About Banyan Communications

Banyan is a woman-owned, mission-driven agency with 30 years of experience creating communications solutions for nonprofits, foundations, community organizations, and government agencies. Banyan’s work is driven by our belief that creative communication can illuminate thinking, inspire action, motivate positive behavior, and enable individuals and communities to create positive, lasting change in the world.

Are you a user experience (UX) and information architecture (IA) professional who wants to use your skills to create positive change in the world? At Banyan, you will work alongside subject matter experts, researchers, writers, developers, and designers for public health and social impact clients such as non-profits and state, local, and federal governmental organizations and agencies to design human-centered, accessible communications materials and experiences that make a difference in peoples’ lives. 

What You’d Do Here (Responsibilities):

• Design and recommend UX strategies based on available data and insights and in alignment with client and project goals and objectives.
• Design, plan, facilitate, and participate in workshops, ideation sessions, and design sprints with clear objectives and meaningful outcomes.
• Apply content strategy best practices to make informed decisions about content lifecycles including archival, revision, consolidation, or creation grounded in user data, analytics, and stakeholder input.
• Plan, lead, and conduct UX research (e.g., UX audits, heat mapping) to inform and validate communications and UX strategies and tactics.
• Sift through large volumes of information to organize and architect websites and other tools to make information and tools easy for audiences/users to access, understand, and utilize.
• Design and implement on-page, off-page, and technical search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and best practices.
• Develop evidence-based audience profiles, user personas, user stories, and other tools to channel and build empathy for audiences/users as we design, develop, and disseminate inclusive, intuitive, easy-to-use messages, materials, and experiences. 
• Work as part of project teams to create information architectures, site maps, data visualizations, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that meet users’ needs and that result in desired user outcomes. 
• Collaborate with writers, social media strategists, and developers to align UX strategy with content strategy, ensuring messaging is consistent, audience-specific, and grounded in user insights.
• Review your work and teammates’ work with an eye for quality assurance and adherence to client and project goals and objectives and to data about user needs and expectations.
• Produce deliverables that are easy for other team members (such as designers or developers) to work from and collaborate on. 
• Prepare and deliver research findings in an easy-to understand way through formats including reports, briefs, presentations, logic models, theories of change, data visualizations, data dashboards, audience and user profiles and personas, and audience and user journey maps.
• Communicate with clarity to internal team members, clients, and other stakeholders about UX/IA research, strategy, and design and the evidence and rationale guiding the recommendations and decisions you make.
• Complete assigned tasks with efficiency, adhering to schedules and deadlines with an understanding of how your work impacts your broader project teams and project goals.

Attributes of someone in this role:

• Passionate problem-finder and problem-solver 
• Knowledge of ever-changing digital landscape
• Ability to turn data into compelling, thoughtful insights with actionable applications 
• Organized file management and version control
• Ability to take in large amounts of information, organize it, understand it, and then re-organize to improve user experience and meet desired outcomes 
• Proactive communicator — in writing, visually, and verbally
• Collaborates well with cross-functional, diverse teammates, inviting others into their iterative process while owning their expertise
• Ability to support UX-related capacity development in colleagues
• Manages multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously
• Open to and seeks feedback 
• Excellent storytelling skills with the ability to inform, inspire, and influence others
• Positive attitude

Technical Skills/Programs:

• Microsoft 365
• Google Suite
• Analytics platforms (e.g. Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Adobe Analytics)
• Figma

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in a related field
• 5+ years of experience in UX/IA
• Working knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies
• Working knowledge of website analytics
• Working knowledge of social media analytics
• Working knowledge of human-centered design best practices 
• Portfolio or work samples demonstrating UX/IA research and design, including user flows, wireframes, and strategic deliverables.
• Demonstrated experience in content strategy, including content audits, SEO planning, and content mapping aligned with UX principles
• An understanding of user research best practices and methods
• Ability to commute to the Atlanta office for monthly in-person collaboration

Additional Qualifications/skills/programs (not required, but would set you apart): 

• Knowledge of Section 508 Compliance or (WCAG 2.0 Level AA)
• Basic knowledge of coding (to best collaborate for development hand-off) 
• Experience in consulting, working with  local, state, or federal government agencies
• Experience in communications
• Experience working within the constraints of a CMS
• Experience and understanding of USWDS (U.S. Web Design System)
• Experience developing institutional review board (IRB) packages for research projects
• Experience developing Office of Management and Budget (OMB) packages for federal research projects
• Experience with qualitative data analysis software (e.g., Atlas.ti, MAXQDA) 
• Experience conducting environmental scans, literature reviews, and market research

Job Location:

• The team that this role sits on is currently operating under a hybrid model. To balance in-person collaboration with the flexibility to work remotely, this role requires a minimum one visit per month (to be coordinated with the team) to our Atlanta office.
  
  
  

Compensation:

Salaries for this open position start from $90,000  commensurate with level and experience.

What we have to offer: 

As a full time employee, you will be eligible for the benefits available to Banyan’s employees, including: 

• Flexible Paid Time Off (we mean it, and we model it!)
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance, eligibility begins on your first day of employment  
• Employer-matched 401k
• FSA plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Company paid cell-phone plan 
• Generous paid family leave 

But wait there's more: 

• We offer a hybrid (in-person & remote) workplace setting, with a modern office and a fully stocked kitchen in the heart of East Atlanta. 
• Our culture includes but is not limited to: Happy hours, casual work environments, company lunches, holiday parties, and the best part, flexibility and trust.  
• Company-sponsored opportunities to travel and gather with your teammates at events, all-hands retreats, etc. 
• Option to join internal initiatives you may be passionate about like our Banyan Rising team, wellness committee, or holiday team!