Design Director, Opinion

Society for News Design; Northern, New York (KY, NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Stock options

Medical, dental, and vision

401(k) plan

Paid vacation and sick days

Job summary

The New York Times Opinion design department is seeking a Design Director to partner with editors and visual teams to elevate our Opinion coverage across platforms. We are looking for an idea generator and storyteller who translates complex ideas into accessible visual experiences.

As a hands-on lead, you will guide the design team, art direct creative solutions, and shape story flow. This in-office role is based in New York City, with four days in the office weekly and some remote flexibility

Qualifications

• 10+ years of print and digital design experience.
• 5+ years managing designers/art directors in media or news.
• Proven ability to generate multiple visual concepts under tight deadlines.
• Expertise in commissioning and art directing global talent.
• Strong typography and editorial layout portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Shape and maintain the visual approach for Sunday Opinion across platforms.
• Direct and inspire the design team; act as hands-on visual editor.
• Collaborate with editors, graphics, photo, video, and product teams on packages.
• Lead a global network of external illustrators and photographers.
• Maintain typography and layout standards; establish efficient workflows.
• Support journalistic independence and mission of the organization.
• Report to the Creative Director, Opinion.

Skills

Design experience

People management

Concept development

Art direction

Design tools

Portfolio excellence

Tools

Figma

InDesign

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

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• 10+ years of print and digital design experience
• 5+ years managing designers/art directors in a media or news environment
• Proven experience generating multiple visual concepts and adapt to shifting, fast-paced news cycles
• Expertise in commissioning and art directing global creative talent across illustration, photography, typography and motion
• Deep expertise of design fundamentals and tools, including Figma, InDesign, and Adobe Creative Suite
• A portfolio showcasing high-level conceptual thinking, typography, and complex editorial layouts

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong communication skills with the ability to articulate visual concepts through sketches, wireframes, and cross-functional presentations
• Demonstrated skill in building collaborative environments that foster trust, mentorship, and professional growth
• Working knowledge of UX/UI principles, interactive storytelling formats, and front-end design constraints
• A highly developed eye for emerging trends in illustration, photography, and visual media
• Demonstrated experience optimizing design workflows under tight deadlines.
• Adaptability to work flexible schedules, including nights or weekends as breaking news demands

Candidate Use of GenAI Tools

We're excited to learn more about you and your experience. To keep our hiring process as fair and authentic as possible, we ask that you submit your own work and not use GenAI tools to generate substantive content during the application and interview process.

If you're an engineering candidate, we'll let you know what specific GenAI tools you are permitted to use for your technical assessment.

Description

The New York TimesOpinion design department is seeking a Design Director to partner with editors and visual teams to elevate and distinguish our Opinion coverage across all platforms.
We are looking for an idea generator and passionate storyteller who approaches visual solutions in unexpected ways, translating complex ideas into accessible narrative experiences.
As a lead design role, this position balances strategic vision with hands-on execution. You will guide and mentor the design team, art direct creative solutions through wide-ranging commissions, and step directly into digital projects as a visual editor—shaping story flow, defining lead visuals, and setting the overarching design direction.

This is an in-office position, based in New York City and includes regular attendance in the office four days each week. There may be some flexibility to work remotely per your departmental guidance.

Responsibilities

• Shape, protect and maintain the visual approach for the Sunday Opinion section and covers, digital interactive packages, daily report, newsletters, title graphics and promotional art to support all stories on and off platform, all while maintaining brand distinction from the newsroom
• Direct and inspire the design team to develop strong concepts, and give feedback for impactful executions; step in as a hands-on visual editor to define story flow and lead visuals
• Partner with editors, graphics, photo, video, audio, and product teams to plan upcoming packages and cover stories, and build multi-platform narrative experiences
• Build and guide a diverse global network of external illustrators, photographers, and artists to collaborate on initial pitch through final execution
• Maintain rigorous typography, layout, and graphic standards while establishing efficient workflows to meet tight newsroom deadlines and stakeholder feedback, within budget
• Demonstrate support and understanding of ourvalue of journalistic independenceand a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world
• You will report to the Creative Director, Opinion

Salary & Benefits

Additional Compensation and Benefits

• For roles in the U.S., dependent on your role, you may be eligible for variable pay, such as an annual bonus and restricted stock.
• Benefits may include medical, dental and vision benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (F.S.A.s), a company-matching 401(k) plan, employee stock purchase plan, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement and professional development programs.

For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview process.

Company

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It's why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It's why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it's why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it's worth paying for.