Senior Art Director

Atlantic Media; Washington; On-site; USD 105,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

The Atlantic is seeking a senior art director to lead the newsroom's visual identity and mentor the digital design team, ensuring high-quality output across journalism.

You will create original illustrations for daily coverage and digital features, commission and art direct from contributors, and occasionally work on special projects and print magazine assignments. A strong editorial sensibility and leadership across stories and deadlines are essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in editorial design, illustration, digital media, or related field.
• Experience in managing art directors and designers in journalism or news.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and visual storytelling.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with attention to detail.
• Experience maintaining brand identities across platforms.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma; motion graphics and video editing a plus.
• Clear and effective communication; comfortable in fast-paced news environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the newsroom's visual identity and mentor the design team.
• Develop original illustrations for daily coverage and features.
• Commission and art direct from contributors and manage multiple projects.
• Collaborate across stories, formats, and deadlines with creativity and rigor.

Skills

Editorial design

Art direction

Mentoring

Visual storytelling

Brand identity

Communication

Time management

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Figma

Job description

The Atlantic is looking for a senior art director to join the newsroom and play a central role in shaping and maintaining the visual identity of our journalism. This person will manage and mentor art directors and designers on the digital team, providing direction and support to ensure consistently high-quality visual output across the newsroom.

They will also focus on creating original illustrations for daily coverage and digital features, while commissioning and art directing from a network of contributors. The role will occasionally extend to special projects and print magazine assignments.

The ideal candidate brings a strong editorial sensibility and a deep understanding of how illustration and design function in a digital newsroom. They are equally comfortable generating original work and leading others, with a sharp eye for visual storytelling and a commitment to high standards.

This is a collaborative role within a fast-paced newsroom. The senior art director should be a strong conceptual thinker who can contribute a clear point of view while working across a wide range of stories, formats, and deadlines. They should approach their work with creativity and rigor, maintaining a high standard of editorial clarity and consistency.

Qualifications of the ideal candidate:

• 10+ years of experience working in editorial design, illustration, digital media, or a related field
• Experienced in managing art directors and/or designers, preferably within a journalism or news environment
• A strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and excellence in visual storytelling
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Experienced in maintaining brand identities across multiple platforms
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma; experience with motion graphics and video editing is a plus
• Clear and effective communication skills
• Open to working in a fast-paced news environment

This role will at times involve early mornings, evenings, or occasional weekend work.

Salary Minimum: $105,000; Salary Maximum: $135,000

This position is based in Washington, D.C. or New York City

About The Atlantic:

The Atlantic has, for more than 160 years, advanced ideas that matter and sparked global conversation on the most important issues of our time. We aim to bring clarity and original thinking to questions of consequence, on topics ranging from politics, the economy, and global affairs to technology, science, and culture. As the third-longest-running magazine in America, we find ourselves at a remarkable moment: one of both continuation and transformation, of upholding our legacy while continuously reinventing ourselves for the future.

_____________

The Atlantic Monthly Group LLC (“The Atlantic”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.The Atlantic is committed to diversity and encouragesmembers of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women,LGBTQ people, people of color, and people with disabilities.We do not discriminate against our applicants because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Job offers to work at The Atlantic are contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of reference checks and compliance with The Atlantic’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. TheAtlantic requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including subsequent boosters, and submit proof of vaccination status. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.