Art Director

$95,000 - $105,000/Yr

University of Denver - Denver, CO

Full-time - Mid Level

Hybrid - Denver, CO

Educational Services

About the position

The Art Director (AD) at the University of Denver will play a pivotal role in the Division of Marketing & Communications (MarComm), leveraging their extensive experience in creative art direction across various media, including design, photography, video, and digital platforms. Reporting directly to the Director of Creative & Brand Management (DCBM), the AD will be responsible for overseeing the visual identity of the university, ensuring that all creative outputs align with the institution's mission, values, and strategic goals. This position requires a strategic mindset to lead the university's design and photography efforts, optimizing the brand's visual identity and establishing new standards as necessary. The AD will collaborate closely with the AVC of Marketing & Strategic Positioning and other stakeholders to set the tone for central marketing and communications campaigns, while also supporting the development of the university's sub-brands. In addition to visual identity management, the AD will supervise and mentor a design team consisting of two graphic designers and a production artist. They will work collaboratively with other creative staff across campus to ensure continuity in the university's brand execution and visual direction. The AD will also serve as the primary partner for the multimedia producer, ensuring that the visual standards of the university's photography are upheld. This role demands a hands-on approach to project management, requiring the AD to establish internal workflows, timelines, and resource balancing to ensure efficient project execution. The AD will also engage with external partners to maintain consistency and support ongoing and emerging priorities. As a campus partner and stakeholder manager, the AD will be the primary contact for campus partners, requiring excellent communication skills to present ideas and recommendations effectively. The AD must be confident in their design recommendations and able to facilitate discussions that incorporate diverse perspectives and feedback. The essential functions of this role include providing art direction for all design projects, supervising the university's visual identity, leading the design team, and managing projects from inception to completion. The AD will also be responsible for triaging incoming requests and leading project meetings to ensure alignment and success across the team and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide art direction, design, and oversight of all design projects developed through the central MarComm unit.
• Supervise the University's visual identity use, contributing to the regular review of campus-created marketing, designs, and merchandise materials to ensure consistent use of the brand.
• Lead the design team and serve as lead designer for all traditional and digital design needs.
• Act as brand steward and leading visual identity expert with campus stakeholders and leadership; uphold and enforce University brand guidelines across the University's body of creative work.
• Work with internal campus partners, copywriters, and graphic designers on various branded projects and manage these from beginning to end in partnership with MarComm managers and colleagues.
• Work with external partners on specific projects to advise them of University standards, ensure developed work enhances the brand family, and support their efforts.
• Lead the art direction and coordination of the visual team's work on the University's flagship print/digital magazine, the University's web presence and digital assets, and major campaigns.
• Triage and assign incoming requests from campus to team in a manner that is both expeditious as well as clear to ensure team as well as client's success.
• Lead project discovery, kick-off, status, brainstorming, and retrospective meetings as needed.
• Perform other related duties as requested to advance MarComm's mission for the University.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or a combination of relevant education and work experience equating to four years, or equivalent training and certification in a military setting.
• Seven (7) years minimum experience in graphic design.
• At least four (4) years client relations experience with managing art or creative work for multiple clients with different needs and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience working with outside vendors and production management.
• Previous supervisory experience.
• Experience with accessibility and ensuring design meets ADA standards.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience providing art direction during pre-production, production, and post-production to videographers and photographers.
• Experience with digital design best practices and UX/UI design for customer journeys.
• Project management certification.
• Experience working in Wrike project management system.
• Experience working in an agency environment or other fast-paced environment.
• Experience working in higher education or other complex organization.
• Working knowledge of the modern digital environment and best practices for digital design.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off
• Tuition benefit
• ECO pass