Art Director

Sway Creative Labs is seeking an experienced and versatile Art Director to join our team. This role is ideal for a creative professional with strong conceptual instincts and the range to execute across multiple disciplines — web, print, brand identity, broadcast, and social. We're looking for someone who can ideate and lead, not just produce, and who brings the same rigor to a brand strategy conversation as they do to a final file.Strong candidates will demonstrate fluency in at least three of our five core creative disciplines and will have a portfolio that reflects both conceptual thinking and craft-level execution.What You'll OwnCreative Leadership & ConceptingLead creative concept development across integrated campaigns, bringing original, strategy-driven ideas to briefsServe as the creative lead on assigned accounts, articulating and defending the visual direction to clients and internal teamsCollaborate with producers, developers, copywriters, and media teams to ensure the creative vision carries through every channel and deliverableWeb & DigitalDesign digital experiences in Figma with proficiency in UX principles, responsive layouts, design systems, and developer handoffProduce web assets, display advertising, email campaigns, and landing pages with consistency, accessibility awareness, and spec accuracyWork fluidly with development teams, understanding how your designs will be built and communicating accordinglyPrint & IdentityLead brand identity projects from discovery through standards documentation — logos, typography, color systems, and usage guidelinesDesign and prepare print-ready files across a range of formats, with a thorough understanding of production specifications and vendor requirementsBroadcast & On-SetArt direct photo and video productions with confidence — providing clear visual direction on composition, wardrobe, set, and colorDevelop pre-production materials including mood boards, shot references, and frame guidesMaintain creative integrity from concept through final delivery, including post-production reviewSocialDesign for social platforms with an understanding of each channel's native formats, content culture, and audience behaviorConcept social-first creative that is built for the medium, not adapted from other channelsStay current on platform trends and emerging formats and apply that knowledge proactivelyWhat We're Looking ForCore Qualifications3–5+ years of art direction experience in an agency or comparable creative environmentA portfolio demonstrating range across multiple disciplines — web, identity, print, broadcast, and/or socialDeep proficiency in Figma, including components, auto-layout, prototyping, and design system workflowsStrong command of Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesignSolid understanding of design fundamentals: typography, color theory, composition, and visual hierarchyWorking knowledge of HTML and CSS sufficient to communicate effectively with developersAbility to manage multiple projects simultaneously and communicate proactively on timelines and scopeOccasional travel and on-set availability requiredAdditional AssetsExperience with motion design and animation principles; ability to direct animators or provide keyframe-level guidanceFamiliarity with After Effects, Lottie, or comparable animation toolsBackground working on travel/tourism, food/beverage, healthcare, or entertainment accountsWhat Success Looks LikeBy the end of your first year, clients will request your involvement on their most important projects. Your work will raise the creative standard across the accounts you touch, and internal team members will seek you out early in the process because your involvement improves outcomes. Leadership will trust your creative judgment on complex, high-visibility initiatives.Why Sway Creative LabsSway is an independent agency where your contributions are seen and valued by hands-on leadership. You'll work across industries and project types — brand campaigns, tourism initiatives, documentary content, digital platforms — with real ownership over creative decisions. We're looking for an Art Director who wants to grow across disciplines, not deepen a single specialty.What We Offer15 Paid Vacation Days: Days reset at your start date and do not roll over. You'll have the ability to withdraw a negative balance of up to 5 days, and you begin the year with your days already affordedPaid Holidays: Your Birthday, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Monday after the Super Bowl, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the week between Christmas Eve and New Year's DayTwo-Hour Windows: So long as the privilege is not abused, we offer each employee 2-hour leave windows at the beginning (9am - 11am EST) and end of the workday (3pm - 5pm EST) to tend to any appointments like unexpected child care challenges, doctor's visits, home maintenance, etc. that do not count against your allotted paid time offHealth Plan: All employees are eligible to enroll in one of (3) Sentara Health Plans; with Sway covering 80% of employee's cost and 50% of your dependentsDental Insurance: Sway pays 100% of employee's United Concordia Dental PlanRetirement Benefits: Sway's 401(k) policy offers a solid foundation for your retirement planning; we match your contributions at a 1:1 rate for the first 3% of your pay, and then add an extra $0.50 for each dollar you contribute on the following 2% of your pay. Contributions are fully vested immediately.Upskilling Opportunities: As "curiosity of craft" is one of our core values, Sway encourages continued education and skill advancement with 100% reimbursement of at least one approved employee upskilling initiative per year (conferences, courses, certifications, etc.)