Job Overview
Art Directors help lead the development and creation of strategic concepts and high-quality, engaging designs. This includes creating new brand identities, advertising collateral, product packaging, and digital and print materials. Art Directors are expected to bring fresh perspectives, challenge creative norms, and push design innovation across all mediums.
In this role, you’ll collaborate closely with the Strategy, Creative, and Marketing teams to shape and execute visual concepts that align with a client’s brand vision and business goals. Art Directors are confident presenters and collaborators—able to clearly articulate design rationale to clients and internal stakeholders. You will help guide both creative execution and the team behind it, overseeing projects from conceptualization to final delivery.
Art Directors serve as creative leaders within the agency, managing a group of designers and freelancers, ensuring alignment with brand standards, and maintaining design excellence across all deliverables.
Key Functions & Responsibilities:
Brand Concept & Development:
- Translate strategic direction into compelling visual concepts across a variety of platforms and mediums.
- Collaborate with Strategy and Marketing teams to align creative output with campaign or brand strategies.
- Push creative boundaries while staying rooted in the client's brand identity and business objectives.
- Prepare initial design concepts and present ideas internally and/or to clients.
- Conceptualize visuals based on client goals, audience, and creative brief.
Design Execution:
- Develop dynamic layouts, illustrations, logos, and design elements using Adobe Creative Suite or by hand.
- Ensure all design deliverables meet brand guidelines and WeCreate’s internal creative standards.
- Work closely with copywriters, photographers, videographers, and other designers to bring campaigns and content to life.
- Amend and refine designs based on internal and client feedback.
- Create and oversee final production files for print and digital output.
Photo/Video Art Direction:
- Create and/or oversee creation of photo and video shotlists during the pre-production phase.
- Develop thorough storyboards and be able to communicate the vision of execution and final video product.
- Availability for on-set art direction, ensuring final photos/video are in alignment with approved storyboards/shotlists and client goals.
- Confident in directing talent and production partners on-set.
- Foundational production knowledge to clearly communicate with producing partners.
- Review and provide feedback throughout post-production phase.
Client Collaboration & Communication:
- Confidently present creative work internally and externally, articulating rationale behind design decisions.
- Maintain clear, proactive communication with account and project managers throughout the life of a project, from concept through revisions to final delivery.
- Build and foster strong relationships with clients through design leadership, creative insight, and responsiveness.
Creative Leadership & Mentorship:
- Serve as a creative mentor and design lead, providing feedback, coaching, and support to junior designers and freelancers.
- Set the tone for a collaborative, inspired design team by fostering curiosity, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement.
- Help lead the execution of all creative elements (including video, on-set production, etc.) of assigned projects/accounts.
- Support the Creative Director in developing and maintaining a high-performing creative team culture.
Project & Team Management:
- Oversee and manage creative workload across assigned accounts in partnership with the Project Manager and Director of Marketing.
- Delegate tasks to design team members based on their strengths, bandwidth, and project timelines.
- Ensure deadlines are met, deliverables are high quality, and designers have the resources they need.
- Set cadence, creative expectations, and workflow processes for projects under your leadership.
- Acquire all necessary project details and assets from account and project managers and ensure alignment across the creative team.
Quality Control & Design Standards:
- Review all creative outputs for accuracy, consistency, and brand alignment.
- Uphold and elevate WeCreate’s internal creative standards across every touchpoint and medium.
- Identify opportunities for innovation and elevate the overall visual quality of client work.
What Success Looks Like:
- Design deliverables are high-impact, on-brand, and strategically aligned.
- Creative work receives positive feedback from clients and internal stakeholders.
- Projects are completed on time and on budget, with a smooth and collaborative workflow.
- Junior designers and freelancers grow in confidence, skill, and output under your leadership.
- The WeCreate creative process continues to evolve and improve through your ideas and influence.
Skills & Qualifications:
- Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, XD, etc.)
- Strong understanding of layout, typography, branding, and visual storytelling.
- Ability to present and pitch creative work with clarity and confidence.
- Familiarity with print production, packaging specs, and digital file formats.
- Comfortable giving and receiving feedback in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
- Strong time management, prioritization, and multitasking skills.