Request for Proposals: Print Designer Posted May 27, 2014

The San Francisco Public Press is a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization that provides unbiased, in–depth and investigative reporting to readers in the San Francisco Bay Area, online and in a quarterly print edition. The Public Press is based on the public broadcasting model, relying on foundation grants, memberships and newspaper sales.

Scope and Guidelines:

The print designer will provide professional design management and layout of the newspaper, in order to promote the organization’s journalistic mission and maintain high quality production standards. The print edition is the Public Press’s showcase product, an advertising–free broadsheet publication that emphasizes insightful journalism and takes risks on bold design concepts. It regularly breaks ground with collaborative data–driven investigative reporting, and collaborates with dozens of other nonprofits, including KQED, KALW and the Center for Investigative Reporting. The organization values experimentation with creative graphics, photography, typography and illustration. For examples visit http://sfpublicpress.org.

This is a contract position with occasional deadlines on small assignments and major print deadlines four times a year.

Print edition responsibilities:

• Designing the newsprint edition four times a year.

• Producing news infographics in collaboration with the reporting teams.

• Providing editorial feedback based on design principles.

• Creating, maintaining and documenting in–house style guidelines.

• Commissioning illustrations by contract artists.

• Working with the photo editor to improve images.

• Archiving collateral for Web distribution and future projects.

• Maintaining the highest standards of journalism ethics and accuracy.

  Requirements:

• Three years of professional experience in editorially focused graphic design.

• Knowledge of journalism ethics, Associated Press style, photo editing principles,

  typography, art direction, design theory for print and Web journalism and

  nonprofit operations.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent tools.

• Ability to produced high–end creative and compelling infographics and maps on

  multiple platforms preferred.

• Familiarity with Drupal, CSS, HTML, PHP and Javascript preferred.

• Strong organizational skills and sense of professionalism, including the ability to communicate clearly about assignments and meet deadlines.

• Strong oral and written communication skills. Please submit:

• An overview of relevant experience, including corporate and freelance work

• A description of a project you have participated in that shows initiative and

  professional–quality work

• A summary of any experiences working with news organizations or online

  publications

• A portfolio of your editorial design work (online or in PDF format)

• A one–page résumé

• Names and contact information for at least three references

• Fee expectations — hourly or project–based

  Timeline:

  RFP dated May 27, 2014

  DEADLINE: Send proposals no later than Friday, June 6, 2014, to: Michael Stoll, Executive Director and Editor

  • Email design {at} sfpublicpress [dot] org, using the subject line “Print Design RFP.”

  • Mailed submissions may also be sent to: San Francisco Public Press, 44 Page St., Suite 504, San Francisco, CA 94102

    It is the responsibility of the presenter of the submission to ensure that it has arrived to the San Francisco Public Press by the date specified. The San Francisco Public Press is not responsible for lost or misdirected proposals and reserves the right to not hire any respondents or to re–release the RFP. Download a copy of the RFP here [PDF].

    If you have a question, please contact us at the email address above, or call (415) 495–7377.