Art Director (Beverage)

The Role 

The Role: visual innovator / data guzzler / art & design driver—the Art Director, Beverage, is a highly motivated, enthusiastic person with a background in graphic design & art direction who is driven by innovation, data, creativity, and design who works as well independently as they do as part of a team. They will be able to succeed in a deadline driven atmosphere with constantly shifting priorities. Working closely with our Beverage teams’ marketing & creative leadership, this role requires is a self-starter who will lead their own projects, collaborate within the beverage creative team, delegate and manage designers/freelancers as needed. They will be able to take a project from concept to final delivery across a range of project types—brand campaigns, photo/video shoots, promotional campaigns, trade materials for on- & off-premise needs, creative for strategic partnerships, launch materials (sales, collateral, field, event), digital (social, websites). The Art Director must be proficient in presenting (creation/optimization of creative presentations) to obtain cross-functional buy-in, and in turn, graciously take direction from various inputs, including working with external vendors. A keen attention detail, contributions to continuous process improvements, and a willingness to understand the ever-evolving hemp THC beverage landscape (and how we operate within) are required. 

This is a hybrid role 2 days in office at our Chicago (River North) office. 

Responsibilities 

• Lead (or work from initial direction) the creation of new (or evolution of existing) creative executions for Beverage Creative initiatives across various channels (paid social, packaging, photo/video shoots, campaigns, collateral, POS, merch/swag), for multiple States, while ensuring Brand standards are maintained across multiple brands
• Provide brand / design / creative insights & feedback to external vendor partners
• Collaborate with fellow designers & Creative leaders to initiate creative concepts from start to finish, utilizing new or existing resources to provide innovative, in-budget approaches to given briefs and project requests
• Ability to clearly communicate design vision and creative intent via storyboards / moodboards and other tools while delegating to other creatives
• Actively participate in the creative process by asking questions, voicing opinions, and effectively collaborating with stakeholders to determine project needs 
• Lead & multiple projects and work with multiple disciplines at one time. 
• Lead art direction for photo/video shoots based on brand-provided creative briefs in collaboration with the creative producer 
• Manage and provide direction for internal designers, outside vendors / freelancers / contractors as needed.
• Organize and maintain digital files via shared storage, DAM and project management system (Monday.com) 
• Work closely with BEAT, Innovation & Non-Dispensary teams to ensure materials are produced accurately and on-time. 
• Ensure that project outputs meet technical requirements for delivery across multiple channels while ensuring brand consistency throughout 
• Ensure project objectives are successfully met through effective collaboration with leadership, internal, crossdivisional, and external partners as projects require 
• Ensure state guidelines and requirements are being met  

Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree, preferred 
• 7+ years of experience in Graphic Design & Art Direction, either within a design firm, advertising agency, or an internal creative marketing team; Experience working within the alc/bev industry and a highgrowth company would be highly beneficial 
• Experience managing designers & freelance vendors preferred 
• An exceptional digital portfolio showcasing innovative concepts and creative solutions (please include a link or attachment with your application) 
• Experience in making performance-focused ads for Facebook/ Instagram, TikTok, YouTubeand other paid media channels  
• Expertise in Adobe Creative suite, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign (After Effects, Sketch, a plus); proficiency in Figma; strong proficiency w/ Microsoft Office suite & project management systems   
• The ability to pre-build and create templated graphic packages for motion gfx/video editors 
• Knowledge of AI design tools and how they can be harnessed to increase production efficiencies without sacrificing quality is a plus 
• Excellent at maintaining composure through interpersonal communication (written & verbal) and time management skills 
• Strong project management & organizational skills; ability to prioritize, delegate & manage the execution of multiple projects across multiple brands
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment with keen judgement, common sense and resourcefulness; performs under minimal daily supervision, receiving guidance from Design Director 
• Possess a high level of critical thinking, continuously open to constructive, developmental feedback 
• Strong attention to detail, time management skills, and willingness to learn existing/new workflows preferred 
• Excellent interpersonal skills in terms of communication, both written and verbal 
• Operates with a high level of professionalism and integrity, including dealing with confidential information. High degree of professionalism when interacting with celebrity talent. 
• Willing and able to attend and/or work events on evenings and weekends, as needed. 
• Interacts regularly with entirety of Beverage team, other creative teams & cross-functional teams as needed for completion of assigned projects 
• Ability to travel up to 20% 

Additional Requirements 

• Must pass any and all required background checks  
• Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry  
• Must be a minimum of 21 years of age 

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