Art Director

Hard Problems; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 87,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Smith College in Northampton, MA seeks an Art Director to lead creative and graphic design services, ensuring the college brand is consistently applied across print and digital media. You will manage a team of designers and guide projects from concept to completion.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Marketing, you will collaborate with Admissions, Advancement, and campus partners, develop the self-service brand kit, and oversee photo and video shoots.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or Fine Arts.
• 8 or more years of design experience in higher education, an in‑house marketing team, or an agency setting.
• Expert‑level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Express) and familiarity with web and digital platforms.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and a strong understanding of creative production processes across multiple platforms and media.
• Proven track record managing and developing creative teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and presentation skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Active driver's license and the ability to drive (for attending press checks with print vendors).
• A design portfolio is required as part of the application.

Responsibilities

• Protect, enforce, and evolve Smith's visual identity and brand guidelines across print, digital, and other media platforms, and contribute to brand strategy and creative standards.
• Partner with Admissions, Advancement, and other campus departments to support their visual communications needs, including recommendations on design, ink, and paper choices for print collateral.
• Conceptualize and execute marketing campaigns and produce a range of communications including brochures, invitations, advertisements, posters, and web graphics.
• Own and develop the self-service brand kit and template platform available to campus partners.
• Provide art direction to the Smith Quarterly Editor and supervise or art‑direct photo and video shoots, both studio and on-location.
• Manage a team of graphic designers, including hiring, coaching, performance decisions, and day‑to‑day project management across deadlines and budgets.
• Stay current with design trends, technologies, and best practices in higher education marketing.

Skills

Creative team leadership

Project management

Design leadership

Brand guidelines

Visual communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

Smith College is one of the largest women's liberal arts colleges in the United States, located in Northampton, MA. Dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts, it is a member of the Five College Consortium alongside Amherst, Hampshire, and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The College's Communications and Marketing department supports enrollment goals and strategic fundraising initiatives through creative communications and brand management.

The role

The Art Director reports to the Senior Director of Marketing and leads creative and graphic design services for the College. The role is responsible for ensuring the Smith College brand is consistently applied across all visual communications, and for producing communications that serve the College's many constituencies. The Art Director manages a team of graphic designers and oversees projects from concept to completion.

What you would do

• Protect, enforce, and evolve Smith's visual identity and brand guidelines across print, digital, and other media platforms, and contribute to brand strategy and creative standards.
• Partner with Admissions, Advancement, and other campus departments to support their visual communications needs, including recommendations on design, ink, and paper choices for print collateral.
• Conceptualize and execute marketing campaigns and produce a range of communications including brochures, invitations, advertisements, posters, and web graphics.
• Own and develop the self-service brand kit and template platform available to campus partners.
• Provide art direction to the Smith Quarterly Editor and supervise or art‑direct photo and video shoots, both studio and on-location.
• Manage a team of graphic designers, including hiring, coaching, performance decisions, and day‑to‑day project management across deadlines and budgets.
• Stay current with design trends, technologies, and best practices in higher education marketing.

What they are looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or Fine Arts.
• 8 or more years of design experience in higher education, an in‑house marketing team, or an agency setting.
• Expert‑level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Express) and familiarity with web and digital platforms.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and a strong understanding of creative production processes across multiple platforms and media.
• Proven track record managing and developing creative teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and presentation skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Active driver's license and the ability to drive (for attending press checks with print vendors).
• A design portfolio is required as part of the application.

Working arrangements

This is a full‑time, in‑person position based at Smith College in Northampton, MA. Travel to print vendors for press checks may be required.

Pay and benefits

Annualized pay for this role is typically between $86,593 and $117,155, covering the middle half of market compensation. Actual compensation will vary based on individual qualifications and work schedule. A competitive benefits package is also included.