Senior Art Director

At HLK, Senior Art Directors are the drivers of breakthrough creative. You’ll concept and lead the visual expression of big ideas across channels, ensuring the work is not only beautiful, but smart, strategic, and effective. You’ll partner closely with Copywriters and strategists to craft integrated campaigns that surprise and move audiences, while mentoring junior creatives along the way. Your leadership will help shape both the work and the creative culture of HLK.

If you’re someone who:

… thrives on solving complex challenges with bold ideas

… brings vision and clarity to creative teams

… values collaboration but can confidently lead the room

… cares deeply about craft and consistency while pushing boundaries

… knows how to elevate individual tactics while owning the big picture

This is the place for you.

Responsibilities

• Lead concepting and development of original, integrated creative ideas across multiple clients.
• Consistently deliver work that is strategically sharp, on-brand, and executed with excellence including print, video, digital, social, motion/animation, websites, presentations and more.
• Present work with confidence and clarity to clients and internal teams, telling a compelling story.
Partner with Copywriters, Producers, Strategists, and Account leads to ensure the work ladders up to business objectives.

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• Maintain a strong point of view on the work and push for brave, unexpected solutions.
• Steward brand guidelines while knowing when and how to evolve them.
• Balance hands-on execution with leadership and oversight.
• Embrace feedback and use it to refine and elevate your work
• Take personal accountability for delivering high-quality work on time
• Contribute to agency culture by championing creative excellence and “what’s possible” thinking.

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communication or a related field from an accredited college/university or equivalent work experience
• 5-10 years of experience in an advertising agency or related creative environment
• Based in Chicago or St. Louis (the position is open to St. Louis, MO or Chicago, IL residents only)
• Strong portfolio that demonstrates conceptual thinking, craft, and integrated campaign experience.
• Proven ability to lead projects from concept to production.
• Exceptional presentation skills with the ability to build client trust.
• An excitement for jumping head-first into experimentation and the ability to communicate novel thinking
• Strong organizational skills with high attention to detail and craftsmanship
• A collaborative mindset and ability to work across different teams
• Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with Figma or similar design tools
• Strong experience in design principles, composition, typography, motion, and UX/UI

bout HLK:

We believe in the power of people to drive brands. Together, we shape a brand's identity and inspire its next move. We believe that brands have the power to influence people. We create brands in constant motion and on a mission to connect, surprise, and change behavior.

Our mission is to provide an environment where passionate problem solvers can thrive. Every day, we encourage our people to do three things: Be Curious. Seek out the right problems to solve. Embrace criticism. Dig deeper and dream bigger. Be Thoughtful. Empathy transforms information into insight. We remove roadblocks to solutions, helping and supporting each other to solve client problems. And Be Brave. Take calculated risks, push the work, and move forward fearlessly.

There are many benefits to working at HLK, including the following:

A flexible work environment

A casual and creative atmosphere

Unlimited time off

Paid sabbatical

Parental leave

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan with a company match

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.