Director of Art and Illustration

UWorld is seeking a talented Director to lead our growing art and illustration department. This is a unique role that provides opportunity to support and drive a high performing group of full-time artists in their daily activities. These illustrators, animators, and graphic artists partner with some of the brightest minds in education to create award winning illustrations for our e-learning products. A successful candidate will have outstanding leadership skills including project management, resource planning, and the ability to communicate and work effectively with the senior leadership team.

Minimum Education:

• Master’s degree in fine arts, graphic design, or a related field required (Master’s degree in biomedical visualization is highly preferred)
• Project management certification a plus

Minimum Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in Illustration, Medical Illustration, Graphic Arts, or a similar field
• Proficiency with at least one of the following major animation programs Maya, 3DS Max, or C4D
• Expertise with Adobe Creative Suite and ZBrush
• 5+ years of experience in a management role

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to create, manage, problem solve and execute the overall design and visual style for creative projects
• Has an understanding of trends in education and applies those insights to creative projects.
• Experience creating and overseeing the creation of 2D illustrations, 3D models, storyboards, animations.
• Strong ability to foster relationships both within the department and cross-functionally with other teams and leadership
• Ability to delegate responsibilities and empower direct reports and teams
• Strong business acumen and focus on driving results
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• Skilled in process improvement and change management
• Able to communicate well and work effectively with senior leadership team
• Excellent communication (written and oral) skills

Job Responsibilities:

• Drive the strategy of the Art and Illustration department by defining the direction and goals of the team
• Guide department in the creation of original illustrations for a wide range of high stakes exams,
• Collaborate with internal content writing teams to create unique ways of visualizing difficult concepts and tell stories through illustrative concepts
• Support all training and hiring efforts for a growing department of Illustrators, animators, and graphic artists
• Responsible for connecting the creative approach to business strategy
• Foster an environment of learning and growth while maintaining focus on efficiency and meeting overall organizational goals
• Maintain a library of 3D and 2D assets
• Guide the department in the creation of illustrations according to stylistic guidelines
• Resource planning – understanding what the teams are capable of delivering and guiding the team leads to adapt as priorities shift. Stay aware of changing priorities and coordinate efforts across all the teams. Seeks and maintains knowledge about all products, their upgrades and their upcoming priorities.
• Help maintain an efficient and successful production process
• Actively support recruitment and retention of talented artists for the various teams.
• Lead the development of a departmental vision and strategy.
• Seek to grow the unique skill sets of the team including technical, interpersonal and leadership skills for appropriate team members; grow and empower team leads; partner with them to solve problems.
• Seek to improve workflows and all systems related to efficiency and effectiveness.
• Serve as advocate and liaison to senior leadership as well as the verticals.
• Analyze data (internal and external) as needed to support the team’s productivity and overall effectiveness.
• Systematize reporting – create a more consistent methodology for measuring and reporting on productivity and quality.

Benefits

Compensation and benefits:

• Stable and growing work environment that prioritizes a quality work/life balance
• Competitive compensation with annual bonus opportunity
• Paid time off (based on sliding scale according to hire date and work hours)
• Generous paid holiday schedule that includes the entire week of Christmas off
• Comprehensive benefits package (medical, vision, dental, life, disability)
• 401(k) plan for retirement with 5% employer matching (eligibility after 90 days of employment)
• On-site group fitness classes & relaxed work environment

At UWorld, we believe strength is derived from the talents, ideas, and experiences of a diverse workforce. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other protected class. UWorld is proud to be an equal opportunity employer providing a drug-free workplace. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
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