Senior Art Director

Whirlpool • Chicago, IL

8h • $62,750 - $125,500 • Onsite

About The Position

Whirlpool Corporation is seeking a Senior Art Director, Manager Brand Creative for WoW Studios—our in-house, award-winning creative agency and studio. We're a growing team of passionate, collaborative humans focused on best-in-class advertising, storytelling, and consumer experience across all of Whirlpool's brands, including KitchenAid, Whirlpool, JennAir, Maytag, and Amana. We're committed to elevating and increasing Whirlpool's output of campaigns, content, design, experiences, and digital innovation across every consumer touchpoint—in-store, film, social, digital, experiential, and more.
In this role, you'll originate bold, unconventional ideas and own the creative vision for major brand moments—from concept through final execution—independently judging when the work is truly ready rather than relying on others to validate it. You'll shape not just individual campaigns but the broader design standards and creative direction our brands follow, weighing each decision against its impact on the business as a whole. You care deeply about craft, but you're just as passionate about relevance and impact. You'll own the creative decisions on set in order to bring the ideas to life, balancing brand integrity against commercial goals without needing sign-off at every step.
This role is onsite at our WoW Studios Chicago office or Riverview Campus in Benton Harbor.
WoW Studios is headquartered in the historic Reid Murdoch Building at the edge of Chicago's Riverwalk, with a presence at Whirlpool's Riverview Campus in Benton Harbor, MI.
A portfolio showcasing your art direction experience—sophisticated, concept-driven work across multiple channels (print, film, digital, social, brand activations and/or experiential)—is required to be considered for this position, so please include a link to your portfolio on your resume or as an attachment to your application.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED
• 6+ years of digital and content creation experience for national or global brands
• A portfolio showcasing your art direction experience—sophisticated, concept-driven work across multiple channels (print, film, digital, social, brand activations and/or experiential)—is required to be considered for this position, so please include a link to your portfolio on your resume or as an attachment to your application.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, advertising, visual communication, or fine arts
• Exceptional conceptual thinking to every brief, originating distinctive, culturally relevant ideas—going after the unexpected answer, not the safe one, and defending it once you've found it.
• Demonstrated success across the funnel—from brand-building and awareness to content, commerce, and shopper campaigns—paired with a strategic understanding of how each creative decision impacts the broader business
• Mastery of Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite, moving fast and precisely without ever letting the tools slow your thinking down, plus fluency with AI-powered creative tools to accelerate execution and concepting—not replace it
• A track record of independently evaluating your own work and knowing when it's genuinely ready, not just done
• A deep, nuanced understanding of brand voice and how to bring it to life consistently across every touchpoint
• Ability to influence stakeholders and shape creative direction beyond your own projects, using compelling presentations that link concepts to data and insights
• A bias for action and drive to raise the bar—challenging the status quo, giving feedback on and elevating the work of designers, art directors, freelancers, and agencies you partner with, and receiving feedback with a constructive, can-do attitude
• Comfort working at speed without sacrificing craft

Responsibilities

• Work hand-in-hand with copywriters and Brand Creative Leads to shape fresh, original creative solutions to complex briefs where visual and verbal thinking move as one—turning cultural trends and real-time moments into brand-relevant creative.
• Lead visual direction on conceptual campaigns from concept through execution—moving fluidly between high-level direction and hands-on execution as the work requires—across print, digital, social, experiential, in-store, and film, crafting visually sophisticated designs and layouts that reflect each brand's voice, values, and identity, and holding every deliverable to the highest standard of craft.
• Create digital and social content grounded in social-first thinking and an understanding of how ideas travel across platforms.
• Direct photo and video shoots—from casting and mood boards through storyboards and briefs—partnering with directors, photographers, and production teams to bring creative storytelling to life, balancing brand and entertainment needs against conversion-driven deliverables.
• Apply strategic understanding of business goals, brand foundations, and audiences to carry big-picture campaign thinking through to execution—ensuring ideas hold their integrity as they move into retail, DTC, and social—and independently evaluate your work's success.
• Influence creative concepts, brand guidelines, and design standards beyond your own projects, fostering clear, transparent communication that keeps teams and projects aligned and engaged.
• Own product launch creative and flagship assets, championing award-worthy work that raises the bar.
• Partner with PGM, PM, production, and design teams to deliver on time, uphold brand standards, and communicate clearly across pods.
• Seek and incorporate feedback with a self-critical approach, managing your own time and goals independently.
• Communicate creative concepts clearly and compellingly to clients and stakeholders, fostering an engaging, positive environment that builds trust and enthusiasm for the work.

Benefits

• Generous benefits package
• Whirlpool employee discount
• Fitness & educational reimbursement programs
• Kitchenettes
• Beautiful, recently renovated office space
• Free coffee
• Biking/walking trails
• Access to The Eddy - Early Childhood Center (depending upon availability - additional costs required)
• Always On Flexibility - You will have the autonomy to manage personal, family, and outside-of-work commitments as needed.
• Two-Week Work from Anywhere - Minimum of one-week increments for a total of two weeks per year.
• Sabbatical - Four weeks paid leave after every five years of service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED