Hartmann Studios is hiring: Contract Art Director in Atlanta

Hartmann Studios is seeking a Contract Art Director to support a home improvement industry merchandising event, similar to a tradeshow but fully custom in event aspect. At the event, attendees explore new home products and display sets, experience product demonstrations and interact with a large community of suppliers and company merchandising staff. Attendees will walk away armed with the essential knowledge to help drive sales in key product categories and a better understanding of the business plan and priorities for the remainder of the year.

As bandwidth allows, this role may be assigned to support additional client projects as necessary.

Project Term: 4-6 month Independent Contractor position, starting January 2025. Will involve travel to Las Vegas, NV in March 2025. May be an opportunity to extend beyond initial contract.

For consideration, please include resume and portfolio.

Position Summary

The Art Director is responsible for ensuring that all designs adhere to internal and external brand guidelines while providing clear direction to designers. This role involves reviewing content and visuals for consistency, offering feedback on design elements like spacing, scale, color, and layout, and keeping stakeholders informed of any changes in messaging or visual style.

Collaboration with the Creative and Design Director is essential to align on creative direction, and the Art Director will support the development of both internal and external creative resources. They will create style guides, develop templates for production, and articulate the vision to the team through reviewing and approving layouts, designs, and photography that effectively represent the creative director’s concepts.

With strong conceptual thinking and design leadership skills, the Art Director will engage with clients, present creative solutions, and oversee the execution of deliverables alongside our in-house production team. This role encompasses the entire process from concept to final delivery, ensuring the highest quality standards while fostering creativity in a fast-paced environment.

Ideal Experience and Qualifications

• Over five years of creative experience in art direction and design, focusing on events, signage, brand identity, and multimedia.
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Google Suite, and Apple Suite; must provide a visual portfolio of work.
• Strong understanding of creating brand-led work that resonates with target audiences and the industry.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously, prioritizing workload effectively while meeting deadlines.
• Strategic, collaborative, and eager to roll up your sleeves to support projects quickly and proficiently on tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; capable of creating clear storyboards, and mood boards.
• Experience working collaboratively with Art Directors, Designers, Video Editors, and Creative Directors; demonstrated success in leading cross-functional teams.
• Solution-oriented mindset with a keen attention to detail and the ability to identify and address potential issues proactively.
• Strong time management skills, with the flexibility to work as needed to complete projects and meet deadlines.
• Energetic and passionate about challenging conventional thinking and fostering new creative ideas in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to impart comprehensive design knowledge and processes to broader design teams.
• A true team spirit who thrives on working as part of an enthusiastic and energetic team, and inspiring others; demonstrating a collaborative approach to achieving results and encouraging the inputs and ideas of others, who is also eager to learn and better their craft within a fast-paced industry.
• Ability to listen, understand and respond to external and internal customers’ needs in a timely manner; customer service experience in a service-related industry preferred.
• Ability to work the time necessary to complete projects and/or meet deadlines.