Art Director, Social

Critical Mass; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A creative digital agency in Toronto is seeking an Art Director, Social to lead innovative social media projects across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The ideal candidate should have 4+ years of education and 3+ years of experience in design, with a strong portfolio in social media. This role requires a collaborative spirit and strong leadership abilities, aiming to foster team excellence while meeting client objectives.

Qualifications

• Strong design portfolio with social media work samples.
• Experience leading a team of designers and content creators.
• Proficiency across graphic design, photography, and video editing.

Responsibilities

• Develop and communicate creative concepts for social platforms.
• Mentor and coach teams through project development.
• Stay updated with social platform trends and strategies.

Skills

Creative thinking

Team leadership

Design portfolio

Social media strategy

Communication skills

Education

4+ years formal education

3+ years in design and interactive media

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Figma

Motion design tools

Job description

As anArt Director, Social, you're the creative force behind everything we put out into the digital world. You live and breathe social culture—you know what makes people stop scrolling, what stories resonate, and how to make each platform sing. You'll develop bold concepts, lead a talented team of designers and creators, and work with clients to bring their visions to life across TikTok, Instagram, and beyond. You're part strategist, part artist, part cheerleader—and you've got the mentorship and team to grow into a creative leader. If you're obsessed with design, storytelling, and the craft of social media, this is your role.

You Will:

• Develop and communicate creative concepts optimized for social platforms while directing and delegating to core creative services disciplines
• Directly contribute to project design and development including creating storyboards, initial graphic concepts, mockups, prototypes, and provide QA of all creative deliverables
• Balance strategic development with client business objectives and platform-specific requirements
• Mentor and coach teams through project development and performance management
• Build relationships with clients, partner agencies, photographers, illustrators, influencers, and production vendors
• Contribute to the innovative development of the creative department's social capabilities
• Lead and partner with designers, production artists, content creators, writers, and social strategists
• Participate in strategic brainstorming, campaign development, creative brief development, and creative execution with a social-first mindset
• Stay at the forefront of social platform trends and translate platform strategies into curated executions for each channel (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.)
• Iterate on creative concepts with resilience and resourcefulness, embracing feedback and continuously refining ideas until landing on something truly unique

You Have:

• 4+ years of formal education and 3+ years of experience in design and interactive media
• Deep knowledge of social platforms and how to execute effectively within each (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.)
• Strong design portfolio with social media work samples
• Experience leading a team of designers, production specialists, writers, and content creators
• Experience meeting clients and presenting your work
• Experience with strategic brainstorming, campaign development, creative brief development, and creative execution
• Multi-hyphenate creative capabilities: proficiency across graphic design, photography, video editing, and copywriting—particularly within social media formats
• A proven aptitude for quick creative thinking with acute attention to detail within demanding deadlines
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and a motivated dedication to the creative team
• Proficiency with Mac OS, Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects), Figma, and understanding of motion design and video production workflows
• Leadership abilities to foster learning and excellence among team members
• Illustration skills in both electronic and traditional media
• Proven ability to build and maintain a brand presence across digital platforms
• Collaborative spirit: you prefer to elevate your teammates' ideas and work together to strengthen creative solutions—no "hero ball" here

We expect this team to work from an office 3 days a week.

Critical Mass is an equal opportunity employer.

Aboriginal Peoples Definition:

Aboriginal Peoples means persons who are defined as: Indians (more commonly referred to as First Nations), Inuit, or Métis.

Members of Visible Minorities Definition:

Members of Visible Minorities means persons, other than Aboriginal people, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in color.

• Black (e.g. African, Caribbean, Other)
• Arab (e.g. Middle Eastern, North African, etc.)
• Asian and Southeast Asian (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thais, etc.)
• West Asian (e.g. Armenian, Iranian, Persian, Egyptian, Turkish, etc.)
• Other (e.g. Latin American, Pacific Islander, etc.)

Persons with Disabilities Definition:

Persons with Disabilities means persons who have a physical or mental impairment or medical condition that substantially limits a major life activity, or if you have a history or record of such an impairment or medical condition.

As set forth in Critical Mass’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.