Social First Art Director

Job Description: Client is seeking a social first art director who lives and breathes social and digital content, bringing a modern, culture-driven aesthetic and strategic sensibility to compelling work; candidates will primarily support client's social and digital channels with the bonus of occasional work on Copper Giants LLC clients and social brand channels.
Comfortable in a fast-paced environment and collaborating across a multidisciplinary creative team, candidates will help shape creative direction by developing authentic, platform-led, social-first content that drives engagement, increases conversation, and grows our social presence.
Supported by a copywriter and editor, candidates will be an agile, self-starter who can take ideas from concept through final delivery.
Candidates will report directly to a Creative Director.
Responsibilities: Own multi-platform design excellence, crafting platform-native assets for Meta, TikTok and other digital channels that elevate the client brand and social presence.
Stay ahead of evolving social media landscape, platform updates, emerging trends, and cultural moments, proactively sharing insights and opportunities with the broader creative & marketing teams to inform strategy and creative development.
Be able to concept for the brief but also beyond it, balancing immediate business needs with bigger picture thinking to create ideas that have longevity, scalability, and cultural relevance.
Work hand-in-hand with marketing program managers to translate learnings and insights into compelling visual territories, and partner with copywriters to ensure a seamless fusion of words and visuals.
Storyboard, design, and direct (when needed) social first video content across platforms.
Explore and apply AI creative platforms to social & digital work, leveraging generative images, video, and motion tools to accelerate concepting and produce finished social content.
Ability to iterate quickly and frequently based on shifting projects priorities, evolving requirements, performance insights, and emerging platform opportunities.
Qualifications: 5 plus years of experience in Art Direction, Social Media Content Creation in a creative or in-house agency setting.
Proficiency in and active, everyday engagement with Adobe Creative Suite for Mac and TikTok and Meta platforms and their native creation tools.
Strong understanding of social media behaviors, formats, and algorithms for each platform.
Thrives in an integrated team environment, partnering with designers, editors, producers, and writers.
A demonstrable passion for technology, innovation, and the creative potential of AI.
A strong portfolio showcasing art direction, conceptual work, and crucially, examples of high-quality social & digital.
Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills. Including the ability to communicate effectively in small and large groups at all levels
Note:
Manager Intake Call Notes: Max Bill Rate: $120
Location: Boston (This role is Boston-based and hybrid, with no set requirement for a specific number of days in the office. We'd ideally like someone who is available to come in for key meetings, presentations, and collaboration sessions, particularly during important phases of project work when in-person partnership is beneficial)
Duration: 3 to 6 months with possible extension
Contract to Hire: This could be a possibility in the future, but we'd need to build up the case for this skillset and role on our end to either try to add a headcount or when a head becomes available to fill.
Interview Details: Likely 2
Is this supporting any specific project: ?This is the initial scope, with opportunities to expand as needs evolve. To start, this candidate will take ownership of several key initiatives, including the organic social content library, the social supporting our Truth Tellers (Boardwalk) campaign, and partnership with our contracted agency Influential & creative directors to identify creator opportunities and determine the most authentic, brand-agnostic ways to represent our brand through creator content.
What is the most important skillset: The most important skill is the ability to think with a social-first mindset and bring that perspective to the team and the projects they support. This candidate should understand how to develop concepts and content that are native to each platform, ensuring our brand shows up in ways that are authentic, effective, and engaging. Strong experience in social content creation, connecting, and platform best practices is essential.
Any immediate disqualifiers: Client is not looking for a traditional content strategist. This role requires a strong art direction background with the ability to concept, create, and execute using traditional creative tools, while leading work that requires art direction expertise. Candidates without hands-on design or art direction experience would not be a fit for this role.
Is there a preference for industries the candidates have worked in: Client prefers candidates with experience working in an external or internal creative agency environment, where they've partnered across disciplines, managed multiple stakeholders, and developed creative solutions from concept through execution. Agency experience is strongly preferred, as it brings the level of creative rigor, collaboration, and adaptability needed for this role.
Can you tell me what the candidate's day to day will be like: This candidate will manage projects from brief through execution, partnering closely with project managers, copywriters, account strategists, and business stakeholders to bring creative ideas to life. They will also regularly participate in internal team meetings and present work and r