At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead creative vision and shape impactful visual narratives for major client portfolios.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking team at Open Partners, embracing creativity and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy remote work flexibility, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: We value mindset over experience; bring your passion and creativity to the table!
- Why this job: Elevate your creative career by driving premium design and collaborating with talented teams.
- Qualifications: 6+ years in creative direction with expertise in visual identity and AI design.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Location: Remote First
Type: Full-Time (5 days per week)
The Opportunity
Are you a visionary creative who can shape high-impact visual narratives and lead teams to deliver premium, scalable design? Open Partners is looking for a Creative Art Director to drive the visual direction for our most critical client portfolios. Working in tandem with our Creative Copywriter, CD, and Strategy team, you will push impactful ideas and lead creative vision across multidisciplinary teams. You will build brands through excellent conceptual thinking, seamlessly blending motion and static expertise to establish rigorous visual guardianship while designing the master creative templates that allow our studio to scale rapidly without compromising on aesthetic quality.
Your Role & Responsibilities
- Conceptual Thinking & Narrative Ownership: Partner with the Creative Copywriter and Strategy team to establish strong brand platforms and key visuals that anchor a client's brand equity.
- Visual Architecture & Design Leadership: Lead the visual development of major campaign briefs, applying expert-level colour theory, typography, and imagery styling.
- Collaborative Campaign Delivery: Guide concepts smoothly through to completion, working closely with the wider Creative team to delegate tasks effectively based on individual skill sets.
- Dynamic Template Engineering: Configure modular master design templates within the Studio to facilitate rapid variant testing and iteration.
- Enforce the Rule of Three: Ensure all approved master concepts are structurally designed from the outset to scale natively across vertical, square, and horizontal platform safe zones.
- Direct the AI-First Design Squad: Guide designers and motion operators to leverage advanced AI approaches across design and video to rapidly prototype and render high-fidelity assets.
- Visual Quality Assurance: Implement strict high-fidelity upscaling standards and thorough review loops to produce outputs of the absolute highest quality.
- Streamlined Sign-Off Workflows: Make use of centralised collaborative tools like Ziflow and ClickUp to automate internal review loops and prevent approval bottlenecks.
What Success Looks Like in 6 Months
- Trusted Partnerships: You have built trusted client relationships, establishing yourself as a knowledgeable partner in visual identity systems.
- Centralised Operations: You have created a consistent operational system for your design templates and component libraries.
- Co-Intelligent Output: Your team is operating co-intelligently with a blended Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence workforce, navigating creative technologies smoothly.
- Distributed Template Workflows: You have successfully implemented template workflows that use master guidelines to direct execution streams with maximum efficiency.
What You’ll Bring
- Macro Creative Direction: Master-level capability in establishing premium visual identity systems, typography, and motion design frameworks.
- Full-Service Thinking: The ability to apply deep visual expertise across platforms, using strategic insights and media understanding to drive impact.
- AI Fluency: A deep, practical understanding of how to configure, deploy, and audit generative AI design and automated layout software consistently.
- Systems-Thinking & Asset Organisation: A systems-focused mindset with a proven reputation for organising studio libraries for seamless cross-functional delivery.
- Persuasive Communication: Strong communication skills, giving you the confidence and skill to pitch big ideas to senior clients and internal executive teams with clarity and persuasion.
- Proven Industry Experience: 6+ years of experience with a track record of directing premium visual campaigns across paid, organic, and digital products.
Our Values & Mindset
At Open Partners, we hire mindset first. It is the single biggest factor of success in our business, and we believe you can grow that mindset in any walk of life and career background. If you do not have direct industry experience but possess a fierce growth mindset and transferable creative skills, we want to hear from you. We hold ourselves to three simple standards:
- Smarter: Aim high, train hard, embrace next.
- Faster: Learn fast, adapt fast, act fast.
- Better: Think, say, and do what is best.
Ready to elevate your creative career? Apply today!
Creative Art Director in Manchester employer: Open Partners
Open Partners in Manchester is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, where your contributions directly impact client success and business growth. With a strong emphasis on employee development, we offer numerous opportunities for professional advancement and skill enhancement in the dynamic field of paid search. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values creativity and strategic thinking, all while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of Manchester.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Creative Art Director in Manchester
✨Show Off Your Skills with a Killer Portfolio
As a graphic designer, your portfolio is your secret weapon! Make sure it's not just a collection of your work but showcases your creative process too. Use platforms like Behance or Dribbble to share your designs and gain visibility within the design community.
✨Get Involved in Design Meetups
Networking is key in the design world! Check out local design meetups or workshops where you can connect with other creatives and potential employers. This is a goldmine for finding unadvertised job openings at companies like Open Partners.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you’re applying for a full-time role at a creative company like Open Partners, don’t go for a one-size-fits-all approach. Ensure your application highlights specific projects or styles that align with their brand image, showing that you’re a perfect fit for their team.
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in landing your dream design job! Share your work on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest, and engage with accounts from your desired companies—this could put you on their radar before they start hiring.
We think you need these skills to ace Creative Art Director in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Portfolio:Your portfolio is your visual CV! Make sure to include a link to your best design projects that showcase your creativity and versatility. Tailor it to include works that relate to the kind of design work Open Partners does, so they can see you in action.
Tailor Your CV for Design:When crafting your CV, highlight your design skills and software proficiencies, like Adobe Creative Suite or Sketch. Mention any relevant experience you have with branding, UI/UX design, or typography, as we want to see how you fit in with the creative team at Open Partners.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, share your design philosophy and what excites you about working at Open Partners. Let us know how you approach your design projects and any specific campaigns or themes that resonate with you, showing we’re not just a good fit but a perfect match!
Highlight Collaboration Skills:As a graphic designer, you often work with various teams and stakeholders. In your application, mention experiences where you've collaborated with others to bring a project to life, whether it's with clients, writers, or developers. This shows you can thrive in a team environment, which is key at Open Partners.
How to prepare for a job interview at Open Partners
✨Get Your Portfolio Ready
Your portfolio is your secret weapon in graphic design interviews! Make sure it's showing off your best work, with a variety of styles and projects that highlight different skills — from branding to digital illustration. Be prepared to talk through each piece, focusing on your creative process and the tools you used.
✨Know Your Design Tools Inside Out
Familiarity with software like Adobe Creative Suite is a must! Brush up on your skills with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as interviewers might dive into specific technical questions or ask for your workflow. If you’ve worked with any innovative tools or techniques, don't hesitate to showcase that expertise!
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Some companies may throw a design challenge your way during the interview! This might involve sketching out ideas or solving a branding issue on the spot. Practising these quick thinking exercises beforehand can help us show off our creativity and adaptability.
✨Passion Counts
For a full-time position, showing genuine enthusiasm for design is key! Talk about your inspirations, the projects you're excited about, and why you're drawn to Open Partners. They want to see not just a skilled designer, but someone who'll bring passion and fresh ideas to the team.
