Freelance Visual Designer Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary: 

As a Senior Creative, Brand Designer, you will define how our brands look and feel across the Vail Resorts portfolio. Design is how our brands are experienced. We care deeply about craft, visual language, and details that make ideas feel distinct, consistent, and worth remembering. This role goes beyond executional design. You lead visual systems, shape concept development, and ensure our brands show up with clarity, consistency, and creative distinction across channels, seasons, and guest touchpoints.

You are a conceptual, systems-minded creative who understands how modern brands express themselves visually. You know how design, art direction, and experience work together to tell a story, reinforce strategy, and elevate the work. You bring ideas to life through strong visual concepts and know how to push them across every touchpoint with intention. Execution matters, but your impact comes from how you think, lead, and connect ideas through design.

Job Specifications: 

• Starting Wage: $88,868.83 - $100,000.00 + Annual Bonus + Annual Bonus 

• Employment Type: Year Round  

• Shift Type: Full Time hours available 

• Minimum Age: At least 18 years of age  

• Housing Availability: No  

Job Responsibilities: 

What You’ll Do

• Lead visual direction and brand design for Brand Centers of Excellence.
• Define and evolve visual design systems and look-and-feel frameworks that scale across channels.
• Concept and execute original, on strategy creative across digital, email, paid media, OOH, social, video, experiential, and physical environments.
• Develop and lead visual concepts that anchor campaigns, experiences, and brand moments from idea through execution.
• Translate briefs and business objectives into clear visual and conceptual direction.
• Develop mood boards, comps, and visual narratives that clearly articulate creative intent.
• Help shape both long-term and seasonal brand design in partnership with creative leadership.
• Work in close partnership with a Copywriter and Associate Creative Director to lead ideas from concept through execution, collaborating with designers, producers, account teams, and external partners along the way.
• Lead art direction for photo and video shoots, including pre-production, on-set direction, and post-production guidance.
• Present work with confidence, clarity, and a strong strategic point of view.
• Use visual storytelling to align partners and stakeholders around creative direction.
• Provide guidance to freelance designers and art directors to ensure consistency, quality, and brand standards.
• Stay culturally curious and visually fluent, bringing inspiration from art, design, media, culture, and technology into the work.
• Contribute to a high bar, collaborative creative culture.
• And, of course, find inspiration in the mountains.
  

What You’ll Bring

• Strong conceptual thinking and the ability to lead ideas visually, not just execute them.
• Mastery of art direction, design, typography, and visual storytelling across channels.
• Ability to develop and steward brand design systems that balance consistency with flexibility.
• Clear understanding of holistic, multi-channel marketing and integrated brand ecosystems.
• Ability to bridge strategy and execution with confidence and clarity.
• Strong visual judgment and cultural fluency around relevance, tone, and audience context.
• Comfort guiding creative conversations and presenting work to partners and stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, feedback, and timelines in a fast-moving environment.
• Collaborative mindset with a strong point of view on creative quality.
• Ability to serve as a visual authority and thought partner within the creative team.
• Experience leading creative direction across multiple touchpoints, from campaign concepts to production execution.

Job Requirements: 

• 7+ years of experience in art direction and design, agency and/or in-house environments.
• Exceptional conceptual, visual, and executional design skills.
• Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and industry standard creative tools.
• Understanding or ability to learn AI tools that streamline creative development.
• Experience working across integrated campaigns, brand systems, and multiple channels.
• Familiarity with project management and creative proofing tools
• Portfolio demonstrating conceptual leadership, visual excellence, and a proven ability to develop and scale brand and campaign design systems.