Web Designer/Developer, Hopeworks

Posted by on January 2, 2007

WEB DESIGNER/DEVELOPER

If you meet the requirements for this job please e mail a cover letter, resume and a link to your portfolio to job@hopeworks.org. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Innovative and successful youth development organization in Camden, NJ is seeking Web Director to manage our non-profit web business, coordinating all aspects of the business with youth trainees, clients and staff.

Hopeworks (<a href="http://www.hopeworks.org">http://www.hopeworks.org</a>) is a youth development organization situated in Camden, New Jersey?a city where 2 out of 3 youth never make it through high school and half of the young people live in poverty. The mission of Hopeworks is two-fold: to reduce the high school dropout rate for African- American and Hispanic youth in Camden and to create hope for the future through good paying jobs, business development and educational opportunities for Camden’s young people.

Hopeworks Mission
The central task of Hopeworks is to empower youth with the skills and confidence necessary to build their future. Hopeworks accomplishes this mission through a multi – part program:

* An advanced technology-training program with two tracks?web site design and geographic information services (GIS).
* Two non-profit businesses that generate revenue and provide trainees with opportunities to work on real client projects as part of their training.
o A web site design business.
o A geographic information systems services (GIS) business.
* A comprehensive and trainee-centered literacy program designed to help youth overcome previous inhibitions to academic success and equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to finish high school or pass the GED and then move on to college.

Hopeworks has a Day Trainee program for youth who are no longer in high school and an after school program called Hope Through School (HTS).

The Web Production Manager would be responsible for the following areas:

1. Web Site Development: Oversee Projects from conception to implementation including designing the graphical look and feel of the sites, site functionality, working with youth trainees to develop the site and interfacing with the customer throughout the process.

2. Web Site Maintenance: Oversee requests for maintenance from customers to existing sites.

3. Training and Youth Development: Work with youth to train and skill them in basic web site production involving knowledge of HTML, Photoshop, ImageReady, Flash, Contribute etc.

Specific tasks (Business):

* Meet with customers during initial sales meeting and/or design meetings to discuss their website needs and determine appropriate technology.
* Estimate project work for pricing and scheduling purposes.
* Draft Web Project proposals.
* Manage web customer relationships.
* Design customer websites
* Handle/oversee ongoing communication with customers to facilitate project completion.
* Assign web work to production trainees.
* Supervise trainee work and check for quality and accuracy.
* Develop Quality Control Procedures for web work.
* Oversee FTP transfer of all sites to the web hosting accounts.
* Record billable time for self and trainees in accounting system.
* Maintain Hopeworks? website and monthly email updates, creating content and taking photographs as needed.
* Work to involve production trainees in production work including site design, development, customer meetings, communications, etc. as much as possible.

Specific tasks (Training):

* Administer existing production skills test to evaluate trainees? HTML and web image skills.
* Administer tests/requirements for college credit for Computer Graphics I, (Introductory Photoshop and Illustrator) and Co-op/Internship credits.
* Coordinate production trainees? progress in advanced sections of the curriculum including: CSS, JavaScript, Advanced Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator.
* Develop ways for trainees to use their skills such as JavaScript, Flash/Swish, etc. in customer or internal projects.
* Coordinate with Formation Director concerning trainees? personal plans to implement goals related to web skills and work skills development.
* Work to improve/expand curriculum.

Specific tasks (Youth Development):

* Develop web production team. Using weekly production meetings, team projects, and by creating opportunities for advanced trainees to teach/supervise newer trainees.
* Programmatically develop an emphasis on Customer Service and Quality Work into the Production experience.
* Help trainees to learn time management and work planning skills using their project work in production.
* Help to Coach/reinforce professional behavior, dress, and conduct from trainees in client meetings, contact with visitors, interactions with co-workers, etc.
* Hire and train HTS trainers who have completed the Hopeworks basic curriculum.
* Track all trainees? progress as they move through the curriculum.
* Hire and train a group of advanced HTS trainees and oversee them as they complete client projects.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

* Must have working knowledge of web-page construction and experience with creating web specific graphics.
* Demonstrate a strong understanding of the principles of design, with specific proficiency in color correction, scanning, photo enhancing & retouching, and other graphic production techniques for print and Web.
* Understand image formats (EPS, TIF, GIF, JPEG, PDF), graphic compression tools and their use.
* Must have comprehensive knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator.
* *Strong knowledge of HTML and PHP is necessary, JSP is a plus.
* Project management skills, ability to manage multiple and changing priorities and adhere to stringent deadlines.
* Perform all necessary image editing and create any necessary electronic files to provide to printers, vendors and/or manufacturers for print and/or web.
* Able to design on the fly in a production environment, work independently, be extremely organized, work across multiple projects and able to keep cool under deadlines.

If you meet the requirements for this job please e mail a cover letter, resume and a link to your portfolio to job@hopeworks.org. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.