Art Director, Brand

We’re on a mission to deliver riveting storytelling for all of America. At The Washington Post, you’ll help reinvent news. Our work is driven by a deep investigative spirit and enhanced by innovation to bring audiences closer to the stories that matter most.

The Washington Post is powered by the passion and talent of our people. It takes all of us to reinvent news. Beyond our award-winning Newsroom and Opinions teams, we work across many departments, including Brand & Events, Communications, Customer Care, Engineering & Product, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing & Advertising, Print Operations, and Sales.

The Art Director plays a critical role in establishing, maintaining, and strengthening The Post’s visual identity across a variety of brand, marketing, event, and corporate touchpoints. This role is a key contributor and creative leader within the Brand Creative Studio: The Post’s in-house creative agency that produces in service and promotion of its unparalleled journalism, people, products, initiatives, and events.

Reporting to the Head of Brand Creative, this person will be responsible for pitching, designing, and/or commissioning compelling creative that adequately delivers on the “ask” from our internal partners. This role will frequently lead design efforts among a creative “pod” of designers and copywriters behind a campaign, launch, or initiative. Across larger efforts, this role supports the Head of Brand Creative and other creative leadership in execution. This role is based out of our New York City office.

• You are a highly skilled visual storyteller who translates abstract concepts into compelling, experiential (and award-winning) creative campaigns.

• You embody a unique blend of discipline and daring. You meticulously uphold the integrity of design systems while embracing experiment and exploration to push a brand forward. 

• You know how to identify and bring together the right creative collaborators for a project, whether through existing networks or by fostering new partnerships. 

• You are energized by evolving creative challenges and comfortable adapting in a dynamic industry.

• Develop and execute compelling creative campaigns that align with briefs from internal partners (including Brand, Events, Growth/Subscriptions, Product, Newsroom, Communications, and HR), ensuring clarity, quality, and brand alignment.

• Own the creative execution for assigned campaigns, functionally leading a pod of designers and writers from concept through delivery. 

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders throughout the creative process to refine concepts, gather feedback, and deliver outcomes that meet or exceed partner expectations.

• Support enterprise campaigns by contributing to the execution of large-scale initiatives led by the Head of Brand Creative, incorporating AI-powered solutions where applicable to enhance workflow efficiency and creative output.

• Maintain and evolve design systems by regularly reviewing and updating brand assets in coordination with creative leadership.

• Contribute to the upkeep and refinement of the organization’s brand book to ensure consistent application of The Post’s visual identity.

• Create and implement new templates across platforms to enable scalable, high-quality creative execution across departments.

• Curate and manage a centralized library of creative assets—including stock imagery, templates, spec guidelines, and demo videos—to improve consistency and accessibility for internal teams.

• Must include portfolio link for consideration

• Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts/Graphic Design/Visual Communications or commensurate experience

• 7-8+ years as a mid-to-senior level designer working with a creative team in Marketing, Advertising, Media or Publishing, preferably in an agency-like environment

• Expert in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, AfterEffects)

• Strong typographic sensibility

• Demonstrated experience in photo/video art direction and animation/motions graphics

• Experience in paid social and working knowledge of platforms’ best practices

• Illustration or digital video editing experience a plus

• Must be comfortable following design direction and implementing changes, balancing strong design with tight deadlines

• Unwavering attention to detail and an acute awareness that everything counts

• Up on current design trends and industry practice, including the use of AI tools and platforms.

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

• Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage

• Company-paid pension and 401(k) match

• Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave

• Nine paid holidays and two personal days

• 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent

• Robust mental health resources

• Backup care and caregiver concierge services

• Gender affirming services

• Pet insurance

• Free Post digital subscription

• Leadership and career development programs

Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

The salary range for this position is:

The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.