Marketing Sales

Cindy A. Michel

*-* ******** *******, ******, NY 10954 • 914-***-**** • yfn9v0@r.postjobfree.com • www.linkedin.com/in/cindymichel • www.behance.net/cindy-michel

Senior Graphic Designer

Focus: Brand Strategy

PROFILE

Creative, innovative, and hands-on professional, offering extensive experience in graphic design, art direction, branding, and project management. Skilled in a wide variety of designs, logos, and marketing packages that strengthened business competence, expanded marketing approaches, and generated sustainable financial gains. Enthusiastic and creative, willing to carry out higher responsibility with minimum supervision. Armed with exceptional flexibility and resourcefulness, complemented with the capability to multitask in fiercely competitive and fast-paced environments without compromising product quality. Powered with keen attention to detail along with outstanding time management and prioritization skills in completing time-critical projects within a wide-ranging, team-oriented environment.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Applied adeptness in new brand strategy while presiding over the design, development, and evolution of marketing materials.

• Formulated an inclusive 250-page design manual reference guide, more than 150 design templates, and 300 above style sheets; delivered bi-monthly updates; and rendered daily art direction.

• Launched all creative marketing collaterals for the United States and customized the brand in accordance with the country’s marketing needs; created stock photography library as cost-saving initiative for clients, arranging more than 2500 AXA-owned brand images.

• Teamed up with stock photo agencies to generate pre-approved AXA brand light boxes, consequently decreasing time spent in photo searches.

• Efficiently functioned as department leader and reputed as the go-to person regarding all projects, launches, and initiatives.

• Established and maintained a photo library of all catalog items, which consisted of designing layout and format.

• Refurbished the layout for all packaging, which included folding cartons, labels, hang tags, and brochures.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company • New York, NY (Aug 2005–Present)

Graphic Design Manager/Senior Graphic Designer (May 2010–Present)

• Render expert supervision to the AXA brand and maintain brand consistency in designing marketing collaterals.

• Daily responsibilities include designing marketing collateral while managing team members on high-profile projects.

• Demonstrate competency in completing duties, including but are not limited to giving art direction to designers, developing creative ideas, presenting new concepts, and serving as department leader.

• Maintain close collaboration with all business partners, including product, legal and compliance teams, to provide outstanding marketing solutions for wide-ranging materials focused to end-user/client, field sales force, and employees; coordinate with AXA Group in evaluating and providing feedback regarding brand use in the U.S.

• Spearhead carrying out of implementation logistics and assess marketing materials to ensure consistency.

Acting Creative Director (Sep 2010–Jan 2011)

• Oversaw creative team’s operations on a daily basis, including projects of more than 750.

• Worked closely with business partners and constructed product launch estimates for them; presided over weekly launch meetings and guaranteed smooth flow and success in product launches.

• Handled the team’s financial processes on a monthly manner.

• Utilized solid leadership skills in ensuring smooth business flow; provided guidance and recommendations to staff, as necessary.

Senior Graphic Designer (Aug 2005–May 2010)

• Served as primary person accountable for initiating creative designs, orchestrating projects, reporting concepts, and providing creative materials within time and budget allotment.

• Took charge of composing collateral product literature, including brochures, fact cards, client profiles, and product guides as well as designing promotional materials, including posters, signage, flyers, stuffers, logo design, and various more.

Geller & Company, LLC • New York, NY

Senior Graphic Designer (Feb 2002–Jul 2005)

• Innovatively accomplished layout, design, and formatting of all sales and marketing materials as well as monthly financial package and presentations.

• Customized company party invitations, promotional gift programs, non-profit logo, stationery, flyers, and advertisements.

• Coordinated with each department heads to create specific “look” for numerous marketing collateral and monthly financial packages.

• Kept abreast of the latest concepts, ideas, software, and hardware updates through Internet research and participation to training classes.

Grand Home Designs • Suffern, NY

Graphic and Package Designer/Product Development Associate (Jul 2000–Jul 2001)

• Provided assistance in all facets of graphic and package design and product development research by working directly with the Vice President of Product Development.

• Ensured constant correspondence with offices in Hong Kong and Taiwan to ascertain timely delivery of required items.

• Managed all pre-press artwork and interfaced directly with print partners from camera-ready art to final printed packages; accomplished mock-ups of all components and baskets; and arranged all sets under strict deadlines of sales presentations.

• Cultivated strong relationships with buyers to meet account requests, including product samples and catalogs for photography and account presentations appropriately and in a timely manner.

KPMG, LLP • Montvale, NJ

Graphic Designer (Feb 1998–Jul 2000)

• Handled all brochures, accounting manuals & newsletters under tight deadlines from conception to completion for partnership & senior management

• Worked in conjunction with editors on layout & format to monitor quality control & maintain firm standards

Modern Creative Services • Bardonia, NY

Junior Graphic Designer/Staff Writer (Aug 1997–Sept 1998)

• Assisted in the layout, design, editing & proofreading of brochures, newsletters, ads, & TownLine Magazine

• Wrote several feature stories for TownLine Magazine

EDUCATION

Rider University • Lawrenceville, NJ, 1996

Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Major in Journalism

Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity, Rider News Features Writer

AWARDS AND HONORS

RISING STAR NOMINEE • Women's Bond Club • 2011

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AWARD NOMINEE • Creative Marketing and Communications Group • 2011

AFFILIATIONS

Women’s Outreach @ Work (WOW) – AXA Equitable Employee Resource Group

Co-Ambassador, Charlotte Chapter • Member, Steering Committee

Took charge of organizing events, running meetings, and serving as liaison between local chapter and the steering committee

ACTIVITIES

Member, Alpha Xi Delta Alumnae Association • 1997–Present

Member, Charlotte Volunteer Club • 2009–2011

Volunteer Graphic Designer, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation • 2009–2011

TECHNICAL ACUMEN

Adobe Creative Suite, QuarkXPress, Microsoft Office Suite, Mac & PC Platforms, Graphic and Package Design, Layout/Mechanicals, HTML, Dreamweaver, Filemaker Pro

Contact this candidate