Art Director, Hawks Studios

This is a Full Time Job

Join our team as an Art Director and play a pivotal role in shaping the creative strategy and design direction for our brands. As Art Director, you'll lead and support a talented team of designers and editors to develop innovative and captivating content across various platforms, including digital, print, and experiential.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic, organized, visual storyteller with a proven track record of pushing the limit when it comes to design innovation and content ideation. This person must be able to build strong partnerships with cross functional teams, and foster creativity/innovation within Hawks Studios.

This role is highly collaborative, and the successful candidate will be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a consistent structure and atmosphere of creativity.

What you will do: (Responsibilities)
• Conceptualize and implement design solutions following creative direction, brand strategy, and business/marketing objectives.
• Day-to-day lead in design direction and internal review. Ensuring the designers have the resource and clarity required to complete tasks in a timely manner.
• Manage and ensure the success of our social brand presence across all brands
• Support VP in partnership development, integration, and activation. As well as the creation of cobranded style guide and approving external partner logo usage.
• Support VP in people and skills development, performance review and business review.
• Supports studios operations team on prioritization, assignment, project planning, and vendor relations.
• Support Sr. Motion Graphic Designer, Director of Content, arena, and live programming on daily asset needs and design strategy.
• Provide creative strategy for seasonal campaigns, partnership integration, activations, premium events, identity development, print, app, photography and uniform design.
• Manage and collaborate closely with marketing, social media, and sponsorship teams to ensure consistent and compelling brand representation.
• Support VP & SVP in creative strategy, drafting creative briefs, RFPs, SOWs, and presentation deck creation.
• Support VP in all new initiatives and business tentpoles.
• Ensure the studio is delivering best-in-class output, functioning efficiently, and instilling a culture of collaboration/fluid communication.
• Help lead and support in-house team in development, execution and production
• Stay current with design trends and best practices to continuously elevate the team's visual storytelling and design aesthetics.
• Someone that's willing to 'walk the walk' and not just 'talk the talk'.

What we need from you:
• Digital portfolio is REQUIRED to apply for this position.
• Advance software skills required: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Acrobat Pro, Bridge)
• Additional Software skills required: Microsoft Office, Keynote, Workfront, Slack
• Primary skill set: Graphic Design, Illustration, and Photo Manipulation
• Secondary skill set: Motion Graphics, and Photography
• Expertise in omni-channel best practices from UX/UI/CX perspective
• Knowledge in CMYK Printing Processes & large format production
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining strong attention to detail
• Roll-up-your-sleeves approach with a willingness to take on ''non-role-specific'' duties as needed to support the team and business.
• Ability to understand business objectives and goals and prioritize tasks to meet said goals
• Ability to thrive as part of a team and provide guidance to developing team members
• Ability to stay flexible, positive, resourceful and reliable
• Ability to innovate strategically, with an eye for detail
• Ability to supervise, support and mentor other designers. Approving work, managing deadlines, providing design strategy, adhering to process, and mentoring development.
• Must be able to express individual creative abilities while incorporating creative direction from the Vice President and others
• Must be motivated, and a self-starter ready to ''push the envelope'' when it comes to creative design concepts
• May be required to travel on rare occasions (<5% travel); trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay for one or more nights.
• Works primarily in an office environment but is expected to attend games and other events on evenings, weekends and holidays.
• Ability to adhere to a strict NDA regarding top-level business and basketball operations projects

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Education and Experience:

• 6+ years experience in graphic design and art direction experience as part of an in-house team or creative agency preferred.
• Bachelor's degree or certificate in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or any other art/design related degree.
• Experience in leading a team with at least 2 direct reports
• Experience across channels: digital, advertising, marketing, experiential, social, print
• Prior experience working in a creative environment, advertising/marketing firm or related, with knowledge and enthusiasm for professional sports and live entertainment

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

If this opportunity looks exciting to you, please complete the application process. Go Hawks!