Senior Art Director

Make it Good; Randburg; Hybrid; ZAR 711,000 - 852,000; Full time

Job summary

Make it Good in Johannesburg is seeking a Senior Art Director to lead highly conceptual work on a blue-chip financial services account. The role combines big ideas with finished craft across digital, social and traditional platforms.

You will mentor junior designers, present to senior clients, and maintain a sharp visual aesthetic. A 6+ year background in advertising or branding with a strong portfolio is essential.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in advertising or brand agency with strong conceptual creds.
• Portfolio link required with CV; no portfolio, no response.
• Financial services or corporate brand experience preferred.
• Strong craft across Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Keynote.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual direction on a blue-chip financial services account from idea to craft.
• Develop innovative, insight-led creative concepts across channels.
• Bring campaigns to life across digital, social and traditional platforms.
• Define and protect the visual aesthetic from concept to execution.
• Present and sell ideas to senior clients and internal teams.
• Mentor junior/mid-weight designers and manage multiple projects.

Skills

Conceptual thinking

Presentation

Adobe Creative Suite

Education

Design/Advertising degree

Tools

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Keynote

Job description

Location: Johannesburg, Bryanston

Work model: Hybrid (3 days in-office, 2 days from home)

Salary: Up to R70 000 CTC (depending on experience)

About our client:

A mid-large, fully integrated agency with a strong reputation for multi-award-winning creative work is looking for a Senior Art Director to join their team. This is a rare opportunity to lead highly conceptual work on a blue-chip financial services account, one of the agency's flagship client relationships. Over two decades in, they're still growing, still winning awards, and still hiring people who are exceptional at what they do.

Why you'd want to work here:

• Multi-award-winning agency, ranked among South Africa's top independent shops
• Over 20 years in the game and still growing
• A high-performing team of good, kind people with zero ego
• Idea meritocracy: the best thinking wins, whoever it comes from
• Genuine respect for work-life balance

What the job involves:

• Leading the conceptual direction on a blue-chip financial services account, from big idea to finished craft
• Developing innovative, insight-led creative concepts that drive real business results
• Bringing through-the-line campaigns to life across digital, social and traditional platforms
• Defining and protecting the visual aesthetic of campaigns from concept through execution
• Presenting and selling ideas confidently to senior clients and internal teams
• Leading brainstorms and conceptualisation, and mentoring junior and mid-weight designers
• Managing multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously without dropping quality
• Compiling and delivering client-ready presentations
• Participating in new business pitches
• Partnering with strategy, client service and other disciplines to shape campaign thinking

What you need to be considered:

• 6+ years' experience in an advertising or brand agency, with strong conceptual credentials
• Financial services or corporate brand experience strongly preferred
• A portfolio link must be included with your CV. No portfolio, no response. We want to see strong conceptual, through-the-line campaign work, ideally including corporate or financial services brand work
• Confident presenting to senior clients and stakeholders
• Strong craft and design skills across Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Keynote
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Sharp attention to detail, no typos in your CV or portfolio
• A relevant tertiary qualification in design, advertising or a related field

Bonus points if you:

• Have led creative on a blue-chip or listed financial services brand before
• Have award show recognition (Loeries, Cannes or similar)
• Have experience managing or mentoring a small creative team