Art Director, NYTT

ITP Media Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media organization in Dubai seeks an experienced Art Director to lead the visual identity for T: The New York Times Style Magazine MENA. The Art Director will drive the visual agenda across print and digital, with responsibilities including editorial design, photography direction, and brand stewardship. Candidates should have 8–10 years of experience in editorial design, mastery of design tools, and exceptional collaboration skills. A bilingual fluency in English/Arabic is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Experience in editorial/brand art direction with landmark portfolio.
• Mastery of typography and grid systems, photographic direction.
• Strong prepress knowledge and digital accessibility best practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead design execution of T MENA's visual identity across all platforms.
• Collaborate with editorial teams to achieve visual excellence.
• Direct photography shoots and oversee visual commissioning.

Skills

Visual Vision & Brand Stewardship

Editorial Design & Production

Collaboration

Photography Directing

Digital Accessibility

Education

8–10 years in editorial/brand art direction

Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud

Tools

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Photoshop

Figma

Job description

ITP Media Group is hiring an Art Director to lead the visual identity and design execution of T: The New York Times Style Magazine MENA across print, digital, social, video, audio and live experiences. Reporting to the Editor in Chief, the Art Director will drive the visual agenda, translate editorial ideas into striking culturally resonant design, and uphold world‑class standards in line with the global T brand while building a distinct regional aesthetic.

Requirements

1. Visual Vision & Brand Stewardship

   Working with our Group Art Director, define and codify T MENA’s visual language across all platforms: typography, colour, grid, photography, illustration, motion and UI/UX, balancing global T guidelines with a distinctive MENA sensibility.

   Own and maintain brand style guides, design systems and component libraries for print and digital; ensure consistent application across English and Arabic outputs (RTL considerations, bilingual typography).

   Partner with the Editor in Chief on cover concepts, tent‑pole packages and signature franchises; champion visual excellence and originality.

2. Editorial Design & Production

   Lead issue design from flatplan to final files: pacing, visual hierarchy, typography, image selection and layout craft for a monthly print cadence.

   Oversee digital design for feature templates, social franchises, newsletter layouts and article packaging; ensure responsive, accessible and on‑brand execution.

   Manage prepress and print production with our production team: colour management (CMYK conversions, ICC profiles), retouching standards, proof reviews, paper stock recommendations and press sign‑off.

3. Photography Shoots & Visual Commissioning

   Commission and direct photographers, stylists, set designers, illustrators and retouchers across fashion, portraiture, art/design and still life.

   Build shoot treatments and storyboards; lighting, styling and composition must meet T standards.

   Maintain a best‑in‑class roster of regional and international visual talent; source fresh voices and experimental approaches.

4. Cross‑Platform Motion & Social Aesthetics

   Set motion guidelines for video opens, lower thirds, kinetic type and graphic packages; partner with video leads on story packaging and colour grading.

   Create social‑first visual systems (Reels/Shorts, carousels, Stories, TikTok) that translate T’s refinement into high‑impact, platform‑native design.

   Oversee podcast identity systems (cover art, episode templates, waveform/video art) and live/experiential branding for talks, salons and exhibitions.

5. Collaboration with Church & State

   Collaborate with the Deputy Editor on schedules, flatplans and delivery milestones; ensure flawless handoffs between editorial design, photo and production.

   Partner with commercial PR and partnerships teams on branded content and special projects within licensor guidelines.

   Present creative to internal stakeholders and clients with clarity and conviction; adapt feedback without compromising craft.

6. Operations, Budget & Asset Management

   Implement efficient workflows, file architectures, store and label clearly in our DAM system for images, layouts and motion assets.

   Maintain rights and clearances documentation for imagery, artwork, fonts and music; coordinate with legal/standards when needed.

7. Talent Leadership & Culture

   Foster an inclusive, experimentation‑friendly culture that prioritises craft, originality and regional representation.

   Run portfolio reviews and contribute to talent scouting across the region.

8. Innovation & Benchmarking

   Track global design trends, print/digital craft, emerging tools (e.g., Figma components, generative/assistive AI, colour pipelines) and apply learnings judiciously.

   Pursue visual benchmarks, awards, showcases and exhibitions that raise T MENA’s profile and influence.

Qualifications

8–10 years in editorial/brand art direction with a portfolio of landmark covers/features and cross‑platform systems (print, web, social, motion).

Mastery of typography and grid systems; fluency in photographic direction, image editing and art production.

Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom), Capture One; working knowledge of After Effects/Premiere or equivalent motion tools; Figma or similar for digital systems.

Strong prepress knowledge (colour management, retouch supervision, proofing, press checks) and digital accessibility best practices.

Experience commissioning and directing photographers/illustrators; robust network in MENA and internationally.

Familiarity with Arabic typography and RTL layout is a strong plus; bilingual English/Arabic advantageous.

Exceptional collaboration, presentation and stakeholder management skills; calm under pressure, detail‑obsessed, deadline‑reliable.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

1. Visual quality and consistency across all platforms; achievement of recognized design benchmarks/awards.
2. Exceptional visual packaging across site and social; growth of visual franchises.
3. Strength and diversity of contributor network; talent development within the art team.
4. Client/stakeholder satisfaction on branded and white‑label projects delivered with editorial integrity.
5. Engagement of social and video content including dwell times and shares.