background Stories:
Background Stories (www.backgroundstories.com) is a Minneapolis-based consultancy founded by Arlene Birt that helps audiences understand complex ideas, systems & metrics through visualization and messaging. We are experts on addressing sustainability issues in emotional, engaging ways. We visualize complex topics and data using information graphics and interaction design to help organizations communicate their social and environmental messages. Clients are primarily based throughout the US, and a few in Europe and the U.K.

Our team is based in Minneapolis, MN and we work primarily virtually: meeting up occasionally in person. (Yes: you can work from home.) You need to be available in Minneapolis for meetings.

Interested in being a part of Background Stories?
Send your CV, cover letter and work (including work with data) to info(a)backgroundstories.com
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis (so don’t dawdle).

-Position posted 8.Aug 2019-