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Sales Agent, ZipRealty. Los Angeles.
May 2003 to present.
team objective: To build the brand and gain market share for a fledgling brokerage with a revolutionary, web-based, customer-oriented model.
my role: Closed over 33 deals in a competitive sales environment. Researched market, negotiated contracts, managed escrow, provided first-rate customer service. PresidentŐs Club member.
Tutor, Los Angeles.
May 2002 to May 2003
Tutored high school students in English, Algebra and Geometry.
Instructor, Paddock Riding School, Los Angeles.
May 2002 to May 2003
Instructed new riders in the basics of dressage, centered riding and horsemanship.
Interface Design Director, RELY Software. NYC.
August 2000 to December 2001.
team objective: To build net-native logistics software with robust functionality, cost efficiency and superior usability for global 2000 clients.
my role: Direct report to the CTO. Created the user interface for three versions of the software while simultaneously building the user interface team and defining standards and processes for the group. Defined job descriptions and recruited the UI team, which consisted of one designer, three prototype developers and five off-shore UI developers.
Designed innovative solution to complex UI requirements. Radically transformed interface from static html screens to a user-defined, object-oriented model. Added value to the product with first-rate usability and visual design. Guided new design concept from introduction to execution.
Directed UI development from prototyping to QA. Managed UI team through the implementation of rapidly expanding functionality. Communicated successfully to off-shore development team. Inspired a sense of ownership and professional challenge in the UI team. Collaborated with product management team to execute product vision.
Generated and oversaw the completion of all UI documentation including screens, flow diagrams, site maps, specifications, tag libraries, matrices, project plans, online help and user manuals. Produced product demos as needed. Gave employee reviews.
Contributed significantly to the visual marketing and branding of the company. Working with marketing and senior management, directed several brand enhancing initiatives including site launches, logo design, trade show booths, brochures, flash demos and power point presentations.
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Art Director, bigchalk.com. NYC.
June 2000 to August 2000.
team objective: To execute the merging of the HomeworkCentral.com and bigchalk.com web sites and build brand recognition.
my role: Conducted educational meetings on web development, functionality and design. Developed marketing materials. Designed templates and coordinated designers for launch.
Creative Director, HomeworkCentral.com. NYC.
December 1999 through June 2000.
team objective: To continue to develop and maintain HomeworkCentral.com as a brand and a site while simultaneously courting acquisition by newly formed bigchalk.com.
my role: Creative Director for HomeworkCentral.com and acting Creative Director for bigchalk.com. Sole staff member working on both projects during the acquisition negotiations. Designed and produced new youth-oriented corporate identity and marketing materials, including exhibition booth, for HomeworkCentral.com on a very tight budget and timeline. Relaunched HomeworkCentral.com with new look&feel and user-interface on a compressed development schedule with limited resources. Envisioned and hired HomeworkCentral design department. Organized and led internal meetings to clarify and gather consensus around design goals. Scouted consulting resources to solidify business model for HomeworkCentral.com and determine future launch objectives. Supervised production on bigchalk.com's outsourced design projects including exhibition booth and media kit. Structured work-plan, directed designers and designed pages for launch of bigchalk.com.
Creative Director, Kaplan Interactive. NYC.
March 1999 through December 1999.
team objective: To expand the market for this 60-year-old, best-of-breed, brick-and-mortar business with 350 million dollars of annual revenue and 10,000 employees by creating a suite of vibrant e-commerce sites that maintained the brand's reputation for quality, educational value and focus on results.
my role: Initiated design and branding process including internal information gathering and reviews. Researched and selected design development firms for eScore.com, Kaplan.com and Kaptest.com sites. Managed creative development for eScore.com, Kaplan.com and Kaptest.com. Developed design for the following online products: skills and abilities assessments, test simulation, dynamically generated content and integrated e-commerce. Hired and managed in-house design team. Assigned and directed various web initiatives with freelance designers.
Freelance Graphic Designer, Art Director and Web Consultant.
April 1995 through March 1999
Select client list:
ABC.com, NYC
CNNfn.com, NYC
CondeNast New Media, NYC
Disney's Family.com, NYC
eParlance.com, NYC
Grub Street Writers, Boston
Lifetime Television, NYC
NewsAlert.com, NYC
Reuters.com, NYC
Zanzibar International Film Festival, Zanzibar
Skills
software: ms office | ms project | visio | perforce source control software | outlook express | photoshop | illustrator | quark | bbedit | homepage | flash
other: planning presentations | running meetings | managing staff | writing proposals, briefs, specifications and requirements documents | style guides
Education:
Colgate University, 1990. Bachelor of Fine Art with a minor in English.
Harvard University Summer School, 1989.
Professional Affiliations:
New York New Media Association | Art Directors Club | Faculty, Pratt Institute
© 2002 Rachel Raia. All rights reserved.