Associate Creative Director

Associate Creative Director/Art Director

As Associate Creative Director/Art Director, you work shoulder-to-shoulder with creative directors, writers, designers and teams across the agency to turn strategy into visual work that actually hits. You fill the walls with ideas. You lead by doing. You raise the bar without raising your voice. You know how brands are built, how stories are told visually, and how to make work that people feel. You can concept big ideas. And have the chops to masterfully bring them to life. 

This role is about taste, instinct, and momentum.
Having the vision of what could be.
And having the hands and the confidence to bring it all to life.

Responsibilities include: 

Creative Strategy & Conceptualization:

• Minimum of two year’s experience as an Associate Creative Director. 

• Collaborate with Creative Directors and other team members to develop and contribute to strategic creative briefs.
• Generate innovative and conceptually strong ideas across various media (digital, film, print, social, experiential, etc.).
• Participate in brainstorming sessions and contribute to the development of overarching campaign narratives.
• Understand client objectives, target audiences, and brand guidelines to ensure creative solutions are strategically sound.
• Present creative concepts and rationale internally and to clients.

Art Direction & Visual Leadership:

• Lead the visual direction and execution of assigned projects, ensuring high aesthetic standards and brand consistency.
• Provide clear and constructive art direction and feedback to designers, photographers, illustrators, and other visual partners.
• Help lead film and photography production.
• Develop storyboards, visual style guides, mood boards, and design systems.
• Oversee the selection of imagery, typography, and other visual elements.
• Ensure all visual deliverables are on-brand, on-strategy, and meet client objectives.

Hands-on Design & Execution:

• Personally contribute to the design and visual development of key projects, particularly those requiring a senior-level artistic touch.
• Create compelling visual assets, including layouts, mockups, and potentially final designs.
• Maintain a strong understanding of current design trends, tools, and technologies.
• Ensure technical feasibility and quality of design executions across different platforms.

Team Collaboration & Mentorship:

• Foster a collaborative and positive creative environment.
• Mentor and guide designers, providing constructive feedback and supporting their professional growth.
• Work closely with copywriters to ensure seamless integration of visual and verbal elements.
• Partner effectively with account management and production teams to ensure smooth project execution.

Presentation & Communication:

• Articulate creative concepts and design rationale clearly and persuasively.
• Present visual work internally and to clients.
• Effectively communicate feedback and direction to team members and external partners.

Those who succeed in this role have the following qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field.
• Minimum of 6–8 years of progressive experience in graphic design and art direction within an advertising agency or similar creative environment.
• Proven experience in conceptualizing and developing creative campaigns across multiple platforms.
• Exceptional visual design skills with a strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking and high-quality execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire creative teams and provide effective art direction.
• Expert proficiency in industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Strong understanding of typography, color theory, layout principles, and visual hierarchy.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to articulate creative ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong understanding of brand building and the ability to translate brand strategies into compelling visual solutions.
• Experience presenting creative work to clients is a plus.
• AI knowledge and understanding of various tools is a must.
• A proactive, problem-solving attitude and a passion for creative excellence.

Agency Values: 

The following characteristics are expected of each employee of the agency regardless of role or responsibility: 

• GRIT. Fall seven times, get up eight.
• CURIOUS. Follow that hunch with unbridled passion.
• PROVOCATIVE. When it comes to moving a piano, never grab the sheet music.
• CONFIDENCE. Fake it ’til you make it. Then fake it some more. (Psst, no one knows. It’s ok.)
• UNCOMPROMISING. What you do when no one is watching is really who you are.
• UNFORGETTABLE. What about you, your character, your personality – sticks?
• UNWAVERING. Projects and initiatives are rarely sprints. Pace yourself. And encourage others who need a pick-me-up along the way.
• MYTH-WORTHY. What stories about you will still loom large 20 years from now.

Schedule and Location:

Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Remote work available Tuesdays and Fridays. 

This role is based out of our Denver, CO, office.

Compensation: 

The salary range for this position is $ 95,000-115,000

Benefits:

• 401(k) + employer match
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life and short-term disability (100% employer paid)
• Voluntary life and voluntary long-term disability
• Critical Illness insurance and Hospital Indemnity insurance
• EAP
• 9 paid holidays
• PTO, Volunteering Day
• Edu
• cation reimbursement
• Employee referral program
• Employee recognition program where points turn into money!

Vladimir Jones is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. 

Vladimir Jones participates in E-Verify, which is a federal program used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.