Art Director, Visual Design

Critical Mass; Calgary; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in digital experiences is seeking an Art Director in Calgary. This role involves creating innovative design solutions while leading a team of creatives. The ideal candidate will have a strong design portfolio and experience in interactive work. The position requires in-office presence for effective collaboration and mentorship, with a focus on strategic development within a thriving creative department.

Benefits

Global maternity and parental leave

Competitive benefits packages

Vacation and wellness days

Diversity and Inclusion Board

Early Dismissal Fridays

Qualifications

• 5+ years design and interactive work experience.
• Experience leading a team towards creative excellence.
• Solid working knowledge of the latest design tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop concepts and design solutions in a collaborative environment.
• Mentor and coach team members through project development.
• Balance strategic development with client business objectives.

Skills

Communication

Creative Thinking

Attention to Detail

Team Leadership

Strategic Development

Tools

Adobe CS

Sketch

Principle

Job description

The Critical Mass team creates applications which drive one of the world’s most trafficked websites. We play an active role helping our client connect their consumers globally through mobile, digital, and in-store experiences.

Think of all the ways that we explore and purchase products - direct from the source, other retail stores both on and offline. This team focuses on maintaining the branding and human-centered design thinking and experiences throughout indirect channel partners digital ecosystem and drives strategies that provide customers with a thoughtful and engaging experience that stays on-brand.

The Art Director is responsible for conceptual development and the execution of creative deliverables. These responsibilities include creating and communicating concepts, implementing marketing strategies and developing interactive design solutions. Reporting to the Creative Director, the Art Director will work with and lead a collaborative team of designers, copywriters and production specialists. Balancing creative thinking with interpersonal skills, this person will demonstrate an ability to justify concepts to both the client and the project team.

This role is required to be in office 5 days per week.

You Will:

• Develop concepts, communicate ideas, and design solutions that meet or exceed strategicobjectivesin a highly collaborative and iterative studio environment
• Balance strategic development with client business objectives
• Direct & delegate to core creative services disciplines (design, information architecture, audio design, production and copywriting)
• Directly contribute to project design and development:
  - create storyboards / initial graphic concepts
  - conceive functional design solutions
  - create site grids and interface demos
• Provide quality assurance of all creative deliverables
• Mentor and coach team members through project development and performance management
• Build and maintain a rapport with clients, partner agencies and vendors
• Contribute to the innovative development of the creative department

You Have:

• Strong design portfolio with 5+ years design and interactive work experience
• Experience leading a team of designers, production specialists and writers to creative excellence
• Well-developed communication skills
• Ability to think creatively and justify concepts to clients and team members
• Experience with strategic brainstorming, campaign development, creative brief development and creative execution
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
• Proven aptitude for quick creative thinking with acute attention to detail within demanding deadlines
• Solid working knowledge of the latest design tools including Adobe CS, Sketch, Principle
• Passion for interactive storytelling, ecommerce, product design, or design systems
• Experience using video, motion samples and/or prototyping to sell your creative ideas to team members and stakeholders
• Comprehensive understanding of interaction and UI design
• Committed to the profession of visual communication

What we offer:

• Global maternity and parental leave
• Competitive benefits packages
• Vacation, compassionate leave, wellness days, and flex days
• Access to online services for families and new parents
• Early Dismissal Friday’s (off at 3:00 PM local time every Friday)
• Diversity and Inclusion Board with 13 affinity groups
• Internal learning and development programs
• Enterprise-wide employee discounts

Critical Mass is an equal opportunity employer.

The Critical Mass Talent Acquisition team will only communicate from email addresses that use the URLs criticalmass.comand us.greenhouse-mail.io. We will not use apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Google Hangouts for communicating with you. We will never ask you to send us money, technology, or anything else to work for our company. If you believe you are the victim of a scam, please review your local government consumer protections guidance and reach out to them directly.

If U.S. based: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams#avoid
If Canada based: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/finance/consumer-affairs.html
If U.K. based: https://www.gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights
If Costa Rica based: https://www.consumo.go.cr/educacion_consumidor/consejos_practicos.aspx