Associate Creative Director Design Jobs in Toronto, ON

Who are we?

Marks is a global brand design and experience agency, uniquely constructed to enable brands to win in an age of constant change. Marks is part of the Propelis Group, a brand impact group that enables its household-name clients to get there first – empowering acceleration on a global scale. From vision-building to detailed execution, we enable brands to move faster and shift impact. (www.makemarks.com)

We are the next-gen creative platform, working at the collision of people, commerce, creativity and technology – purpose-built for the world’s most ambitious brands, delivering content at the speed of culture.

About the team

Our Content Solutions team is the CGI and content engine of the agency – a specialist group of art directors, CGI artists, retouchers and producers who create photorealistic 3D product and packaging imagery for the world’s biggest CPG brands. We turn physical products into pixel-perfect renders, building the assets, systems and libraries that power campaigns across retail, ecommerce, social, digital and beyond. A multidisciplinary group of makers and problem-solvers, we pair technical craft with sharp creative judgement to deliver work at the top tier of the industry.

About the Role

This position calls for a highly collaborative team member with a creative spark, developing design abilities, strong communication skills, passion, and self-motivation. Working under the direction of an Art Director, you will help bring high-caliber, photorealistic CGI product and packaging work to life, informed by a strategic framework and brand narrative.

As an Associate 3D / CGI Art Director you contribute to big ideas and, above all, help execute them across different touchpoints and mediums – supporting the team as work is presented and sold internally and to clients.

You have a developing design eye and growing hands-on CGI prowess, paired with conceptual thinking that is beginning to address client needs and business goals. You are eager to move from supporting ideas to crafting high-impact photoreal renders, and you are keen to learn across channels – social and digital as well as retail programs, in-store communications, ecommerce, packaging and beyond. You help uphold the quality bar for the creative product of the company at a level that is amongst the top tier within the industry.

You’ll work with teams across our entire global Marks ecosystem, on an exciting range of clients and categories, including toys, food & beverage, beer, wine, spirits, technology, personal care, beauty, retail, and many more.

On any given day you might

• Craft photorealistic 3D CGI product and packaging renders for global CPG brands, under the direction of a Creative Director.
• Support the development of assigned work from inception to final delivery, helping maintain a unified artistic direction and high creative standard.
• Contribute across the CGI production process – modelling, texturing, lighting, look-dev, rendering, compositing and retouching – with growing ownership of your tasks.
• Collaborate with Art Directors, Designers, Retouchers and CGI artists to keep projects on time while helping ensure a high level of quality.
• Help track production tasks with a keen eye towards deadlines and resourcing on your projects.
• Communicate the status of your work, prioritized goals and updated timelines to the Creative Director and project teams regularly.
• Help prepare files and assets for internal quality control ahead of client delivery.
• Develop supporting campaign visuals that bring the team’s ideas to life.
• Actively participate in brainstorming sessions and internal reviews.
• Keep up to date with the latest trends and innovations – exploring ways to leverage AI and emerging tools to advance our work.

The ideal person

• Is a hands-on CGI creative who loves to roll up their sleeves and get things done, working toward a photoreal standard.
• Has a solid working understanding of the CGI process – modelling, texturing, look-dev, lighting, rendering, compositing and retouching – and a hunger to deepen it.
• Has experience contributing to CGI production as part of a team.
• Has a foundational knowledge of technical and traditional art process within CGI production pipelines.
• Is comfortable working under performance constraints and open to feedback and direction.
• Has a keen eye for detail and the ability to produce quality visuals to tight deadlines.
• Demonstrates developing decision-making and strong communication skills, and is eager to learn from other team members.
• Can work both as part of a team and, increasingly, with autonomy in a fast-paced environment.
• Is innately curious, with an instinct for popular culture and the ways photoreal CGI is evolving.

You Bring

• Degree or diploma in CGI / Advertising & Marketing, or related field is preferred, but not required.
• A minimum of 3+ years’ experience in CGI as an artist.
• 1+ years of experience in CPG-focused content production is an asset.
• A portfolio showcasing photorealistic product and packaging renders and a developing understanding of campaign work across print, digital, social content and motion.
• Working fluency in content creation software with a focus on CGI – DCCs such as Houdini, Maya & C4D, rendering in V-Ray, Redshift and/or Karma. Working knowledge of the Adobe and Substance suites.
• Knowledge of and interest in emerging technologies, including AI-assisted workflows.

About Propelis: Propelis is a portfolio of global marketing services and technology companies with a combined legacy of 150+ years, 2,000+ clients, 9,000 employees, and operations across 30 countries. Propelis provides the scale and support of a global organization while preserving the unique culture and identity of each company in its portfolio.

For more information visit: www.MakeMarks.com

EEO Statement: We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. We offer equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled. 

We strive to make our employment website and application process accessible to all users and applicants. In doing so, we provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation or assistance completing the application process, please contact a member of our Human Resource Team.

The Ontario pay range for this position is $85,000 CAD to $95,000 CAD annually. Ultimately, in determining pay, we will consider the successful candidate's experience, skills, knowledge, and other job-related factors.

We remain committed to ensuring equal opportunity in all aspects of employment, including recruitment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, particularly those who may contribute to the further diversification of our organization. If you require any form of accommodation during the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know. Together, we strive to foster an environment where everyone can thrive and be their authentic selves.

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