SJR is looking for an Art Director/Senior Designer with seven years' experience to help tell stories on behalf of its clients. This role will bring our stories to life by combining design, illustration, visual concepting work, animation and video into compelling visual and media experiences that inform and persuade.

At SJR, we're a diverse group of individuals dedicated to one goal: elevating the quality of content on the web. Our team of strategists, writers, designers, photographers, videographers, writers and editors are more of a newsroom than an agency.

Our ideal candidate is a clever storyteller who is excellent to work with, likes to learn, loves people and has the skills to bring our clients stories to life, visually. Candidates must have exceptional skills in and a demonstrated passion for design, providing visual direction across a wide range of visual formats and channels ... and a point of view on how concepts translate into creative assets. The ideal person has worked in digital marketing or advertising for at least five years, preferably in an agency setting, loves and has proven experience in creative and conceptual ideation and can independently take a concept through to execution.

Being an exceptional, detail-oriented, self-starter with terrific communications skills is, of course, a must.

This position will be based out of SJR EMEA's London office. It reports to our head of creative.

Responsibilities

Provides visual direction across a wide range of visual formats and channels - design, multimedia, photography, multimedia, animation, video and other digital formats
Generates breakthrough ideas, develops design approaches, and effectively executes creative content
Expert designer of graphics, illustrations, infographics, storyboards, social media posts
Work in a multi-disciplinary team, with writers, editors, videographers and a client services team
Understands brands and brand guidelines, always presenting work that is right for the client
Presents ideas and concepts internally and to clients through persuasive graphic and spoken communication
Determines which media and design elements to use to support concepts and tell compelling stories
Independently execute approved concepts on time, on budget and with excellence
Manage workflow efficiently and take responsibility for timing and delivery, including that of junior design colleagues
Collaborate, document and communicate proactively throughout the work cycle
Works closely with the Account, Editorial, Production and Creative teams to brainstorm and refine creative outputs that align with client goals (and client budgets)
Check and review content, incorporates feedback and ensures work meets SJR's standard
Demonstrate a learning mindset and stretches the boundaries of the craft each day, sharing trends and formats with colleagues
Constantly strive for new, better, more innovative solutions
Attends photo and video shoots to guide visual executions

Qualifications

7+ years of experience in creative content concepting, development and design
Strong portfolio showcasing high-end presentation design skills and clear design aesthetic essential
Broad range of experience and work - some form of agency experience a must
Must be hands-on as a designer / maker / doer
Expert fluency on a Mac platform Adobe Creative Suite
Post-secondary degree in New Media, Design or related field
Experience delegating and managing other creative team members
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Manage time effectively to multi-task and meet deadlines
Experience using collaborative team communication and project management applications like MS Teams & Trello to ensure efficiency
Ability to uphold brand and style guidelines
Detail-oriented individual who reviews his/her work carefully
Flexible on scheduled work hours to meet deadlines and accommodate peaks in production
Available and able to travel occasionally
Basic animation skills a preferred asset