Senior Art Director
About The Position
Sweetgreen is seeking a Senior Art Director to shape the visual expression of its brand across restaurants, menu launches, partnerships, campaigns, and culture. The role combines conceptual development with hands-on design craft, taking ideas from initial exploration through fully realized executions. The Senior Art Director will establish and evolve visual direction while maintaining the sweetgreen identity, and create work that makes real food feel craveable, current, and unmistakably sweetgreen. The position involves developing integrated visual systems across film, photography, social, digital, out-of-home, print, and restaurant experiences. The Senior Art Director will collaborate closely with copywriters and creative partners, art direct shoots, extend campaign ideas across channels and markets, and present creative thinking to internal teams and senior stakeholders. They will also manage and mentor designers and junior creatives, raising the craft bar across the team. Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand focused on building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. The company has reimagined fast food since 2007 and says it is committed to developing its people in restaurants and at its support center.
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.
Nice To Haves
- Experience at a leading creative agency or highly regarded in-house creative team.
- 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 evolving 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 work across channels and markets while retaining their point of view.
- Manage, mentor, and give thoughtful feedback to designers and junior creatives.
- Present and defend creative thinking clearly to internal teams and senior stakeholders.
- Stay informed about culture, food, art, design, fashion, photography, film, and emerging visual languages, and bring relevant ideas into the work.
Benefits
- Highly competitive pay and bonus plan.
- Three medical plans.
- Dental and vision insurance.
- Flexible PTO plan.
- 401(k) program.
- Employee HSA and FSA.
- Complimentary greens.
- Opportunity to make an impact by developing people and connecting them to real food.
- Collaborative team.
- Career path and opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Free sweetgreen swag.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
