Art Director, Nail Brand

Kiss Products; Port Washington (NY); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium Medical Insurance Coverage

401(k) Savings Plan

Paid Time Off (PTO) based on seniority

Paid Holidays

Annual Bonus Plan

Onsite Employee Fitness Center with In

Job summary

Kiss Products in Port Washington, NY, is hiring an Art Director to lead visual art direction across Kiss and Impress nail brands. The hybrid role focuses on developing lifestyle and still-life photography concepts for press-on nails and translating brand direction into polished assets for digital and print.

You will direct photoshoots on set, create moodboards, work with photographers and designers, and ensure color accuracy, product visibility, and on-brand storytelling across packaging, PDPs,

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of professional experience in art direction, with a focus on photography and visual direction for beauty, cosmetics, nail, fashion, or consumer product brands.
• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Photography, Fine Arts, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience leading photoshoots on set, including concept development, moodboards, shot lists, model and styling direction, and image selection.
• Portfolio demonstrating lifestyle and still-life photography direction, including model images, product and package shots, and close-up or hand imagery.
• Experience providing retouching direction, including writing retouching notes and managing outsourced retouchers through final approval.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom) and Figma or similar tools for moodboards, layouts, and image review.
• Strong understanding of composition, lighting, color, typography, and visual storytelling across digital and print.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional alignment across creative, marketing, product, and multimedia.
• High attention to detail in color accuracy, product visibility, image quality, and final asset readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead visual art direction for the Kiss and Impress nail brands, aligning photography and visual assets with brand identity and the Nail Division’s business goals.
• Plan and direct on-trend lifestyle and still-life photoshoot concepts for press-on nails, informed by Brand marketing campaign direction and nail tip designs.
• Translate campaign and product goals into clear visual direction using the brand guidebooks.
• Create moodboards and shot lists for photoshoots and visual asset production.
• Direct visual assets for digital and print, including model images, package creative shots, and hand shots.
• Art direct photoshoots on set with the photographer, covering models, nail designs, styling, props, composition, and lighting.
• Participate in shoot kickoff discussions to align the Brand team and the in-house multimedia team on concept, schedule, and deliverables.
• Communicate internally on shoot status, direction, and changes to keep stakeholders aligned.

Skills

Art direction

Photography direction

Brand storytelling

Moodboarding

On-set directing

Collaboration

Adobe Creative Cloud

Figma

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Photography, Fine Arts

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Figma

Job description

Kiss Products is seeking an Art Director to lead visual art direction across the Kiss and Impress nail brands. This hybrid role in Port Washington, NY focuses on developing on-trend lifestyle and still-life photography concepts for press-on nails, and translating brand and campaign direction into polished final assets for digital and print.

What you will do

• Lead visual art direction for the Kiss and Impress nail brands, aligning photography and visual assets with brand identity and the Nail Division’s business goals.
• Plan and direct on-trend lifestyle and still-life photoshoot concepts for press-on nails, informed by Brand marketing campaign direction and nail tip designs.
• Translate campaign and product goals into clear visual direction using the brand guidebooks.
• Create moodboards and shot lists for photoshoots and visual asset production.
• Direct visual assets for digital and print, including model images, package creative shots, and hand shots.
• Art direct photoshoots on set with the photographer, covering models, nail designs, styling, props, composition, and lighting.
• Participate in shoot kickoff discussions to align the Brand team (marketing and product) and the in-house multimedia team on concept, schedule, and deliverables.
• Communicate internally on shoot status, direction, and changes to keep stakeholders aligned.
• Select final images with a focus on nail design accuracy, product visibility, package color accuracy, and brand consistency.
• Write clear retouching notes and provide direction when retouching is outsourced, reviewing revisions until final approval.
• Perform final quality control for color accuracy, nail and product detail, skin tone, and overall image quality.
• Organize and name final assets so the Design, web, e-commerce, and marketing teams can use them quickly.
• Collaborate with the in-house multimedia team’s photographers, Brand marketing and product managers, and Design teams for package and web.
• Work with graphic and web designers on Brand Design Teams 1 and 2, providing feedback so photography is applied effectively across packaging, PDPs, banners, and campaigns.
• Research beauty, nail, fashion, and social trends, and apply them to photography direction to keep brand visuals fresh.
• Contribute to the evolution of brand photography standards and reference libraries.

Reporting and collaboration

• Report directly to the Creative Director, presenting concepts, shoot plans, and results for review and approval.
• Serve as an individual contributor with no direct people-management responsibility.
• Provide art direction and creative guidance to designers on Brand Design Teams 1 and 2 while coordinating across the multimedia team, Brand team, and external vendors.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of professional experience in art direction, with a focus on photography and visual direction for beauty, cosmetics, nail, fashion, or consumer product brands.
• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Photography, Fine Arts, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience leading photoshoots on set, including concept development, moodboards, shot lists, model and styling direction, and image selection.
• Portfolio demonstrating lifestyle and still‑life photography direction, including model images, product and package shots, and close‑up or hand imagery.
• Experience providing retouching direction, including writing retouching notes and managing outsourced retouchers through final approval.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom) and Figma or similar tools for moodboards, layouts, and image review.
• Strong understanding of composition, lighting, color, typography, and visual storytelling across digital and print.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for cross‑functional alignment across creative, marketing, product, and multimedia.
• High attention to detail in color accuracy, product visibility, image quality, and final asset readiness.

Tools

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom
• Figma

Location, pay, and work setup

• Location: Port Washington, NY (hybrid)
• Salary: USD 69,000 to 137,000 per year
• Travel: Regular travel not expected; occasional travel may be required for off‑site photoshoots, meetings, training, or other work‑related tasks.

Benefits

• Premium Medical Insurance Coverage
• 401(k) Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO) based on seniority
• Paid Holidays
• Annual Bonus Plan
• Onsite Employee Fitness Center with Indoor Racquetball Court and Yoga Room
• Summer Fridays
• Complimentary Gourmet Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
• Relocation Support for New Hires
• Work Anniversary Recognitions
• Congratulatory & Condolence Gifts
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• License/Certification Reimbursements
• Corporate Employee Discounts
• Visa Sponsorships (100% paid by the company): New H-1B, H-1B Transfer, O-1, and Green Card
• Commuter Support (Shuttle Bus Program and EZPass Support)
• Vehicle Perks

Language and education

• English proficiency required for day‑to‑day communication, project coordination, feedback review, and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Korean proficiency is preferred for communication with internal stakeholders.
• Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Visual Communication