The Art Director transforms compelling and imaginative concepts into visual reality. The Art Director designs according to our brand identity and business objectives. Taste, intelligence, and a keen eye are critical. Candidates should have excellent design skills, be a smart strategic thinker with the ability to conceptually generate ideas — partnering with a copywriter (and other creatives) across a wide range of work, including broadcast, print, digital, design, motion graphics, social and immersive experiences. The Art Director will have the opportunity to learn and show leadership skills. They will see through to execution, in partnership with production, strategy, account management and with close mentorship by the Creative Director. The Art Director is equally meticulous when it comes to effective written communication. They value the importance of a Copywriter and understand the importance of that partnership to find inspiration and deliver innovation.

Who You Are

• Driven to dream up and design creative solutions to clients’ business needs and objectives
• Able to lead with passion for the work, obsessive about the craft and the industry
• Able to work as a collaborator and team member towards the benefit of the work and the agency
• Keen to promote agency culture and values

Strategic Goals:

Help grow our agency: RP3 Agency’s goal is to grow at least 20% each year and increase our portfolio of “higher profile” brands. The CD will be a key leader in attaining this goal and will participate in an evaluation of the agency’s positioning, messaging, and identity. 

Lead a culture of creativity throughout the entire agency: Help lead the creative team, supervising and developing all team members, with an emphasis on the writers. Attract and retain talent within the department. Together with other creative and agency leadership, educate the agency on your creative vision and inspire the agency employees to follow it. 

Develop and deliver a high-quality creative product: Collaborate with internal team members and our clients to create award-winning creative work that meets strategic goals. Work with PR to get recognized for that work.

Job Responsibilities:

• Independent thinking, drive, energy and enthusiasm — a team player who takes the initiative
• Produce exceptional work for clients, both creatively and effectively, in multiple media types including, but not limited to TV, Radio, print, digital, outdoor, and collateral
• Provide conceptual designs and possess the capability to flesh them out across a range of executions
• Partner with copywriters and creative staff to concept and solve client problems/projects
• Work with agency creative leadership and design professionals to conceptualize and develop strong design practices and executions across client projects
• Help the agency win new business through bold, innovative work and effective presentations
• Create compelling art and design that activates desired target audiences toward our clients’ business goals
• Maintain best practices for file and server management, including the consistent application of naming conventions, file/folder organization, versioning control, job slugs, and more
• Maintain client brand guidelines and design standards
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting mutually agreed deadlines
• Maintain important relationships with internal department colleagues and clients to help the agency maintain value and respect
• Possess a positive attitude when working with colleagues, associates, and clients. Be solutions-oriented and supportive in finding solutions to unexpected challenges/requirements

Core Competencies

• Accountability
• Problem Solving
• Communication 
• Detail Orientation
• Teamwork
• Creativity
  
  

Technical Competencies

• Conceptual Ideation
• Creative Execution — Design and Art Direction Focus

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

• Bachelor’s degree in related field 
• 3+ years of experience with an advertising or design company
• A strong portfolio that demonstrates design and art direction expertise, originality, innovation, problem-solving, and personal expression
• Work examples should prove you’ve solved business problems. (While we expect you to make beautiful things, your work must also be effective at solving a client’s business problems.)
• Understanding of customer experience methodology, brand management, marketing, advertising, and e-commerce
• Detail oriented, able to work under pressure
• Effective oral, written, and verbal communication skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Proficiency in the entire Adobe Creative Suite and any additional design/art direction tools. Motion Graphics and Generative AI tools a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, utilize resources, identify and address problems, meet deadlines, and stay within budget.
• Strong interpersonal skills — a team player, positive and innovative thinker.
• Highly motivated and a high level of initiative — ability to work independently, to support the agency’s creative goals and the client’s business objectives.