Art Director

Fender•Los Angeles, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (“FMIC”), an American icon born in Southern California, is a global leader in musical instrument manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. Fender is more than an instrument; it’s a cultural symbol that resonates worldwide. Our mission is to accompany each player at every stage of their musical journey with products and brand experiences that fuel their pursuit of musical expression. Within Fender Global Marketing we are building a global community of active players, artists & influencers across all our core physical and digital products and channels. We are seeking an experienced and talented Art Director to join our Creative team in Los Angeles, CA. This role is responsible for defining the visual style and overseeing the execution and development of all campaign assets for our product launches across channels, working with an external roster of agencies and freelancers. The role combines strategic thinking with polished execution, creating engaging customer facing experiences that shape the overall identity of the Fender brand. It requires knowledge of visual design trends; engineering and development processes; oversight of external teams including agencies, studios, production companies, vendors and freelancers; and exceptional communication skills. The ideal candidate is an expert in today’s digital landscape and is passionate about being an empathetic manifestation of the needs of our users. Given the accelerating diversity of artists and players who use Fender gear, the ideal candidate will also be comfortable taking the lead in helping Fender expand its brand voice to reach & engage a growing, more diverse audience of players, artists & influencers over time and across multiple media touch-points & multiple genres from Latin, R&B, Hip-Hop, Soul and Worship to Rock, Pop, and New/Alternative.

Requirements

5+ years as a digital designer or Art Director, with strong social and digital competency.
Exceptional portfolio showcasing, visual design, and photo/video art direction and experience working on set and in studio. Expertise and fundamental understanding of the intricacies and opportunities of designing for different digital platforms
Proven ability to pitch and execute strong campaign concepts across diverse audiences and media.
Mastery of tools such as Figma, Canva, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Premiere), Keynote and familiarity with current technologies.
Strong written, oral, and visual communication skills. Must be open to and eager to execute on cross-functional feedback in the interest of delivering comprehensive solutions.
Experience managing a roster of external partners and handling high-growth, fast-paced environments.
Bachelor’s degree in Art, Fine Arts, or Design.
Broad hybrid skill set in design, ideation, photography, and motion graphics.

Nice To Haves

Experience in multi-cultural environments and with multi-cultural brands is a plus.
A team player who thrives in a collaborative environment and who is just as at home ideating on a white board as getting in the trenches to do the production work necessary to bring a product to market.
Experience as a musician a plus
Previous work experience in an entertainment or media company nice to have
Self-starter who works well independently

Responsibilities

In conjunction with the Creative Team, development creative strategy in collaboration with the Integrated Marketing, Social Media, Artist Marketing and Digital Marketing teams.
Identify, onboard, and manage the day-to-day operations of external partners including agencies, design studios, production companies, photographers, and freelancers.
Conceptualize, design, and execute culturally relevant campaigns across digital, social, and video platforms, with a focus on digitally native content.
Oversee multiple projects simultaneously, from quick-turn photo and video productions with our own studio team to on-location shoots.
Contribute to the global, multi-cultural expansion and authenticity of the Fender brand, ensuring our creative output resonates with a diverse audience across various genres.
Make decisions that reinforce and elevate the Fender brand, creating engaging customer-facing experiences that shape the overall identity of Fender.