Art Director

Job Description

Art Director

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed, as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY:

To lead the visual design of brand and product marketing materials, primarily supporting Danner in both digital and traditional media. The art director is responsible for the look of all assets, working as a key part of the creative team responsible for leading execution from concept to delivery. The art director will assist in developing concepts, will lead in visual storytelling and will assist in crafting the work down to the smallest detail. They will collaborate with a multi-disciplined team and partner with both internal and external writers and designers to produce work that continues to develop meaningful consumer engagement for our brands.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:

• Visual leader and conceptual partner, works closely with in-house creative team to ensure consistent brand messaging across all consumer touchpoints.
• Oversees all creative solutions for the brands, including social and digital messaging for direct channels.
• Determines best solution to represent a concept visually, choosing photographers or other content partners, supervising content capture and ultimately recommending video, photographs, art, animation or other design elements to use.
• Develops the overall look or style of a publication, campaign or digital narrative.
• Provides meaningful point of view on copy recommendations to support design direction.
• Design mentor who manages in-house and freelance design partners, supporting content shoots, sharing feedback and auditing campaign assets for quality and consistency of voice, design and tone.
• Partners with brand managers, ecom/digital marketing, wholesale marketing and external agencies for efficient, effective and consistent messaging across categories, seasons and regions.
• Maintains ongoing communication between project owners, brand managers and creative team to ensure alignment and successful campaign activation.
• Coordinates activities with content partners, including ecom and retail sales teams.
• Reviews and approves designs, artwork, photography and graphics developed by other staff members.
• Develops and manages detailed budgets and timelines.
• Some travel is required

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Other duties as assigned

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• A vision and understanding of global brand experiences
• Expert design skills
• 5+ years of proven experience
• Comfortable working across multiple mediums
• Proven track record in mentoring and inspiring creative and marketing team members; management experience a plus
• A knack for collaborating with colleagues

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee must occasionally work in distribution as business fluctuations warrant. The noise level of the work environment is usually moderate.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• A visionary portfolio
• 5+ experience or training in a creative design environment
• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience in the graphic design field

TOOLS/EQUIPMENT USED:

Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Sketch, iOS/MS Office

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:

This position reports directly to the Creative Director, Visual Design

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen. As a federal contractor, we participate in E-Verify. LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer that strives for and celebrates diversity in its workforce.