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The Art Director strengthens the Crain Design Hub's ability to deliver high-impact editorial storytelling across digital, print, social, and multimedia platforms. As the Design Hub continues to expand its cross-platform storytelling capabilities, this role provides creative capacity to support editorial initiatives while maintaining exceptional visual standards across Crain brands.

Working in a centralized, fast-paced newsroom environment, this role is responsible for creating compelling visual storytelling experiences that align with each brand's identity while elevating journalism through thoughtful, audience-centered design. Working closely with reporters, editors, designers, and cross-functional partners, the Art Director helps transform complex stories into engaging visual experiences that inform, connect with readers, and strengthen audience engagement.

Responsibilities

• Design compelling visual storytelling experiences across print, digital, and multimedia platforms from concept through publication.
• Partner with editors throughout story development to identify visual storytelling opportunities that strengthen stories and improve the reader experience.
• Translate complex journalism into engaging, audience-centered visual storytelling that improves understanding, engagement, and overall reader experience.
• Communicate creative concepts and design recommendations to editors, stakeholders, and project partners.
• Collaborate with editorial teams, freelance photographers, designers, and other creative partners to develop cohesive storytelling experiences.
• Support cross-platform storytelling initiatives, including digital-first presentations, alternative story formats, social storytelling, and multimedia experiences.
• Serve as part of the Design Hub's daily visual storytelling workflow by creating timely digital art, graphics, and visual assets while balancing editorial publications and across multiple brands.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high creative standards and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
• Provide creative feedback, design support, and project reviews to team members as needed.
• Assist with copy fitting, headline writing, proofreading, and design production tasks as part of the print publishing process.
• Stay current on emerging storytelling formats, audience engagement strategies, accessibility best practices, and AI-assisted creative workflows that enhance efficiency while preserving editorial quality.
• Build familiarity with the audiences, products, editorial priorities, and storytelling approaches across Crain brands.
• Demonstrate curiosity, adaptability, and a collaborative mindset while helping evolve visual storytelling across a changing media landscape.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in visual journalism, graphic design, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in editorial design, visual journalism, or graphic design, preferably within a news, publishing, or media organization.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex stories into compelling visual storytelling across digital and print platforms.
• Strong editorial judgment and understanding of news values.
• Experience art directing photography, illustration, and other visual assets.
• Strong understanding of typography, layout, color theory, accessibility, and audience-centered design principles.
• Experience working within digital publishing workflows and content management systems such as Arc XP, WordPress, or Drupal.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator.
• Understanding of SEO fundamentals, digital publishing best practices, and accessibility considerations.
• Strong communication, organization, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Experience communicating creative concepts and collaborating with editors and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Collaborative, curious, and solutions-oriented mindset with a willingness to embrace evolving storytelling formats and new technologies.
• Basic copy editing skills and strong attention to detail.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience designing for print and digital publishing environments.
• Experience creating alternative story formats, digital storytelling experiences, or audience-focused visual journalism.
• Experience collaborating across editorial or other cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted creative tools and workflows that enhance design efficiency and storytelling.
• Experience providing creative guidance within a collaborative team environment.
• Basic understanding of video storytelling or interactive design principles.

Pay Transparency Disclosure:

The estimated salary range for this position is $65,000 to $90,000.

The final salary offering will take into accounta wide range of factors, including experience, accomplishments and location. The salary range provided should not be considered as a salary limit or cap. In addition to base salary, Crain also offers competitive benefits including retirement plan savings contributions and bonus opportunities based on individual and company performance.

This position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay.

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Brand Overview:

Founded in 1989,Plastics Newsis a media brand serving primarily the North American market. ThePlastics Newsbrand includes the industry's only weekly print publication, multiple news websites, a dozen e-newsletters, industry award programs and a half dozen live events, including thePlastics NewsExecutive Forum. From a news perspective,Plastics Newscovers the business of the global plastics industry. It focuses on commercial, financial, legislative and market-related developments worldwide that affect North American plastic product manufacturers and their suppliers and customers. The publication's mission is to report completely, promptly, fairly and accurately, and to provide plastics industry officials with the market information and competitive intelligence they need to do their jobs more effectively.

www.plasticsnews.com

@plasticsnews

About Crain Communications:

Crain Communications is a leading business news and information company with a portfolio of 24 media brands that provide indispensable coverage and data for professionals globally and across sectors, including advertising, automotive, finance, healthcare, staffing, and workforce solutions. Many of Crain's brands are the most influential media properties in the industries and communities they serve, including Ad Age, Automotive News, Pensions & Investments, Modern Healthcare, Staffing Industry Analysts, as well as Crain's regional business brands. For more than a century, our dedication to deep sector expertise and journalistic integrity has enabled us to provide trusted insights across all our platforms, empowering today's business leaders to make industry-shaping decisions. To learn more about Crain Communications, visitcrain.com.