Principal, Art Director

About the role

You will own the creative vision and execution for a high-impact, fast-moving client as a Principal, Art Direction, translating abstract strategy into visually compelling and performance-driven digital experiences. You will act as both a hands-on creator and a strategic leader, shaping the visual language of campaigns while ensuring every pixel aligns with business objectives and brand integrity. You will mentor a multidisciplinary team of designers and creators, elevating their work through clear, actionable feedback that fosters both artistic growth and delivery excellence. You will partner tightly with copywriters, video editors, strategists, and producers to ensure cohesive storytelling across every touchpoint. You will bring a strong point of view on what effective, scroll-stopping content looks like in today's digital landscape, balancing bold concepting with disciplined execution. You will navigate ambiguity with curiosity and resilience, turning challenges into innovative creative solutions that exceed expectations. Ultimately, you will leave a lasting creative imprint on the work, the team, and the client, helping define the standard of excellence for future projects at DEPT®®.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Deliver high-impact creative by conceiving and designing best-in-class digital campaigns for social and video, with a sharp focus on visual storytelling and measurable performance outcomes.
• Mentor and lead junior and mid-level Art Directors and Designers, providing clear, constructive feedback that elevates the team's output and accelerates professional development across disciplines.
• Support video and content production from pre-production planning through on-set collaboration and post-production coordination, working seamlessly with video directors, editors, and producers.
• Partner cross-functionally with copywriters, strategists, producers, project managers, and client teams to ensure creative solutions are tightly aligned with brief goals, brand voice, and overarching business objectives.
• Own creative execution from start to finish by producing polished, on-brand, performance-minded assets that meet strict timelines and demanding briefs without compromising quality.
• Act as a problem solver when facing ambiguity, collaborating with CD support to adapt to shifting priorities and presenting proactive, data-informed creative solutions during daily brainstorming and inspiration sessions.
• Cultivate an inclusive, high-energy team culture by leading daily brainstorms and inspiration-sharing moments that keep the creative pulse sharp and ideas flowing.
• Champion multi-channel social optimization by building a strong track record in developing native short-form video content and paid ads that maximize user engagement and platform algorithm performance.
• Translate high-level marketing briefs into high-volume, scroll-stopping digital assets that perform across diverse channels and audience segments while maintaining strategic consistency.
• Drive continuous improvement by seeking, giving, and acting on feedback, both for yourself and your team, to refine creative quality and execution efficiency over time.

Requirements

• Bring 5+ years of experience in visual design, with a portfolio that clearly showcases digital campaigns, social-first content, and video-driven work that performs.
• Demonstrate prior social agency experience or a relevant track record within high-volume, high-visibility account environments where speed and quality are essential.
• Show on-set and content production experience, whether domestic or international, including collaboration with video directors, editors, and producers to ensure smooth execution.
• Exhibit performance-driven creative execution, with a deep understanding of paid media ecosystems, conversion design, and data-backed strategies that turn insights into action.
• Communicate with clarity and confidence during client presentations, taking feedback in stride while advocating effectively for bold, effective creative work.
• Maintain excellent design sensibility and a strategic eye for layout, typography, motion, and branding, combined with deep knowledge of social best practices that optimize for performance.
• Thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced setting by bringing energy to brainstorms, jumping in wherever needed, and supporting teammates with generosity and respect.
• Build a creative portfolio that demonstrates a sharp eye for design, versatility across digital and video formats, and the ability to transform strategy into scroll-stopping, audience-resonant work.
• Deliver multi-channel social optimization, especially through native short-form video content and paid ads, consistently pushing the boundaries of user engagement and platform performance.
• Balance creative concepting with tactical execution, showing comfort in moving fluidly between big-picture thinking and detailed production tasks under tight deadlines.
• Maintain strong attention to detail while juggling multiple projects, staying deadline-driven and meticulous even when managing complex, fast-moving workflows.
• Value feedback as a tool for growth, actively seeking mentorship and offering it in return to foster continuous improvement for yourself and those around you.

Nice to have

• Basic to intermediate motion design skills that can demonstrate proof of concept during the creative process.
• Experience at a performance marketing agency where high-pressure, high-visibility client work is the norm.

Practical notes

• Employment is contingent upon authorization to work in the United States.
• E-Verify will be used to confirm employment eligibility in accordance with federal law.
• This role is full-time, remote-capable, and requires availability during core business hours.
• Travel is not required for this position.
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
• The anticipated salary range for this position is listed below. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, physical location, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we're flexible.
• US Remote Range: $85,000 - $120,000 USD.

Additional things that will impress us

• Demonstrate basic to intermediate motion design skills to visually prove concepts quickly.
• Bring prior experience at a performance marketing agency, showing comfort in high-stakes, client-facing environments.

Proficiency in the following programs/tools

• Figma
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Illustrator
• Google Suite (Slides, Sheets, Docs)
• macOS

What do we offer

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our benefits package:

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave

We support you being you

DEPT®® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We're committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone's identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle, or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It's totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.

DEPT®® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.

We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work. Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT®® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place.

DEPT®® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world's most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We're 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Coach, eBay, and OpenAI.

Learn more about DEPT®® at www.deptagency.com.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

At DEPT®®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.

We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

#LI-Remote

The anticipated salary range for this position is listed below. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, physical location, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we're flexible.

US Remote Range

$85,000—$120,000 USD