Junior Art Director - Type 1

VML; Toronto; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading creative agency in Toronto is seeking an art director to collaborate on award-winning design campaigns. The ideal candidate has 1-3 years of experience, a strong portfolio, and a passion for visual storytelling. Responsibilities include leading art direction, crafting layouts, and managing projects with attention to detail. This role adopts a hybrid work model, fostering creativity and collaboration among teams.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of experience in visual design or art direction.
• Portfolio demonstrating solid fundamentals in design.
• Familiarity with integrated campaign work.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with teams to create concepts for clients.
• Lead art direction for various campaigns.
• Craft layouts and presentation decks.
• Support execution of campaigns with creative excellence.
• Present ideas to stakeholders and clients.
• Manage tasks across multiple projects maintaining quality.

Skills

Visual design

Art direction

Typography

Layout

Color theory

Brand application

Job description

Who We Are

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever‑evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end‑to‑end solutions that result in revolutionary work. Type1 is a fully integrated agency team made up of talented people from VML and Hogarth, built for Volkswagen, creating best‑in‑class work for a world‑class brand. We deliver award‑winning, creative ideas that work seamlessly across the full consumer journey — from brand and retail, to social, digital and CRM.

We’re looking for an art director who combines a positive attitude with bold, original thinking, a desire to create award‑winning work, and who wants to do the best work of their career. This person is as passionate about ideas as they are about their craft, eager to learn from senior creatives and excited to produce ideas that truly connect with audiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with a copywriter and teams of creatives and strategists to create best‑in‑class concepts that answer client briefs.
• Lead art direction for campaigns and projects from concept through delivery across digital, social, video, print, experiential, and OOH.
• Craft eye‑catching layouts, assets, and presentation decks that align with campaign ideas and brand guidelines.
• Support the execution of campaigns while maintaining creative excellence throughout the production process.
• Present ideas to internal stakeholders and clients.
• Manage tasks across multiple projects with high‑quality work and attention to detail while meeting deadlines.
• Work with print and digital studio to prepare files for production.
• Keep up to date with industry and cultural trends and the best ways to use them to bring their work to life.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of experience in visual design or art direction (agency or in‑house). Strong internship/freelance experience considered.
• Portfolio demonstrating solid fundamentals in typography, layout, color, and brand application across digital and social.
• Familiarity with integrated campaign work and content creation for paid/organic social.
• Understanding of basic production workflows (digital specs, print/prepress fundamentals, simple motion/video deliverables).
• Awareness of accessibility best practices (contrast, legibility, alt text in collaboration with partners).

We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

Equal Opportunity Statement

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.