Group Art Director

Ocean Media Group has a market-leading, award-winning portfolio of media brands and events focused on the affordable housing sector. We are looking for an experienced Group Art Director to work across our digital portfolio of B2B publications, including Inside Housing, Inside Housing Management, Inside Housing Living and Social Housing.

The Group Art Director is responsible for overseeing the housing portfolio digital design system, ensuring brand consistency across websites, newsletters, social media, campaigns and other associated products, while optimising for usability, accessibility and performance. They ensure consistently high standards of design and user experience are maintained across the portfolio, and are delivered within agreed styles. They work as part of the editorial production team, with a core focus on the media brands delivering an exceptional and engaging digital experience. The Group Art Director will also work with the marketing teams to ensure alignment between brand identities and marketing outputs, while supporting and advising on visual assets where required.

Job duties and responsibilities

• Owns and evolves the housing portfolio digital design system, ensuring brand consistency across websites, newsletters, social media, campaigns and other associated products, while optimising for usability, accessibility and performance.
• Leads digital-first visual commissioning for the media brands (illustration, photography, motion, data visualisation) optimised for responsive web, social media distribution, performance and accessibility.
• Designs reusable templates, components and visuals that scale across article types, campaigns, data stories, newsletters and landing pages/microsites within the CMS.
• Leads visual identity and landing page experience for campaigns, reports, awards listings and commercial initiatives with a focus on engagement and conversion.
• Manages image and visual asset strategy across the portfolio, negotiating deals in line with budget overseen by line manager, and ensures efficient and licensed use of imagery across websites and social media.
• Works closely with editorial and digital development teams to improve article templates, story presentation and user journeys across the portfolio.
• Contributes to brand development by suggesting how to improve performance of longform content within the CMS and front end, in collaboration with development team.
• Considers analytics and user behaviour data under guidance from line manager to inform design decisions and improve engagement, readability and time on page.
• Leads the visual approach to data journalism, campaigns, interactive content and longform digital storytelling.
• Owns accessibility and responsive design standards across all sites.
• Designs high-performing landing pages for campaigns, plus awards, events and subscriptions when required.
• Supports and advises marketing teams and other internal departments with visual assets when required.
• Evolves newsletter and social media visual formats to strengthen brand recognition and click-through performance under guidance from line manager.
• Develops guidance and templates for production team so they can create visually engaging stories without full designer input.
• Ensures a forward-thinking approach to digital design, including incorporating AI into workflows.
• Books and manages design freelance cover to ensure continuity during periods of annual leave and to add support during high workload periods.

Skills and experience

• Design and visual craft: Strong art direction and visual design skills across digital publishing environments. Experience applying brand consistently across websites, campaigns, newsletters and social media. Ability to create compelling graphics, illustrations briefs and visual identities for campaigns. Excellent typography, layout and visual hierarchy skills for longform editorial content.
• Digital publishing and CMS working: Experience designing within a CMS and adapting templates and page elements for different story types. Understanding of responsive design and how visuals work across desktop, tablet and mobile. Knowledge of accessibility and readability best practice for web content.
• UX awareness: Understanding of how visual design supports clear user journeys and content discovery. Awareness of how layout, hierarchy and imagery affect engagement and time on page. Ability to design visuals that support usability as well as aesthetics.
• Data, campaigns and longform storytelling: Experience presenting data-led stories, campaigns and longform editorial content in visually engaging digital formats. Ability to translate complex information into clear visual presentation.
• Image commissioning and management: Experience briefing and commissioning photographers and illustrators for digital use. Knowledge of image licensing and efficient asset use across platforms.
• Collaboration and workflow: Comfortable working closely and collaborating with editorial, production, marketing and development teams, as well as wider teams in the business. Experience managing freelance digital designers. Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects to tight deadlines.
• Tools: Advanced Adobe Creative Cloud skills, particularly Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. Familiarity with Figma or similar tools for digital layout and template design. Understanding of how designs translate into front-end web environments.

Additional benefits

• 25 days annual holiday + additional day for birthday
• 4% employer contribution pension
• Season ticket loan
• Based in South Quay with fantastic transport links
• Optional health scheme
• Discounted gym membership
• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid working

Ocean Media Group offers a supportive and inclusive culture where innovation, development and diversity are valued. We encourage applications from underrepresented and minority backgrounds. Please send your CV and cover letter to toritika.gupta@oceanmedia.co.uk.