Art Director Job Description Template

Art Directors must have an artistic eye and a keen sense of leadership. They have several years of work experience in graphic design, illustration, or other fields and are ultimately responsible for elevating a client’s visual brand and taking it to the next level. Art Directors lead teams, collaborate with other members of an organization, and create presentations to tell the story of their vision.

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Art directors are a crucial part of a design team. They inspire and guide the vision of the design team, oversee the work of illustrators, graphic/visual designers, photographers, and others who are engaged in artwork or layout design. New opportunities for art directors are emerging with the shift in focus from print design to digital design.

An art director that has proven skills in communication, creativity, leadership, and time management will find opportunities in several industries including specialized design services, manufacturing, motion picture, and digital marketing.

When hiring art directors, it’s important to understand that it takes more than just a creative vision and artistic experience. The role ultimately requires strong leadership ability, because art directors have to work collaboratively across departments to strategize, manage, and execute their vision.

Art Director Job Description and Ad Template

Copy this template, and modify it as your own:

Company Introduction

{{Write a short and catchy paragraph about your company. Make sure to provide information about the company’s culture, perks, and benefits. Include office hours, remote working possibilities, and anything else you think makes your company interesting.}}

Job Description

We are seeking an Art Director to concept and execute creative campaigns that blend storytelling and visual innovation. The ideal candidate will be able to express their ideas clearly, provide direction and leadership to team members, execute company objectives, and partner with cross-functional departments on strategy and execution.

You will lead a global team of graphic designers, illustrators, and remote talent (UX and UI designers).

Responsibilities

You will work in a creative, fast-paced environment that requires proven leadership and vision execution by partnering with cross-functional departments to translate business and marketing objectives into ideas that are clear, compelling, and visually exciting.

More responsibilities in detail:

  • Responsible for managing and supporting a team of graphic designers to bring concepts, presentations, and prototypes to life. Collaborate on the ideation and development of innovative marketing campaigns.
  • Participate in the execution of the entire creative process within an allotted time frame and budget.
  • Work with project managers and associate creative directors to ensure that schedules are accurate and realistic and deadlines met.
  • Lead presentations and effectively communicate a creative vision.
  • Collaborate with managers, designers, writers, other marketing team members, and external stakeholders to ensure the appropriate concepts, themes, and messages are represented effectively and consistently for the business objective(s) and audience(s).
  • Strong conceptual, graphic design, type, and page layout skills for projects ranging from print to interactive to broadcast.
  • Stay on top of the latest standards, processes, and trends in the visual design field.
  • Responsible for all pre-production meetings for projects including photoshoots, video editing, broadcast, and fulfillment.
  • {{Add other relevant responsibilities here}}

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, fine arts, or related field.
  • Three or more years of hands-on experience with logo design, typography, color, web layout design, print production, image selection, and package design; proficient use of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, or other visual design and wireframing tools; demonstratable graphic design skills with a strong portfolio.
  • Ability to present creative work internally and to clients.
  • Ability to collaborate with copywriters and graphic designers.
  • Ability to collect and interpret feedback.
  • A well-rounded portfolio of client work, demonstrating a strong understanding of client objectives.
  • Ability to critically communicate and persuade around design concepts.
  • Passion for design; not satisfied with status quo and always thinking of ways to improve.
  • Ability to motivate and inspire top performance against assigned projects.
  • Dynamic, creative personality, effective at engaging and influencing a variety of audiences.
  • Must understand design in multiple mediums — print, digital, mobile.
  • {{List education level or certification you require}}
See also:Toptal’s growing, community-driven list of essential Art Direction interview questions

Recent Art Direction Articles by Toptal Designers

Find the right Art Direction interview questions

Read a list of great community-driven Art Direction interview questions.
Read them, comment on them, or even contribute your own.

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