Senior Art Director

About Us

DDB Chicago is a communications agency dedicated to making creative work that works. We believe creativity is the most powerful force in business—that audacious and famous ideas change behavior at scale, shape culture, and give our clients an unfair advantage.

This position is Senior Art Director at Team DDB, a DDB-led integrated organization consisting of nine agencies for one of the largest accounts in our global network: the U.S. Army. The Army provides an enormous array of opportunities for young people who want to make a dent in the Universe, but misperceptions and barriers loom large—and we're inspired by this formidable challenge. Team DDB's ambition is to make the Army the most irresistible life choice for a diverse new generation, and in doing so, have an outrageously good time doing the most meaningful work of our careers.

This person is an Art Director by trade, with solid design skills, strong conceptual thinking, and a collaborative approach to working with cross-functional teams in different departments. Along with their Senior Copywriter partner, the Senior Art Director has experience working in many aspects of a modern marketing ecosystem—including traditional, digital, social, and experiential. They will be responsible for developing breakthrough creative concepts, telling memorable stories, and executing flawless design application of the U.S. Army's brand guidelines across all platforms and formats. The ideal candidate will also be able to distill complex information into simple visuals and clean presentation decks.

Responsibilities

• Participate actively in creative brainstorming sessions
• Pitch a high volume of strategically sound creative ideas to connect with the target audience and break through in a crowded marketplace
• Adapt, revise, or redevelop ideas in response to feedback from the Creative Directors or clients
• Collaborate with staff across creative, strategy, business leadership, project management, and production, as well as agency partners across our integrated agency model
• Execute the "look and feel" of an ad, and the proper application of the comprehensive U.S. Army brand guidelines across a variety of formats
• Prepare presentation decks, comps, mood boards, and any other visual materials needed to articulate the creative vision for successful client meetings
• Work closely with the business leadership team to ensure all deliverables and deadlines are met and within budget
• Assist in identifying and managing vendors—illustrators, photographers, content creators—to ensure the quality of craft in the final product
• Stay informed on popular culture, the latest technology, and social trends
• Contribute positively to the agency's overall culture, morale, and work quality

Qualifications

• 4+ years of art direction or design experience within an agency environment
• Advanced training in graphic design, communications art, or equivalent
• Excellent visual and verbal presentation skills
• Strong command of Adobe, Microsoft, and Google creative and presentation software
• Deep well of knowledge and interests across culture: music, film, art, fashion, gaming, and technology
• A portfolio containing world-class creative work

What We Offer

• Competitive Salary
• • ️Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• ️Generous Time Off
• Paid parental leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Family Planning Assistance
• Stock Discounts
• Transit Discounts
• LinkedIn Learning Access
• Employee Assistance Programs

Please let us know should you require any additional support or assistance through the recruitment process.

DDB is an equal opportunities employer and will never favor or discriminate against anyone based on their age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, gender identity, expression, or realignment.

This role requires regular in-office presence with a minimum of three days per week, to engage and collaborate in in-person team interactions and meetings as required.