Art Director

Sway Creative Labs•Norfolk, VA

12d•$65,000 - $85,000•Remote

About The Position

Sway Creative Labs is seeking an Art Director for its independent agency. The role leads concepts for integrated campaigns, sets visual direction for assigned accounts, and builds systems to extend creative across web, social, display, print, broadcast, and out-of-home. It combines hands-on art direction—from presenting concepts to clients to building scalable templates in Figma—with ownership of creative decisions and collaboration with agency leadership. The Art Director will develop strategy-driven concepts, direct designers and creative partners, and oversee high-volume campaign rollouts. The role also uses Claude and other AI tools to explore ideas, produce layouts and variants, and conduct quality checks while maintaining creative standards. Work includes digital experience design and developer handoff, brand identity and print production, and direction for photo and video shoots and platform-specific social content. The position is remote-first, with occasional scheduled in-person collaboration and on-set requirements. Sway prioritizes candidates within approximately 90 miles of Norfolk, Virginia. Occasional travel and on-set availability are required. The salary range is $65,000–$85,000. Applicants should submit a portfolio, resume, salary requirements, and optionally a “Braveheart speech” to the listed email address.

Requirements

3–5+ years of art direction experience at an agency or in a comparable creative environment.
A portfolio demonstrating original concept work and how concepts scaled across channels.
Deep proficiency in Figma, including components, variants, auto-layout, and variables.
Strong command of Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Hands-on experience using Claude or other AI tools to concept, build, or scale creative, with sound judgment about their appropriate use.
Strong fundamentals in typography, color, composition, and visual hierarchy.
Ability to manage several projects at once and communicate early about timelines and scope.
Availability for occasional travel and on-set work.

Nice To Haves

Motion and animation experience, such as directing animators or working in After Effects or Lottie.
Working knowledge of HTML and CSS.
Familiarity with digital accessibility standards, including WCAG / ADA Level AA.
Experience with tourism/destination, food and beverage, healthcare, legal, CPG, or entertainment accounts.

Responsibilities

Lead concept development for integrated campaigns, creating original, strategy-driven ideas for briefs.
Serve as creative lead on assigned accounts and present and defend visual direction to clients and internal teams.
Collaborate with producers, copywriters, developers, and media teams to ensure concepts work across channels and deliverables.
Give designers clear direction and constructive feedback, and improve the quality of work.
Build scalable Figma template systems using components, variants, auto-layout, and variables.
Art direct high-volume campaign rollouts, including display sets, social systems, localized and market-specific variants, and end frames.
Maintain disciplined file, version, and naming practices so assets can be found reliably.
Use Claude and other AI tools to explore concepts, draft layouts and copy options, generate and populate variants, and run quality assurance checks.
Write effective prompts, assess AI output, and uphold quality standards before work ships.
Share effective AI techniques with the team and help integrate them into agency workflows.
Design digital experiences in Figma with sound UX, responsive layouts, and clean developer handoff.
Direct display, email, and landing-page work with attention to accessibility and specifications.
Lead identity projects from discovery through standards, including logos, typography, color systems, and usage guidelines.
Prepare print-ready files with attention to production specifications and vendor requirements.
Art direct photo and video shoots, including direction on composition, wardrobe, set, and color.
Create pre-production materials such as mood boards, shot references, and frame guides.
Develop social-first creative suited to each platform’s format and pace.
Manage multiple projects and communicate proactively about timelines and scope.
Be available for occasional travel and on-set work.

Benefits

Three Sentara Health Plan options; the company covers 80% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums.
Dental insurance through United Concordia, with the company paying 100% of the employee premium.
401(k) with a 1:1 match on the first 3% of pay and a 50% match on the following 2%.
15 paid vacation days, resetting at the employee’s start date, with up to a 5-day negative balance available.
17 paid holidays, including the employee’s birthday, the Monday after the Super Bowl, Juneteenth, and the full week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
Two-hour windows at the start (9–11 a.m.) and end (3–5 p.m.) of the workday for personal appointments, not counted against PTO.
100% remote work with occasional pre-scheduled in-person meetings and on-set requirements.
Eligibility for a year-end performance bonus, with additional bonuses available based on individual and company performance.
100% reimbursement for at least one approved course, workshop, or conference annually.
Salary of $65,000–$85,000.