The following positions were updated on 3/4/10.

Freelance Powerpoint & Graphics Specialist

Our client is located in the west suburbs. Qualified candidates must be able to commute. Looking for a Graphic Designer with extensive experience designing and developing PowerPoint presentations. Must be an expert in Photoshop and Illustrator and be able to incorporate into slides.

Qualified candidates please forward your resume and samples to crystal@thesmartdept.com

Interior Designer/Print Designer/Color Specialist

Looking for a Color Specialist to be on site for a freelance assignment. This is a 6 month assignment with the possiblity of being extended.

Candidate should expect 40 hours of work per week with primary role being that of Color Specialist, secondary role as designer to support 3 Sr. Art Directors & 3 Designers already on staff when color work lags. 

The person in this role will spend a majority of their Color Specialist time assisting designers in print and web projects by doing color selection for home interiors and exteriors. Also supporting customer service with color consultation direct with consumers and meeting periodic requests from outside PR contacts looking for Color Specialist media story support.

Color Specialist work includes supporting graphic design projects such as making minor changes to artworks, searching for images for a layout, making mock-ups, owning minor creative projects from inception – i.e. creating sell sheets.

In addition to design work, this person may asked to participate in brainstorming the project ideas and color stories for printed brochure and media.
 
Workflow in the department requires that this person be very comfortable working on a variety of fast-paced projects, determining priority based on deadlines communicated by designers & production schedules, and self-motivated to execute on-time with minimal supervision.
 
Critical characteristics:
Speed – including proactively stepping up and asking for additional work when have slower moments in the day.
Accuracy – attentive to direction from job request, designers, customers, brand/style guides & proof marks, technically proficient in building files optimally.
Expertise in creative software applications to insure maximum efficiency.
Responsiveness – high sense of urgency, tactful, diplomatic.
Ability to take direction from multiple parties & prioritize a wide variety of projects.
Demonstrated experience working from brand guide and job request direction.
Balance between Color Specialist skill set and design/production abilities.

Hourly rate: $25-$30/hr dependant upon experience.

Qualified candidates please send your resume and portfolio to erica@thesmartdept.com

Freelance Interactive Art Director

To assist with a redesign of a large e-commerce website. Duration: 1.5 - 2 mos.

STRONG design skills - QUALITY is the primary focus.  Manage own workflow through design inventory document. Minimum of 5 years of experience. Ideal candidate would have e-commerce design experience - or even experience with any large scale "transaction based" website. Creative thinking  / problem solving abilities are critical.

Hourly rate: $40-$55/hr

Qualified candidates please send your resume and online portfolio/website to: erica@thesmartdept.com.

Creative Director

PURPOSE OF JOB:
Responsible for the creation, evolution, and execution of marketing concepts and collateral that reinforce, compliment, and enhance the brand experience stores around the world and on the web.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
•    Creation and ownership of a clear and consistent global brand: brand voice and look & feel around the world.
•    Creation and management of global marketing concepts which support merchandising/buying trend, fashion core, and basic assortments (including presence on the web).
•    Adhere to and actively manage a consistent, cohesive, global production calendar and budget with appropriate lead times and points of involvement with critical decision making members of the organization.
•    Quality control for all marketing materials, such as photography, retouching, printing, packaging.
•    Develop proactive and positive partnerships with internal and external customers while enhancing and protecting the brands.
•    Insure corporate marketing concepts and objectives fully support and compliment the merchandising trends globally via the turn-in, photo shoot, and in-store presentation process.
•    Create and implement global packaging standards including all product classifications.
•    Successfully develop and maintain competitive and equitable vendor partnerships with strict quality and content standards.
•    Lead, supervise, train, and develop the creative members of the Marketing team.
•    Other duties and responsibilities as business needs and functional role deem necessary.


QUALIFICATIONS:
•    Bachelors degree required
•    10+ years creative advertising experience in a retail organization or ad agency required
•    Strong fashion portfolio with a strong understanding of retail fashion marketing required
•    Strong package/logo design skills preferred
•    Good strategic/analytical and decision making skills
•    Strong oral and written communication skills
•    Strong prioritization skills
•    Proficiency in InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop, and Quark Xpress
•    Web and CRM background preferred

Salary: 100K +

Qualified candidates please forward your resume and website or pdf portfolio to erica@thesmartdept.com.

Freelance Information Architect

Responsibilities:
Design the UI architecture, interface, interaction flow and aesthetics of web applications and web sites
Develop conceptual diagrams, wireframes, prototypes, visual mockups and graphic assets
Develop and maintain detailed user-interface specifications
Build upon and expand established style guides and UI patterns
Present design work to product and executive teams for review and feedback
Promote usability best practices

Qualifications:
Experience as a user experience designer, interaction designer, user interface designer, information architect, or similar role
An online portfolio or samples of work demonstrating related experience
Experience working in a collaborative team and working directly with developers for implementation of designs.
Fluency in best practices for web-based information architecture and design, as well as strong knowledge of usability principles and techniques
Familiarity with the technical considerations needed when designing for dynamic AJAX-based web 2.0 applications
Visual design expertise demonstrated through mockups and style guides
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
Proficiency in a variety of design tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, Visio, and Dreamweaver
Ability to prototype in HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and/or Flash is strong plus
Ability to create illustrations for stylized graphic artwork and icons is a strong plus
Demonstrated history of acquiring user data (e.g., conducting usability studies, performing user research)

Qualified candidates please forward your resume to crystal@thesmartdept.com