Design Director
Manhattan, NY, US
Description
Who We Are:
We are a fiercely entrepreneurial ad agency that blends creativity and performance to build great brands. We call this approach Soul + Science. With offices in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Seattle, we serve as collaborative business partners to some of the world’s best brands including Ben & Jerry’s, Jose Cuervo, Alaska Airlines, Charles Schwab and OkCupid, among others.
Being a Mekanista requires a rare combination of being a weird, fearless and wonderful person who enjoys birthday cakes, well behaved dogs, and shared sensibility of respect and not taking ourselves too seriously.
Mekanism has been named to Ad Age’s A-List and twice to their Best Places to Work list. Most recently, Mekanism was named Independent Agency of the Year by The Drum and a Top 10 Most Effective Independent Agency in the US by the Effie Index. We have been profiled by The New York Times, Fast Company and ABC’s Nightline. Our campaign methodologies are studied by Harvard Business School.
Overall Role:
The Design Director’s at Mekanism key purpose is to lead the visual direction for the concept and creative products Mekanism produces This includes new business pitches, Mekanism internal (marketing materials) and existing retainer/project client campaigns. Under the guidance of ECD and partnering with CDs, Design Directors work to create the look and feel of our brands or campaigns from a strategic design POV. Develop the look and feel to bring the big ideas to life and blow them out, as well as lead other designers and ADs. In the production process, Design Directors develop and design campaign elements across all media (i.e. social, web, print, etc.) on heavy-design briefs. On weight briefs, the Design Director give guidance with a light-touch to ADs . Other tasks may include: casting talent, working with production companies, directors, designers, animators and printers.
Design Directors are charged with creating dynamic and well-designed presentation materials.
Working closely with the Client Strategy/New Business teams to make sure all content (strategy/creative/syndication/etc.) is presented in a clean and structured way.
As the design lead in the New York office, this position will be working with the existing designers to push their skill sets, as well as build on that team in the next couple of years. As other designers are added to the creative department, the Design Director will be expected to lead and push them to continually raise the level of design for all Mekanism projects.
Key Areas of Responsibility:
• Responsible for managing and maintaining brand voice visually on assigned accounts/projects
• Meeting the Client Strategy/New Business teams to discuss client briefs and product background
• During the concept stage, work with Copywriters, Creative Directors to create high quality comps and campaign elements
• During the production stage, work with Copywriters, Creative Directors and Producers to develop mechanicals and other campaign elements
• Keep up-to-date on trends in graphic design, art, film, photography, popular culture and trends,
• Develop engaging presentation materials
• Master InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, developing skills in C4D, After Effects and Final Cut Pro
• Keep Creative Directors and Project Managers informed of current workload and
any scheduling conflicts.
• Presenting ideas and discussing progress with the Creative Directors
• Attend shoots, press checks and edit sessions as projects warrant
• Casting talent for creative work as needed
• Overseeing campaigns visually through the production stage to completion
• Mentor junior designer and design interns by leading them in projects and reviewing their work.
• Participate in brainstorming sessions for projects as needed
• Help determine appropriate updates and additions to hardware, software and equipment in the New York office while that office grows and expands
Salary: $150lk - $165k