Sr. Art Director

Publicis Health; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicis Canada is seeking a Senior Art Director to lead the visual direction for health and pharmaceutical campaigns across print, digital, and experiential channels. The role demands concept-driven work, a sharp design eye, collaboration with Copy, Strategy, and Accounts, and a strong craft ethic.

The ideal candidate brings 6+ years in design/art direction, a compelling portfolio, and fluency with Adobe Creative Suite.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience in design and art direction.
• Strong portfolio showing concept-driven work and high craft.
• Pharma advertising experience is preferred.
• Experience leading visual execution across integrated campaigns.
• Proven ability to take work from concept to final production.
• Deep understanding of typography, layout, colour and composition.

Responsibilities

• Lead the visual direction of campaigns across multiple channels (print, OOH, digital, social, experiential).
• Translate strategic briefs into strong, distinctive creative concepts.
• Set and maintain high visual standards across all brand touchpoints.
• Own art direction from concept through final production.
• Partner with Copy, Strategy, and Account teams to shape ideas early.
• Present work clearly and confidently to internal teams and clients.
• Mentor and guide intermediate and junior designers/art directors.

Skills

Art direction

Design concepts

Typography

Adobe Creative Suite

Presentation skills

Tools

InDesign

Photoshop

Illustrator

Figma

Job description

Publicis is an omni-channel communications agency with over 600 employees across our Canadian operations. The office is the largest in our industry in Canada and boasts talent across various disciplines of marketing and advertising expertise. Publicis carries a balanced split of Canadian, U.S. and Global clients for which we are Agency of Record. Publicis supports a range of D&I actions through our Driving Change team as well as giving back to the community through a long-standing participation in the Out of the Cold Program. With a strong, active and familial culture, Pub United is the agency’s social club, hosting events as wide reaching as Curling, Trivia Nights and more.

Overview

We’re looking for a Senior Art Director with experience across the Canadian and U.S. healthcare landscape to help shape bold, effective work for a diverse roster of health and pharmaceutical clients. This is a hands-on role for a visual storyteller who thrives on building ideas from concept to execution; crafting compelling, cross-channel communications that drive campaigns, build brands, and perform across multiple platforms and verticals. The ideal candidate brings strong conceptual thinking, a sharp design eye, a collaborative mindset, and an uncompromising passion for craft and quality.

Responsibilities

• Lead the visual direction of campaigns across multiple channels (print, OOH, digital, social, experiential)
• Translate strategic briefs into strong, distinctive creative concepts
• Set and maintain high visual standards across all brand touchpoints
• Own art direction from concept through final production
• Partner closely with Copy, Strategy, and Account teams to shape ideas early
• Present work clearly and confidently to internal teams and clients
• Mentor and guide intermediate and junior designers/art directors
• Provide clear, constructive feedback to elevate team output
• Ensure work aligns with brand guidelines while pushing creative boundaries
• Oversee photography, illustration, typography, and motion direction
• Collaborate with producers and vendors to manage timelines and deliverables
• Review and approve final assets for quality, consistency, and craft
• Stay current on design, culture, and industry trends to inform creative work
• Contribute to pitches, new business efforts, and creative sell-through
• Balance creative ambition with practical constraints (budget, timelines, platforms)

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience in design and art direction
• Strong portfolio demonstrating concept-driven work and high craft
• Pharma advertising experience is preferred
• Experience leading visual execution across integrated campaigns
• Proven ability to take work from concept to final production
• Deep understanding of typography, layout, colour, and composition
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator); Figma a strong plus
• Experience directing photography, illustration, and other visual collaborators
• Strong presentation and storytelling skills
• Ability to give and receive constructive creative feedback
• Experience mentoring junior and intermediate creatives
• Strong organizational and time-management skills

Additional Information

Transparency matters to us. The salary range for this position is $100,000 to $105,000 per year. Actual compensation within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and applicable certifications. This range reflects what we reasonably expect to offer based on current market data.

AI Use

We use artificial intelligence tools to support parts of our hiring process, such as reviewing applications or analysing resumes. These tools assist our recruitment team but never replace human decision-making. We believe in a human-first approach, where your experience and potential are recognised by people.

Publicis Canada is committed to building a diverse workforce representative of our community. We encourage and are pleased to consider all qualified candidates, without regard to race, colour, citizenship, religion, sex, marital / family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, aboriginal status, age, disability or persons who may require an accommodation, to apply. If you require a specific accommodation please contact Human Resources.