Senior Art Director Job at Smalls in New York

About Us
Smalls is a premium DTC cat food and cat lifestyle brand built on a single belief: the cats who matter most to their people deserve food that actually reflects that. We make fresh, human-grade food for cats, and we’ve spent eight years building a brand that looks and feels as considered as the product inside the bag.

We’re a focused team building a category-defining brand. The people here are good at their jobs, take the work seriously, and care about getting it right. We’re growing into new categories and new channels, and we need our creative function to grow with us.

What You’ll Own

Visual Creative Leadership:

You are the visual authority at every touchpoint, ensuring brand standards and taste.

Art Direction:

You’ll concept and direct shoots across various surfaces including packaging, social, and campaigns.

Team Leadership:

Manage our Senior Designer, Graphic Designer, and Product Designers with real creative oversight.

Creative Process Ownership:

Define and maintain the creative processes from brief to final output.

Cross-functional Bridge Work:

Resolve misalignment between creative and other departments.

Evolving the System:

Expand the visual system to meet new categories and contexts.

What We’re Looking For

7+ years of experience, ideally in-house, maintaining visual standards.

Strong design instincts to provide creative direction and approvals.

Fluency in graphic design and UX/UI contexts.

Ability to manage a talented, detail-oriented team effectively.

Genuine interest in cats and understanding of cat-related topics.

Strong communication skills, capable of briefing and presenting ideas clearly.

Experience in running day-to-day operations within the creative function.

What We Don’t Need

Someone who wants to rebuild everything; the visual system is already strong.

Someone who requires extensive management to function.

Someone whose confidence only shows in a portfolio, not in communication.

The Team You’re Joining
You’ll be working alongside ACD, Copy, and Director of Integrated Brand Ops, managing a design team of four. The position reports to the Chief Brand Officer.

What You’ll Love About Us

Mission-Driven Company: We love cats and we’re here to make nine lives ten.

People-Driven Company: We respect our people and their lives outside of work.

Data-Driven Culture: We use data to guide decisions but also trust our instincts.

Competitive Salary: Make some $$$.

Very Competitive Benefits: Fully paid Health, Vision, and Dental insurance, a 4-day work week, unlimited PTO.

Free Product: Enjoy free cat food every month.

Compensation Range
$168K – $185K

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