Art Director

We Are Social; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Passport program to work from other offices worldwide

Great snacks provided

Dynamic and inclusive work culture

Job summary

A leading creative agency in New York is looking for an Art Director to bridge strategy and visual execution. The role involves crafting compelling ideas, managing project delivery, and guiding junior team members. Candidates should have 2-3 years of agency experience, a strong portfolio, and expert proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite. The agency promotes a culture of creativity and welcome diverse perspectives, ensuring an inclusive work environment.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years of agency experience with a strong portfolio.
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strong knowledge of advertising fundamentals and emerging platforms.

Responsibilities

• Create compelling ideas that resonate with target audiences.
• Design within brand guidelines while striving for excellence.
• Lead projects from inception to delivery and maintain quality control.

Skills

Art direction skills

Concept development

Visual storytelling

Team collaboration

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Motion design

Job description

THE ROLE

We Are Social is looking for a culture-hungry Art Director to join our team that wants to make cool stuff that people will love. You are a conceptual leader responsible for bridging the gap between strategy and visual execution. You craft compelling, brand-aligned ideas that resonate with target audiences while maintaining the agency’s elite standards of craftsmanship. You serve as a key independent driver of projects, navigating complex constraints to transform creative briefs into immersive visual experiences.

WE ARE

A creative agency powered by social connections. That means we thrive on what’s trending and creating campaigns that get people buzzing. We call it “Ideas Worth Talking About,” and we're proud to have played a part in some of the most culturally relevant campaigns of the decade for brands like McDonald’s, Adidas, Universal Studios, and YouTube.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT HERE

• We like to laugh, we live for celeb gossip and we’re great on AUX
• Our passport program lets you explore and work from one of our 18 other offices worldwide, including Paris, Singapore, Madrid, Dubai, London and more
• You best believe we know how to celebrate our wins. And our losses (it’s how we learn)
• From carbon offsets to community kitchens, we’re passionate about making a difference
• Did we say snacks? Because we have great snacks (Shoutout to Sheila who keeps the kitchen stocked)

YOU ARE

• A person who thrives in a fast-paced environment, responding quickly and proactively
• Not interested in just following trends – you want to create them
• A self-starter, who’ll take ideas from concept to execution, navigating feedback like a pro

What matters is your deep understanding of what resonates with social audiences. This role is energetic, innovative and forward-thinking. Alongside engaging with communities, you’ll guide brands by staying ahead of social trends and cultural moments. In return, you’ll join a global agency dedicated to generating buzzworthy ideas for some of the world’s leading brands.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Concept and create strong, compelling ideas that resonate with target audiences
• Understand the structure of a brand’s identity and how the visual and verbal executions come together to create a holistic brand experience
• Design for clients and agency new business efforts, working within brand guidelines while pushing for design excellence.
• Generate innovative and visually compelling ideas that align with client objectives, translating abstract strategies into concrete, sophisticated visual systems
• Lead creative workstreams from inception to delivery, demonstrating the ability to manage workloads and deadlines independently while maintaining absolute quality control
• Find creative solutions that protect the integrity of the core idea while navigating real-world challenges such as budget constraints, tight timelines, and evolving client needs
• Clearly communicate design concepts and rationale to team members and stakeholders using a mix of verbal, written, and high-fidelity visual references
• Act as a guiding resource for junior team members, providing constructive feedback and helping them refine their conceptual and technical skills

• Ideate and build effective stories that match the quality of each social platform
• Work collaboratively with a large team of creatives from ideation to execution – helping to ensure ideas are created and brought to life
• Use AI to rapidly generate creative headlines and copy provocations, ensuring that visual concepts and messaging are perfectly synchronized from the start
• Translate the latest AI capabilities into tangible creative opportunities, such as proposing generative video for pre-roll ads or developing a proprietary AI image style to define a brand's visual identity
• Maintain a deep mastery of art direction principles, including composition, color theory, and typography, ensuring AI outputs are polished to professional agency standards

REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS ROLE

• 2-3 years of agency experience with a portfolio that demonstrates strong art direction skills, specifically in concept development and visual storytelling
• Expert proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite and foundational knowledge of motion design
• Strong knowledge of advertising fundamentals, including brand development, strategy, storytelling, design, new/emerging platforms and technologies
• Ability to interpret feedback constructively and apply it to work in real-time
• A flexible mindset that can pivot between different brand voices and project types
• Team-first attitude with the ability to clearly articulate ideas to colleagues both verbally and in writing

JOIN US

At We Are Social, we celebrate diverse perspectives and experiences. We welcome unique voices and talents, especially those not traditionally embraced by advertising. Discover more about our culture and our work.

We Are Social is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For California applicants, you may view We Are Social's Privacy Notice for California Employees and Job Applicants at https://wearesocial.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/07/CA-Employee-and-Job-Applicant-CPRA-Notice.pdf