Art Director Contract Role

Madison Reed • San Francisco, CA

1d • $80 - $100 • Remote

About The Position

The Contract Art Director is a 5-month contract role that oversees the conception, design, and execution of omni-channel visual design needs for the Madison Reed brand. This role works with the Creative Director and partners with copy and design to develop campaigns and content to engage the customer, drive sales, elevate the brand, and support company strategy. The Art Director has a deep understanding of marketing for consumer brands and stays ahead of retail trends (experience in the beauty or hair color and care industry is a plus), as well as the ability to provide clear creative direction and elevate the work of a design team. This role requires hands-on design execution.
This is a contract position reporting to the Creative Director, full time and remote, with the possibility of extension based on business needs. The base salary range for this position is between $80 and $100/hour. At Madison Reed, we aim to pay competitively. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication, Multimedia Design or a related course of study.
• 7-10 years of graphic design experience.
• Robust portfolio demonstrating expertise in digital design, including web, mobile, social media, print and packaging.
• Mastery of design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects), Figma, or similar platforms.
• Solid understanding of visual design principles and the ability to execute them effectively.
• Excellent typography skills with attention to detail.
• Works independently with minimal direction, demonstrating strong initiative and problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative, cooperative team-focused mindset, focused on achieving team and individual goals.
• Strong verbal and written skills, able to clearly convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the beauty or hair color and care industry is a plus
• Experience working on store planograms for Ulta, Walmart, Target and/or Sally Beauty is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and craft seasonal and brand campaigns to be utilized across all mediums, including digital, Hair Color Bars, social, print collateral and signage, retail displays and more.
• Lead a large workload of individual design projects.
• Partner with cross-functional teams and all levels of leadership to translate business strategy into creative concepts and effectively communicate the rationale behind design decisions through strong presentation and written communication skills.
• Provide creative direction and constructive feedback to a team of visual designers, guiding execution of both short and long-term creative strategies.
• Support the development of brand guidelines and partner with copywriters and designers to maintain standards for all creative assets, ensuring consistency across all touch points.
• Support photo/video shoot planning from conception and shot list creation to collaboration with the photo and styling teams during pre-production, on-set photoshoots, and post-production to ensure the artistic vision is effectively executed in the design/delivery of assets.
• Work with the creative project management team to establish workloads, timelines, and implement efficient workflows. Ensure all creative materials are delivered on time and within budget.
• Manage competing priorities and consistently deliver high-quality work in fast-paced environments.
• Stay current on new media, design trends, digital marketing strategies, and emerging technologies to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level