Art Director/ Senior Print and Web Designer (Fulltime)
Overview:
The client is looking for a talented Sr. Graphics Designer or Art Director to design and develop functional, effective, and visually rich print, video and interactive communications to support the Company's brand management strategy - under the direction of the Creative Services Manager. Assume project responsibility and coordinate all phases of the discovery, design and production processes. May serve as consultant to various organizational units or outside designers, providing direction and guidance to accomplish corporate communication and design objectives. Ideal candidate will be able and willing to work on print, interactive, web, and video projects as well as take on some departmental operational duties.
Responsibilities:
• Development and implementation of interactive/print programs and projects to meet objectives.
• Manage project strategy as wells as graphic look/feel of projects to reinforce and build the the client Brand.
• Provide art direction, guidance and mentorship to outside vendors and/or production staff and serve as a trusted advisor to internal clients
• Assist in controlling the quality, cost, and timeliness of projects and services provided by the team (including outsourced vendors) and providing proactive project load balancing.
• Hands-on design to prepare master storyboards, layouts, artwork, and final production files for assigned interactive and traditional print deliverables.
• Responsible for contributing to information architecture schematics, prototypes, usability studies and end deliverables
• Provide input to functional requirements and technical specifications documents in areas of expertise.
• Act as spokesperson to appropriate vendors for specific projects.
• Assist with departmental oversight/project management/systems maintenance.
• Position requires extensive interaction with MarCom, marketing, and manufacturing personnel in the U.S. and Europe.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design or Visual Communication with a minimum of 6+ years' practical graphic design experience or equivalent combination of related education and experience which shows strong evidence of both print and interactive design.
• Online portfolio review required. Please provide a link/URL to your portfolio in your resume for review.
• Candidates with agency experience are highly encouraged to apply.
• Previous Art Direction experience desired.
• Must be fluent with the Adobe Creative Suite in a Mac environment.
• In-depth knowledge of interactive media and tools including, HTML, CSS, DHTML, ActionScript, scripting languages, audio and video editing, etc.
• Extensive pre-press knowledge and skills for various forms of printing.
• Professional experience with Final Cut Pro is highly desired.
• Must be able to create functional and technical specification documents consisting of user requirements, site maps and wire frames, etc., to communicate project objectives.
• Must work well under deadlines and be able to successfully work multiple projects simultaneously from concept to completion.
• Must be able to work both independently with minimal direction and collaboratively as part of a larger project team.
• Ability to clearly communicate and present new design concepts, future trends, etc. to clients and rationalize the business benefit/impact.
• Individual should be able to demonstrate solid understanding of social media.
• Must be able to perform daily work on both a Mac and a PC.
• Candidates should be action minded and detail oriented.
Background:
Our work environment offers a dynamic, entrepreneurial culture as we make an impact in one of the world’s most exciting and fast-paced industries. We provide competitive wages, training programs and many growth opportunities. Benefits package includes: Medical/Prescription/ Dental/Vision Insurance; Life & AD&D Insurance; Short and Long Term Disability; Reward & Recognition Program and a 401K plan.
All external hiring is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and a criminal background check.
Please contact Meghann@thesmartdept.com or call 206.381.5716 for more information.
FRONT END WEB DEVELOPER (DIRECT HIRE)
Looking for a front end web developer -- this is a direct hire position with a salary range between 40-45k, inlcudes 2 weeks of paid vacation a year plus one week of personal days, medical, dental and vision in addition to an ORCA card.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Design and build beautiful, user-friendly web sites quickly and gracefully based on art direction
• Should be able to build modern CSS layouts in your sleep but must also be proficient with HTML, jQuery and PHP
• Ability to work quickly and innovatively with jQuery, Photoshop CS3/4, Dreamweaver CS3/4 (or other IDE)
• Knowledge of HTML5 and CSS3 is a plus
• Knowledge of Flash and JavaScript is a plus
• Knowledge of SEO practices is a plus
Please send your resume and online portfolio to meghann@thesmartdept.com or call 206.381.5716 for more information.
INTERACTIVE ART DIRECTOR- must be willing to relocate! (Chicago)
The client is a small (35 people or so), creative, focused, and driven company, with a strong vision for bringing interactive communication to the web for Fortune 500 partners in the healthcare, financial services, education and high-tech industries. The client is probably best known as the creator of the hit YOU DON’T KNOW JACK game series, but has now expanded their roster of engaging personalities beyond virtual game show hosts… to virtual teachers, insurance agents, salespeople, advisers…you name it. They have pioneered a new approach to interactivity called Conversation. Conversation allows machines to communicate more like people. Not in that AI robot sort of way. In a radio/television, written-by-writers, performed-by-actors sort of way.
The Job:
The client is in search of a hands-on, capital A, capital D, Art Director.
We need a designer with a strong eye and brilliant ideas for typography and animation. Someone who can design the look and feel of our conversations, can then execute those designs, AND can also guide the design and execution of other artists.
A huge part of our job is making our clients’ complicated products and services easy to understand. We need someone who is a bit of genius at working with writers, to bring the words and pictures together… to make that magic happen.
While our writer/directors are the primary creative interface with our clients, we’re looking for an art director who can wow and charm our clients in their own right, over the phone or in-person, when we need to turn on the artistic juice.
We all work as a team, but creatively the position will report to our executive art director.
Art Director should be:
Exceptionally creative
Able to bring to bear a multitude of styles
A true student of graphic design and animation
Able to bring the funny to design work
Aware that less can be more when it comes to art
A good judge when handling a brand
Able to work and design within a budget
Capable of motivating others while directing with clarity
An excellent communicator (written and spoken)
Willing to work hard and work smart
Self-sufficient
A team player
Motivated
Experienced
Fast and efficient
Able to turn “I’m looking for something kind of like this” into “Yes! That’s even better than what I was imagining!”
What skills and experiences are we looking for?
In addition to demonstrating the characteristics in the list above, your portfolio/reel/resume should show the following:
A strong foundation in traditional drawing skills
An eye for typography and layout
Character animation
Motion graphics (syncing sound, graphics, and text)
Client management
Artist management
Finally, but no less importantly, these computer skills:
Flash (we work primarily in Flash, so this is a MUST)
Photoshop
Illustrator
HTML, Dreamweaver
After Effects
3DS Max or Maya, a plus.
Seems like a lot, huh? Well, it is, but it comes with perks! Such as…
Competitive pay and a flexible schedule.
Casual dress. Come in a sweatshirt, jeans, whatever, like everyone else here.
Creative work environment. We are lucky to work in a place that is full of intelligent, talented and innovative folks. Although most hours the place is deathly quiet (we’re a focused bunch), this is punctuated with hilarious outbursts and general merriment, which makes for a nice way to spend the day.
Free food. We have a stocked kitchen that pretty much guarantees you breakfast, snacks, lunch and snacks again. Including a lifetime supply of Hershey’s Minis and Easy Mac. Oh, okay…and apples, carrots and yogurt.
Easy transportation. We’re really close to the “L” and the Halsted and North Avenue bus lines.
Did we mention our yoga class? We bring a pro instructor right into the office. Entirely subsidized by The client and heavily optional, btw.
Contact Meghann@thesmartdept.com or call 206.381.5716 for more information.
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT- Great opportunity to break into leading Seattle advertising agency!!
If you have experience as an executive assistant, and you are looking to break into a leading ad agency in Seattle- this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Our client is filling a 3-4 month maternity leave and is looking for someone sharp, proactive, and able to project manage!
ABOUT THE CLIENT:
“We make cool stuff. We generate interactive, experiential, and experimental ideas. We’re all about conversing with the consumer, not advertising to them. We are conversation changers. What’s new is old: we concentrate on what’s next.
We’re brand consultants as much as we are brand stewards. And our ideas meet at the intersection of creativity and application. We believe in using creativity to solve our clients’ business problems, which makes us more than just advertisers.”
THE JOB:
• Manage executives high-demand calendar, including urgent and confidential meetings from internal employees and clients
• Uphold utmost confidentiality in regard to executive agenda(s) and email
• Work closely with Project Management and Broadcast Producers to prioritize internal meetings and approvals according to deadlines
• Gather presentation materials including generating reels from Broadcast department
• Coordinate domestic and international travel itineraries including air, hotel, car services, meeting confirmation, cash advances, and directions for executive
• Arrange meetings including reserving and setting-up conference rooms, ordering food and AV equipment, working closely with office services when appropriate
• Correspond with other Publicis offices both US and international
• Answer, screen and direct phone calls for executive
• Pull together research information as directed
• While executive is out of the office, ensure the day-to-day events run smoothly and keep up-to-date on messages and current events in the office
• Submit PRISM time entry for executive on a weekly basis
• Generate billable and non-billable expenses as well as reconciling credit card statements
• Day-to-day administrative duties to include, but not limited to: email, general typing, proofreading, composition of letters, sorting/distributing mail, filing, listening to voice mail messages, copying and scanning documents, packaging product/materials for shipping, ordering supplies, faxing, keeping rolodex current, etc.
• Handle executive’s personal requests as needed
• Regulate media subscriptions and sporting event passes
• Help other executive assistants or executives when requested
WHO YOU ARE.
• Four to ten years experience
• Prior experience in a multi-faceted and fast-paced creative environment is preferred
• Must be Mac proficient with the use of databases, spreadsheets and related computer programs
• Must be results oriented and self-motivated with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Must be proactive – take initiative, make decisions, use good judgment and follow-up each project and day-to-day duties from beginning to end
• Must be able to write simple correspondence and memos
• Must display strong organizational and interpersonal skills and be able to effectively manage time, projects and incoming requests
• Must be a team player and willing to take on additional responsibilities as requested
• Must be able to handle pressure/stress when there are last minute changes to a major presentation, finding lost materials, being able to do the “impossible” at the last minute, etc.
Please contact Meghann@thesmartdept.com or call 206.381.5716 for more information.