Art Director

Warner Music Group•Los Angeles, CA

2d•$90,000 - $97,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Warner Music Group (WMG), we are a global collective of music makers, music lovers, tech innovators, inspired entrepreneurs, game-changing creatives, and passionate team members. We are guided by three core values: Curiosity, Collaboration, and Commitment. WMG is committed to creating a work environment that actively values, appreciates, and respects everyone, encouraging applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. WMX, Warner Music Group's culture-driving merchandise, creative content, and artist services division, is a global full-service team offering creative direction, production services, and support for WMG licensed artists and labels. As the Retail Art Director, you will play a vital role in growing and developing our retail business strategy. You will act as the creative bridge on our team, aligning on artistic vision with Creative Directors and collaborating with the Retail Sales team to build bespoke presentations for global retail partners. Your work will directly impact how our artist roster breaks into major retail spaces, transforming creative concepts into commercial realities.

Requirements

4-6+ years of experience in art direction, graphic design, or brand design, preferably within retail, fashion, or corporate pitch-deck creation.
Proven track record of trend forecasting and a deep understanding of commercial retail landscapes and consumer behavior.
Expert-level layout and presentation skills, with a portfolio that proves you can turn complex strategies into clean, beautiful, and compelling visual stories.
Enjoy acting as a bridge between highly conceptual creative ideas and business-driven commercial targets.
Passionate about emerging fashion, design, and music culture, and instinctively know how to translate those movements into retail-ready product ideas.

Nice To Haves

Expert knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and key presentation platforms like Keynote or PowerPoint.
Deep passion for fashion and product design.
Experience designing mockups for apparel, retail packaging, or point-of-sale displays.
Passion for emerging creative tools, trends, and technologies (AI, AR, motion, etc.) and how they can elevate storytelling.

Responsibilities

Develop Visual & Art Direction: Create the visual language and offer creative mentorship for merch collections and campaigns. Confirm every concept reflects the artist's identity and resonates with their fanbase.
Lead the visual invention and curation of merchandise lines for artists represented by our company. Progress collections from initial aesthetic moodboards to fully realized visual concepts.
Guide In-House & Freelance Designers: Source, brief, and direct internal designers, outside studios, and specialized freelancers (illustrators, typographers, graphic designers). Provide clear feedback to elevate output and ensure visual consistency across all assets.
Partner with Artists & Management: Work directly with artists, managers, and internal brand teams to understand aesthetic goals and translate them into cohesive visual designs.
Ensure Visual Quality & Brand Consistency: Review and refine all art deliverables to ensure high aesthetic standards, on-brief execution, and visual harmony across product lineups.
Collaborate with Production & Operations: Partner with production teams to manage asset handover, review tech packs, and refine designs to align with physical production capabilities without compromising creative vision.
Stay Ahead of Visual & Fashion Trends: Maintain a deep awareness of emerging fashion, music, design, and subculture trends, continually infusing fresh visual ideas into our artist collections.