Art Director

Paradowski Creative Inc.; United States; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Floating holidays

Parental and birth recovery leave

Life insurance

Job summary

Paradowski Creative Inc. in St. Louis seeks an Art Director to shape ideas across brand campaigns, digital experiences, social content, and print with a hands‑on, craft‑driven mindset.

You will partner with writers, strategists, and account leads to carry concepts from concept through polished execution, mentoring junior designers and staying current on design trends and AI tools. This role offers remote or hybrid work, collaboration across disciplines, and growth by contributing a point of view

Qualifications

• 3+ years of agency or design studio experience.
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and other core design tools.
• A portfolio that shows range across digital, social, and print.
• Strong conceptual thinking paired with the visual skill to execute it well.
• Comfort presenting and defending creative decisions to internal teams and clients.
• A collaborative mindset and the flexibility to move between accounts and project types.
• Demonstrated curiosity about and application of generative AI tools, and an understanding of how they can enhance (not replace) the creative process.
• Experience in UX/web design, motion, or spatial/environmental design.

Responsibilities

• Create visual design and art direction across brand campaigns, digital experiences, social content, and print
• Translate creative briefs and strategy into concepts and executions that are original, on-brand, and built to perform
• Partner with writers, strategists, and account teams to develop ideas collaboratively and keep creative work grounded in real audience needs
• Present creative work internally and to clients with confidence, articulating the thinking behind the design
• Collaborate with developers, motion designers, and production partners to carry design intent through to final execution
• Give and receive feedback openly, contributing to a culture of craft and constructive critique
• Support and mentor junior designers when opportunities arise
• Flex across multiple accounts and project types, adapting tone, style, and approach to fit each brand
• Stay current on design trends, tools, and emerging technology, including AI, and bring what you learn back to the team

Skills

Agency design experience

Strong visual craft

Client presenting

Collaboration

Generative AI curiosity

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Job description

Paradowski Creative is an independent, full-service creative agency based in St. Louis. We bring strategy, creativity, technology, and craft together to create experiences that spark curiosity, invite participation, and help brands build meaningful connections with people. Our teams work collaboratively across disciplines to solve complex business challenges and produce work that is thoughtful, effective, and made with care. We value creative play, clear thinking, accountability, strong relationships, and people who care about both the quality of the work and how it gets made.

The Role

As an Art Director, you’ll bring visual craft and creative thinking to a range of accounts and project types, from brand campaigns and digital experiences to social content and print. You’ll work across multiple teams and clients rather than owning a single account, partnering closely with writers, strategists, and account leads to shape ideas and carry them from concept through polished, on-strategy execution. Good design isn’t decoration; it’s how a brand connects with people, and this role is where that thinking meets craft.

What You’ll Do

Creative Development

• Create visual design and art direction across brand campaigns, digital experiences, social content, and print
• Translate creative briefs and strategy into concepts and executions that are original, on-brand, and built to perform
• Partner with writers, strategists, and account teams to develop ideas collaboratively and keep creative work grounded in real audience needs

Client and Team Collaboration

• Present creative work internally and to clients with confidence, articulating the thinking behind the design
• Collaborate with developers, motion designers, and production partners to carry design intent through to final execution
• Give and receive feedback openly, contributing to a culture of craft and constructive critique
• Support and mentor junior designers when opportunities arise

Range and Adaptability

• Flex across multiple accounts and project types, adapting tone, style, and approach to fit each brand
• Stay current on design trends, tools, and emerging technology, including AI, and bring what you learn back to the team

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of agency or design studio experience
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and other core design tools
• A portfolio that shows range and craft across digital, social, and print
• Strong conceptual thinking paired with the visual skill to execute it well
• Comfort presenting and defending creative decisions to internal teams and clients
• A collaborative mindset and the flexibility to move between accounts and project types
• Demonstrated curiosity about and application of generative AI tools, and an understanding of how they can enhance (not replace) the creative process

Additional or Bonus Experience

• Experience in UX/web design, motion, or spatial/environmental design

At Paradowski, craft and curiosity drive the work. You’ll collaborate across disciplines with people who care as much about how the work gets made as the final result, with room to grow, contribute a point of view, and build a career alongside people who take the work seriously without taking themselves too seriously.

Paradowski is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, military service or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Paradowski offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible full-time employees, including multiple medical plan options, dental and vision coverage, a 401(k) with company match, paid time off, paid holidays and floating holidays, paid parental and birth recovery leave, employer-paid basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and employee wellbeing and professional-development resources. Eligibility and coverage are subject to the applicable plan terms.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. As a condition of employment, all new employees are required to complete the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) and provide documentation establishing identity and work authorization.

Work Arrangement: Remote or Hybrid

• This role is open to remote candidates. Remote employees should be available during core working hours and may occasionally be asked to travel to St. Louis, MO, or other locations for team meetings, client needs, shoots, events, or other key moments.
• St. Louis-based employees are generally in the office Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with Tuesday and Friday designated as remote, no-meeting days. Business or client needs may occasionally require in-person participation outside of this pattern.