Art Director

ABOUT UA/UNIFORM ADVANTAGE BRANDS

For over 35 years, UA Brands has been synonymous with fashion-forward specialty apparel for the medical and culinary professions. We are proud to support our valued customers – true heroes giving back with every shift. Our culture includes a long history of philanthropy and community support. Our strong values and unique culture are built on collaborating not merely as coworkers, but as family and friends. From the beginning, we provide candidates an authentic look into how UA Brands embraces their skills and perspectives, all in ways that continue to set us apart.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The UA Brands design team is seeking a motivated and experienced Art Director to join our group. This role will be a critical contributor responsible for creating compelling, performance-driving creative for use in all media. We’re looking for hands-on creatives, that are excited about collaborating with creative thinkers and do-ers, and experimenting with new ideas.

This role encompasses being passionate and experienced with best-in-class graphics design tools, visual communication strategies, best-practices, and technologies across all digital and print channels.

Reporting to the VP, Creative, the Art Director, Photo Shoots + Special Projects, will work collaboratively with other art and creative teams, as well as merchant and marketing stake holders to create innovative, actionable, and memorable digital and print assets for weekly sale campaigns and seasonal launches.

The Art Director plays an integral role in shoot prep and shot-list planning for apparel, on-figure, and in-studio shoot needs. Fostering a proactive and strong cross-functional relationship with merchants, buyers and product development teams is essential. This role will be in-studio during photo and video shoots to lead art direction ensuring the end result delivers against the brief and are in line with brand standards.

A successful candidate is a proactive, strong communicator, with the ability to make judgment calls and move quickly. Prior experience giving art direction in a fluid, fast-paced environment is a must. They will be self-motivated, quick-thinking, curious, flexible, and able to juggle multiple and diverse responsibilities with unwavering attention to detail at all times. Creative problem-solving ability is a must. We need someone who can not only be great in their day-to-day work in a hands-on role, but can identify opportunities to make the team more organized and efficient.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• As the Art Director, Photo Shoots + Special Projects, you will partner with the VP, Creative and other creative teams in a hands-on way to design, develop and produce a superior consumer experience that is out of the box and leads to the evolution of current brand guidelines. This includes retail signage, retail email, sales collateral, power point and other types of presentation, event graphics support, in-studio shoot prep and planning.
• Build a small, highly engaged, and effective design team, 2-3 reports, to achieve an exceptional level of performance and accountability in a large volume, fast-paced environment
• Manage your team and their workflow daily, as well as handle administrative responsibilities relevant to staff.
• Partner with the copywriter on projects as needed to create graphics and content for print, web, social, and multimedia platforms.
• Inspire design team to generate strong, fresh visuals from concept to completion including strategy and concept development, research, and design—for your assigned projects
• Set design direction and lead development of branding and graphic design elements for print and digital for your teams assigned projects. Review graphic designers’ work through a QA/QC process, oversee the production of production-ready files, ensuring accuracy in all graphic-based documents for your teams assigned projects
• Serve as the creative point of contact on projects with key stakeholders for your teams assigned projects
• Collaborating with the Project Campaign Manager, conduct daily departmental tasks: oversee project intake, balance team workload, review graphic design deliverables. Track projects and provide guidance to team about assignments and level of effort for your teams assigned projects
• Set design direction and lead development of branding and graphic design elements for print and digital for your teams assigned projects
• Lead pre-production meetings for stylists, photographers, asset management coordinators, and art directors to gather information critical to execution of upcoming photo shoot.
• Take responsibility for storage, care, and maintenance of styling supplies and samples as well as maintaining an organized studio space
• Seek cost-effective solutions and streamline processes as related to you and your team’s area of work.
• Collaborator with the Photography Manager to cast talent as well as book freelance stylist, hair, and makeup artists.
• Work with the Photography Manager to recommend photo shoot locations based on campaign directive and budget.
• Partner with the Asset Management + Inventory Coordinator to develop and manage an inventory system for studio props. as well as manage prop budget, catering services and receipts
• Uphold UA Brands visual voice and values
• Understand the UA Brands brand aesthetic point of view and take the necessary styling steps to achieve it
• Maintain a consistent and comprehensive awareness of upcoming photoshoots, stories, campaigns, sales, and deadlines
• Brainstorm how to best represent UA Brands product in photography, retail store signage and email, B2B customers touch points, and e-commerce projects as assigned
• Be an approver and reviewer of all creative assets, providing clear feedback and guidance to any internal or external partner for your assigned projects
• Protects the integrity of design aesthetics & brand image through graphic design & strong collaboration with partners.
• Develop talent skills in photo art direction and video/animation content.
• Prepare for, initiate, and wrap photoshoots in partnership with other members of the Photography team to be on time and in accordance with schedule.
• Take direction from VP of Creative as it relates to overarching brand vision and design point of view.
• Provide guidance to the Photo Stylist(s) to further develop their brand understanding and styling skills

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Stress-tolerant, quick thinker and extremely detailed.
• Be a problem solver – must always provide solutions.
• Strong creative eye for design and copy with demonstrated ability to think creatively and provide marketable solutions in conceiving, developing, and producing tactics.
• Exceptional eye for color theory and color relationships.
• Knowledge and appreciation of typography, both from a technical and creative standpoint.
• Must possess exceptional computer skills. Macintosh operating platform a must.
• Perspective and space relationships.
• Page composition and grid structures.
• Thorough knowledge of the following software applications is required, InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, scanning software, Adobe Photoshop and any widely utilized word processing application.
• Mastered composition techniques (multiple elements and interactive pieces) in producing polished final pieces. Attention to detail.
• Strong Adobe Creative Cloud suite experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, especially MS Excel.
• A team player.
• Must be willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate thorough knowledge of assigned product(s).
• Provide effective direction at photo shoots.
• Knowledge of photography, the photographic process. and a demonstrated photographic styling talent

Preferred Experience

• 4+ years relevant work experience in marketing, brand and creative strategy
• History of driving impactful, marketing creative for consumer-centric brands across B2B and DTC, e-retail and apparel a plus
• Experience managing internal creative teams, desire to be a manager & mentor
• Mac OS: 2 years minimum
• Photo manipulation and mockup: 4 years
• Adobe Creative Suite: 4 years

BENEFITS

UA BRANDS offers a full range of benefits allowing you the opportunity to customize a benefits package that addresses both your health and financial needs.

• Medical and Pharmacy Coverage
• Dental and Vision Coverage
• Life/AD&D Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program – support for everyday challenges
• Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching – Save for your future
• Short & Long Term Disability – Company Paid
• Accident, Hospital Care and Critical Illness Insurance – Protect your Income
• Auto and Home Insurance
• Legal Insurance and ID Theft Protection
• Nationwide Pet Insurance
• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off – Life Balance
• Volunteer Time Off – Make an Impact
• Employee Discount Program
• Referral Program – Get paid to work with Friends
• Free Parking at the Downtown Corporate Office
• Regular Social Activities and Events – Mandatory Fun
• See more of the benefits we offer

We are a Drug-Free Workplace.

As an employee of any UA Brands division, you will be part of an established and dynamic organization. We believe that success starts from within, and we are seeking individuals who thrive in an environment that encourages and supports self-management. To provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at UA Brands will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. UA Brands does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. UA Brands will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship.