Art Director Job at Mary Square, LLC in Apex

The Art Director is responsible for leading the execution of Mary Square's visual brand across every customer touchpoint and all brands. This role transforms the company's creative vision into compelling visual experiences that elevate the brand, inspire retailers and consumers, and support business growth.
The Art Director oversees the design and production of all creative assets, including product graphics, packaging, catalogs, photography, digital marketing, website creative, social media, advertising, trade show environments, wholesale sales materials, and brand collateral. This individual combines exceptional design talent with strong project leadership to ensure every piece of creative work reflects the quality, personality, and aesthetic of all Mary Square brands.
This is a highly collaborative role that partners closely with Product Development, Marketing, Sales, E-commerce, and Executive Leadership to bring seasonal collections and marketing initiatives to life.
Creative Execution

Lead the design and execution of all visual creative assets across wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels.
Establish and maintain a consistent visual identity across print, digital, packaging, merchandising, advertising, and social media.
Develop creative concepts for seasonal launches, product collections, marketing campaigns, and brand initiatives.
Direct the creation of catalogs, lookbooks, sales presentations, signage, promotional materials, and trade show graphics.
Ensure all creative work reflects each Mary Square brand standards and delivers a premium customer experience.
Review and approve artwork prior to production.
Photography & Brand Content

Art direct lifestyle and product photography for catalogs, website, social media, email campaigns, advertising, and wholesale marketing.
Collaborate on photo shoot planning, styling, shot lists, prop selection, and creative direction.
Ensure photography supports seasonal storytelling and product positioning.
Oversee image selection, editing, and retouching standards.
Packaging & Product Presentation

Lead the creative development of product packaging, hangtags, inserts, labels, and merchandising materials.
Ensure packaging enhances the customer experience while supporting product positioning and operational requirements.
Collaborate with Product Development and Sourcing to balance aesthetics, functionality, and cost.
Manage multiple creative projects simultaneously while maintaining deadlines and quality standards.
Develop creative timelines and prioritize resources based on business needs.
Partner with vendors, photographers, printers, freelancers, and agencies to execute projects.
Continuously improve creative workflows and processes.
Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Marketing to develop compelling campaigns across digital and print.
Support Sales by creating effective wholesale presentations, catalogs, and retailer marketing materials.
Collaborate with Product Development to ensure graphics, artwork, and packaging supports seasonal collections.
Work closely with E-commerce to optimize website visuals and the customer experience.
Leadership Responsibilities

Foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Provide creative guidance and mentorship to print designers, graphic designers and creative team members.
Maintain high standards of design excellence and attention to detail.
Encourage innovation while ensuring consistency across all creative work.
Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, or related field.
7+ years of experience in art direction or senior graphic design within consumer products, lifestyle, fashion, gift, or retail.
Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
Strong portfolio demonstrating print, digital, packaging, and photography direction.
Experience managing multiple creative projects simultaneously.
Preferred Experience

Experience within the gift, lifestyle, accessories, stationery, or home décor industries.
Experience with product packaging and merchandising.
Knowledge of print production and photography workflows.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Exceptional design and typography skills.
Strong understanding of branding and visual storytelling.
Excellent project management and organizational abilities.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
Collaborative, adaptable, and solutions-oriented.
Success in This Role

Delivers exceptional creative work that strengthens all Mary Square brands.
Produces cohesive seasonal campaigns delivered on time.
Elevates photography, packaging, and marketing assets.
Maintains consistency across every customer touchpoint.
Creates work that inspires both retailers and consumers.

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