Senior Art Director, Retail and Shopper Marketing

Publicis Groupe•Chicago, IL

19d•Hybrid

About The Position

We're looking for a Senior Art Director with extensive experience in print-focused retail and shopper marketing work to join our team! In this role, you will sit squarely at the intersection of shopper marketing, visual design, and creative concepting with an emphasis on brand, consistency, and craft. In partnership with cross-functional production, copy, design, and creative teams, you will work directly with the client to provide strategic creative recommendations that align with the client's brand objectives and budget. You will concept and design production-ready POS, POP, and other print-focused assets in support of in-store retail and shopper marketing campaigns for our premier alcoholic beverage client. You will oversee, manage, and art direct photoshoots to create visual images that pop and will stop people in their tracks. This is a role that blends hands-on design with creative concepting to deliver engaging, beautiful, high-impact work that is innovative, modern, and on-brand. PLEASE NOTE: This is a hybrid role that can based out of either our Chicago office or our Fayetteville, Arkansas office and will require onsite engagement an average of 3 days/week. All candidates should be commutable to one of those locations and willing to commit to a hybrid schedule.

Requirements

3+ years of professional experience in art direction or design with a focus on shopper marketing or retailer promotions within an advertising agency, in-house agency, or consultancy environment
Bachelor's degree in graphic design or a similar field preferred; experience may be substituted
Prior experience designing and concepting for print-focused shopper marketing and retail campaigns including in-store, POS, POP, displays, banners, etc.
Prior experience working within or alongside the alcoholic beverage industry preferred
Experience art directing photoshoots and integrating high-end photography into marketing displays and materials
Experience extending physical/in-store retail and shopper campaigns into the digital space preferred
Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite; additional experience with 3d/rendering tools preferred
An eye for high-end photography and design
An understanding of the print production process (including substrates, die lines, etc) strongly preferred
Comfort operating with a high level of ownership, autonomy, and accountability
Ability to accept and synthesize feedback quickly while maintaining design integrity
Experience working within a cross-functional, multi-disciplinary team on shopper-focused campaigns
Experience partnering directly with clients to confidently present work, articulate rationale for approach in the context of both business and user needs, and workshop and brainstorm iterative changes to ongoing projects
A natural sense of urgency and an ability to work quickly, efficiently, and accurately within tight deadlines and constantly-evolving project parameters, scope, and goals
Flexible and adaptable with an ability to manage and prioritize multiple concurrent projects
Highly collaborative but independently capable
A portfolio showcasing print, in-store, retail, and shopper marketing campaigns and assets is REQUIRED and should be submitted at the time of application

Responsibilities

Develop creative concepts that meet client business and brand objectives and strategies
Create production-ready design assets and materials including POS/POP displays, banners, signage, and similar in-store, retail, and shopper campaign deliverables
Manage creative process on an ongoing basis throughout all stages of production
Engage in new business presentations and spec work for potential clients
In conjunction with the Creative Director, support and/or own design execution from concept through delivery, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and polish at every step
Partner with cross-functional teams including production, design, copy, and client stakeholders to bring designs to life
Maintain rigorous attention to detail, QA-ing designs for visual accuracy, brand alignment, and campaign consistency
Present work clearly and confidently, articulating design rationale and tradeoffs
Support multiple concurrent projects and campaigns while managing priorities, timelines, and feedback efficiently