Senior Art Director

sweetgreen•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

Sweetgreen is seeking a Senior Art Director to develop ideas into distinctive visual worlds that make real food feel craveable, current, and unmistakably sweetgreen. The role shapes the brand’s look and feel across restaurants, menu launches, partnerships, campaigns, and cultural work, balancing conceptual thinking with detailed design craft. The Senior Art Director creates and executes integrated creative work across film, photography, social, digital, out-of-home, print, and restaurant experiences. They establish visual direction, help protect and evolve the sweetgreen identity, and work hands-on from early explorations through final production. The role collaborates closely with copywriters and production partners, directs photo and film shoots, and develops campaign systems that work across channels and markets. The position also includes mentoring designers and junior creatives, presenting and defending creative decisions to internal teams and senior stakeholders, and bringing cultural awareness into the work. The ideal person combines strong taste and conceptual ability with hands-on making, independence, collaboration, and a desire to improve the people and work around them.

Requirements

6–7+ years of art direction and design experience.
A portfolio demonstrating exceptional taste, conceptual thinking, and visual craft.
Deep understanding of typography, layout, hierarchy, composition, color, and image-making.
Strong graphic design skills and the ability to execute original ideas at a high level.
Experience creating integrated campaigns across multiple channels and formats.
Strong understanding of photography and film, with experience directing shoots from concept through post-production.
Experience leading or mentoring designers or junior creatives.
Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.
Understanding of motion and how visual systems behave beyond static design.
Strong presentation skills and the ability to explain the thinking behind creative decisions.
Ability to work independently, self-edit, and develop ideas without constant direction.
Collaborative, low-ego approach and a genuine desire to improve the work.
Strong conceptual ability and hands-on design and making skills.

Nice To Haves

Passion for food, sustainability, and culture.

Responsibilities

Develop original concepts and visual ideas for brand and campaign work, including seasonal menu launches and chef and brand partnerships.
Translate ideas into visual worlds across film, photography, social, digital, out-of-home, print, and restaurant experiences.
Establish visual direction across typography, composition, color, photography, illustration, and motion while protecting and advancing the sweetgreen identity.
Design and art direct hands-on from early explorations and moodboards through final execution, creating comps, layouts, storyboards, and presentations.
Partner with copywriters so concepts and visual execution feel inseparable.
Art direct photo and film shoots with the in-house Photographer & Content Specialist, directors, stylists, and external partners, ensuring food looks real, fresh, and appetizing.
Extend campaign ideas into cohesive systems that flex across channels and markets while retaining their point of view.
Manage, mentor, and give thoughtful feedback to designers and junior creatives to raise the team’s craft standards.
Present and defend creative thinking clearly to internal teams and senior stakeholders.
Stay current with culture, food, art, design, fashion, photography, film, and emerging visual languages, and bring relevant insights into the work.

Benefits

Highly competitive pay and bonus plan.
Three medical plans to suit employees’ and their families’ needs.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Flexible PTO plan.
401k program.
Employee HSA and FSA.
Complimentary greens.
Opportunity to make an impact by developing people and connecting them to real food.
Collaborative team.
Clear career path and opportunities for personal and professional development.
Free sweetgreen swag.