In only its 42nd season, the Kansas City Symphony (KCS) has already become one of America's most vibrant major orchestras, quickly gaining national and international recognition. The Symphony is entering its second season with world renowned conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher as its Music Director, and the positive energy and buzz around this orchestra is intensely optimistic and forward-moving.

Continuously creating live music experiences in Helzberg Hall at the prestigious Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Symphony serves Kansas City's metro population of more than 2.2 million people and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors across a huge swath of the Midwest as well. The Symphony's 80 full-time musicians perform in diverse and dynamic musical experiences in orchestral and chamber formats each season. The Symphony also serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, enriching the community’s cultural landscape.

While the Kansas City Symphony ranks among leading American orchestras, it also stands out as one of the most agile. The lean operation of just over 30 full-time staff enables the organization to be fast and nimble, with the excitement of a startup but the polish, stature, connections, and resources of a major cultural institution. Its $25M annual operating budget is fueled by the strongest ticket sales per capita in the sector, along with healthy annual contributions and a $135M endowment provided by Kansas City’s exceptional civic culture of philanthropy. A wide range of programming spans every genre from classical and concert opera to rock, film with live orchestra, and all manner of contemporary artists. The orchestra aspires to do more and to be more for all the people of Kansas City and surrounding regions, and the growth trajectory is exciting, rapid, and palpable.

Nothing signifies this rapid ascent more than the orchestra’s debut on the world stage in 2024. While other orchestras are pulling back from global commitments, the Kansas City Symphony is boldly stepping forward, having accepted invitations to be presented in Europe’s top concert halls, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Berlin Philharmonie, and the stunning new Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. The orchestra’s sold-out performances in 2024 triggered immediate re-invitations, and the orchestra is developing funding and plans to support a return to be presented once more by all of these venues in 2026.

Position Overview

The Graphic Designer is an individual contributor responsible for developing and executing design and creative content within the Kansas City Symphony’s Marketing and Sales team. Reporting to the Creative Director, the Graphic Designer collaborates closely with team members to deliver world-class marketing to complement KCS’s world-class product on stage. This is not a typical non-profit marketing role. KCS has national and global aspirations so we are applying commercial best practices to build a Marketing and Sales team that can operate with quality at that scale.

The ideal candidate has 2+ years of experience in marketing design and is excited to grow within a fast-moving, high-output team. You’re comfortable taking direction, asking smart questions, and turning feedback into stronger work quickly. You bring strong production craft, solid design fundamentals, and the kind of reliability that helps a small team move fast. At the end of the day, getting it right matters more to you than being right. If this rings true, we’d love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

Marketing Workflow

• Manage assigned design projects from brief to final delivery, producing high-quality work on time and within established budgets and SLAs. Own your workflow and timelines, flagging risks early and keeping projects moving.
• Own day-to-day design production for priority marketing campaigns (email, social, digital ads, print collateral, and event/signage needs). Support larger channel initiatives (OOH, radio/TV, app) as needed in partnership with vendors and internal leads.
• Typical deliverables include:
  • Email headers and modular email graphics
  • Paid social and display ad sets
  • Concert key art adaptations and toolkits
  • Posters, postcards, program ads, and lobby/event signage
  • Simple motion graphics for social (animated type, loops, end cards)
• Work in partnership with Marketing team to ensure brand consistency across all marketing channels.
• Collaboration
• Collaborate effectively with key internal partners such as CEO, Music Director, Production, Development, Education, musicians, etc.
• Work effectively with key external partners such as agencies, consultants, vendors, etc.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-time delivery of assigned assets against agreed timelines.
• Craft quality: brand consistency, typography, layout, and production accuracy.
• Responsiveness to feedback and speed of iteration.
• Contribution to reusable templates/toolkits that improve team efficiency.
• Positive collaboration feedback from internal partners and vendors.

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in high-performing marketing organizations, preferably in weekly/daily cadence industries such as live entertainment, sports, hospitality/travel, or eCommerce. Experience with cultural and non-profit organizations is beneficial but not required.
• Proven track record in reliably executing graphic design work to achieve revenue targets. Demonstrated ability to self-optimize assigned tasks.
• Clear, professional communication skills, with comfort presenting work in internal reviews and incorporating feedback. Familiarity with marketing analytics and performance management is a plus.
• Expertise in collaborating across functions (sales, artistic, ops, finance, technology, etc.) to deliver exceptional work.
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) is required.
• Expertise with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop). After Effects experience is a plus, particularly basic motion graphics for social (animated type, simple loops, title/end cards).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and marketing tools is required. Example tools include: Monday.com, Facebook/Instagram, Canva, and/or others as needed.

Core Competencies

• Self-motivated problem-solving with a bias for action.
• A knack for simplifying the complex and organizing the unorganized.
• A growth mindset, thirst for learning, and drive for continuous improvement.
• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, adept at inspiring teams and advancing relationships.
• Superior organizational and financial management skills with keen attention to detail.
• A spirit to serve: the customer, the KCS mission, your teammates, and yourself. This is your engine for excellence.

Other Requirements

• Flexibility. Due to our performance schedule weekend and evening work will sometimes be required.
• Ability to operate in a standard office environment on location at the KCS offices.

Compensation and Benefits

• Target base salary range is $50-60k, commensurate with candidate experience
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Exceptional healthcare coverage with broad medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous vacation and PTO
• Relocation support to Kansas City

The Kansas City Symphony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a portfolio link or PDF (6–12 samples). Portfolios should ideally include multi-channel campaign work, resized/versioned assets, and at least one example of simple motion graphics.

Candidates should submit a resume and (optional) cover letter addressed to Ross Lowinske, Creative Director, articulating why you are interested in this specific role.

Applications will be accepted through March 6, 2026. Interviews are expected to commence via Zoom on a rolling basis. Finalist interviews will be conducted in person in Kansas City.

OMNI is honored to be retained in this search. We appreciate your referrals to professionals who may have an interest in this outstanding opportunity. Formal interest accepted through the OMNI Executive Career Portal. Please direct all inquiries to:

OMNI Human Resource Solutions

Anna Robinson, Senior Search Consultant – arobinson@omnihrm.com

OMNI and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers