Art Director Job Description

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An art director (AD) is a creative role most often found in creative fields such as film and television, graphic design, advertising, marketing, publishing, web design, and video game design. Art director jobs will vary by company, but the responsibilities generally include developing conceptual ideation and delivering a captivating visual message to the reader, viewer, or user. The art director often works as a team with a copywriter on a creative project. A successful AD is a good collaborator who’s open to the inspiration, ideas, and expertise of the people around them.

To hire a talented art director who fits well within your company, create a solid job description. You can use the template below as a starting point and tailor it to your individual needs.

Sample art director job description

[CompanyX] is driven by innovation and design. We’re searching for an experienced art director to take the helm of our art department, guiding an extremely talented team of designers who are known for exceptional creativity. The ideal art director will bring a mix of artistic, marketing, and business expertise to the position, promoting our company and that of our valued clients. We are looking for an experienced manager, who can inspire and be inspired by others to take our creative efforts to the next level. The ideal candidate will have a natural eye for design and a passion for delivering dynamic ideas that connect with any audience.

Objectives of this role

Oversee the art department by hiring, training, assigning, scheduling, and mentoring staff
Establish art department standards for production, productivity, quality, and client service
Ensure team adheres to current processes, identifies opportunities for improvement, and proposes and creates processes and tools to support design operations
Collaborate with marketing and sales divisions in creating marketing plans and aligning team priorities with business objectives so that high-quality work is delivered on time and on budget
Develop presentation approaches, styles, and techniques for the team
Analyze market trends, consumer needs, and the competitor landscape, and track campaign performance

Responsibilities

Work with entire team on a creative audit to elevate innovation and establish a unified brand understanding and company voice
Conceptualize campaign vision, harnessing original graphics, copy, website content, social media, and other marketing materials
Develop creative briefs based on ideas from brainstorming sessions, with direction, schedules, and deliverables for the creative team
Delegate projects to in-house designers and oversee storyboards
Obtain team approval of final layouts, storyboards, and illustrations; encourage members to provide feedback; and respond to internal commentary and requests
Oversee presentation of final concepts and coordinate production and dissemination for cross-organizational use

Required skills and qualifications

Eight or more years of professional experience in graphic design, with four or more years in a management role
Proficiency with design software such as Adobe Creative Cloud
Exceptional ability in typography, layout, and prototyping
Highly skilled in leading a team of creatives
Strong creative vision with attention to business objectives

Preferred skills and qualifications

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in fine art, graphic design, or similar discipline
Experience as an art director
Experience in web development
Solid knowledge of photography and video production

What does an art director do?

How to write an art director job description