Art Director

GREY; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 45,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

GREY is hiring an Art Director (Advertising) in a hybrid environment in Toronto, Canada. The role involves collaborating with Copywriters to shape visual concepts, oversee production across print, TV and digital media, and ensure brand consistency for major clients.

You will lead design, typography decisions and manage timelines and budgets. The position emphasizes collaboration with photographers and production teams, with a strong focus on innovative, effective campaigns and client

Qualifications

• Strong visual and graphic design aesthetic sense.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Innovative and out-of-the-box thinker.
• Team player, with copywriters and producers.
• Awareness of current cultural trends in media and pop culture.
• Solid computer skills and software familiarity.
• Understanding of the business of communication, markets and competitors.
• Deep knowledge of executing creative work (design, photography, typography, production).

Responsibilities

• Participates in the graphic conceptualization of ideas with a Copywriter.
• Develops and realizes concepts within the marketing strategy.
• Oversees production of print, TV, websites and collateral materials.
• Speaks with clients to establish look, elements and content.
• Collaborates with photographers, illustrators and production partners.
• Ensures deadlines are met and budgets are respected.

Skills

Visual design

Organizational skills

Creative thinking

Team player

Cultural trends awareness

Computer skills

Market knowledge

Creative execution

Job description

Grey’s mission is to create Famously Effective ideas that move people, businesses, and the world forward, harnessing the power of creativity to solve business challenges and drive growth for some of the world’s most influential brands and companies, including Procter & Gamble, Volvo, Haleon, Circle K, and The Coca-Cola Company. That commitment to effectiveness has earned Grey a Grand Effie in every market where it operates. Grey was recognized as a 2025 Fast Company World Changing Ideas winner and earned 26 Lions at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, contributing to Ogilvy’s Network of the Year honors. Newsweek also named Grey a Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplace in 2024 and one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women and Professional Services in 2025. Grey is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.

About WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unitecutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counselin a single company –powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open,to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth.

JOB DESCRIPTION | Art Director (Advertising)

Overall Responsibilities

Participates, generally in tandem with a Copywriter, in the graphic conceptualization of creative ideas, developing and realizing the concepts, all within the marketing strategy. Specific duties include:

Creative

• Consults with various clients to establish overall look, graphic elements, and content of communications materials - produces bold, strategic and persuasive messages in all media for all clients.
• Seeks out and works with photographers, illustrators, type houses and other suppliers.
• Selects and recommends models, locations and props needed in photographic shooting. Supervises a photographer or an illustrator in final execution and visualization of the advertising idea.
• Executes layouts and storyboards for print, outdoor and television media, as well as collateral and point of purchase material.
• Specifies and designs the typography employed in print advertising. Supervises retouching and cropping of finished art and approves engravings.
• Responsible for the conception, design and execution of innovative visual materials for print, TV advertising and collateral uses.
• Creates and develops original, effective and memorable ideas, concepts and campaigns on a routine basis.
• Develops the graphic elements that meet clients’ objectives and participates in the development of ideas and visualization of concepts.
• Develops precise and ingenious brand-building creative base on the brief and transforms that idea into a visual image.
• Takes initiative in understanding all aspects of creative elements that go into executing an idea.
• Responsible for original visual conceptions, for type selections and art treatments.
• On concept approval, finds or creates the best visualization of the product within budget limits.
• Works closely with copywriter, account executive and production personnel as a team member to help develop and guide creative ideas on assigned accounts to produce effective themes and campaigns and to ensure uniformity of the brand.
• Possesses credibility and confidence to present and defend own ideas internally and externally when required.
• Demonstrates ability to understand and communicate the specific aspects of the product.
• Responsible for the execution and quality of print ads so the idea does not get lost during production.
• Work reflects an appropriate approach to objective, strategy and brand with minimum revisions required by the client.
• Understands how advertising works to solve marketing problems.

Production

• Oversees production to ensure ideas are executed properly including but not limited to print, TV commercials, and electronic materials such as websites, interactive terminals and web videos.
• Understands technically how concepts get produced.
• Has experience and knowledge in the latest production techniques.
• Maximizes department’s resources; is sensitive to cost considerations.
• Reviews key lines, rough cuts, etc. for accuracy before final production.

Client Relationships

• Knowledgeable about all aspects of the client’s business
• Builds client relationships; is viewed as a key resource.
• Prepares and presents creative materials effectively in a professional manner
• Respects the client budget constraints in the development of work.
• Demonstrates an ability to understand and communicate the technical aspects of the product to the client.
• Has the respect of client at all levels of exposure.

Team

• Contributes to the development of breakthrough work in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Collaborate with illustrators or photographers to produce original pieces for clients’ communications need.
• Displays professional courtesy to clients and co-workers; is considerate of their work schedules.
• Is a respected member of the core team; is someone that team members can count on.
• Demonstrates a respect for the core team; ensures they have adequate time to review, discuss and contribute to achieving the best work prior to client presentation.

General

• Secures approval of layouts and final art from the Account Services contact person and keeps him/her and the Associate Creative Director aware of pertinent account activity.
• Attends appropriate meetings and provides important information.
• Meets deadlines or secures advance approval if additional time is needed.
• Knowledgeable on execution costs for various creative elements.
• Monitors the progress of assigned projects through each phase of development.
• Ensures exposure on all mediums of creative execution (TV press, radio, outdoor, promotions).
• Maintains personal graphic resources, visual data, samples, graphic standards manuals, etc.

SKILL REQUIREMENTS

• In-depth knowledge of the execution of creative work, including designing, photography, typefaces, production processes, production houses, and costing.
• Strong visual and graphic design aesthetic sense.
• Excellent organizational skills
• Innovative: willing to come up with alternate solutions
• Out of the box thinker
• Team player, especially with copywriters and producers
• Possesses an awareness of the latest cultural trends by TV, movies, magazines and books.
• Computer savvy
• Good understanding of all facets of the business of communication, the market and our competitors.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications.

Salary Range

$45,000 - $95,000 CAD

We believe great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in-office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

GREY is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

If you need any assistance seeking a job opportunity, or if you need reasonable accommodation with the application process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note that this contact is only for candidates who are requesting accommodation. Emails for other purposes, including application status requests, will not receive a response.

Please be aware of the possibility of recruiting fraud. GREY does not conduct interviews via instant messaging platforms and will never request personal financial information such as bank account numbers, credit card information, or payment of any kind during the hiring process. All legitimate communication will come from an official @ GREY .com email address. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it to us immediately. Stay vigilant and protect your personal information.