Senior Art Director - Creative Content Agency in City of London

A fast-growing Creative Content Agency is looking for an exceptional Senior Art Director to help shape the next chapter of its creative output. This is a serious, hands-on creative role for someone who can develop great ideas, create compelling visual worlds and bring them to life with exceptional craft. This isn’t a traditional advertising agency Art Director role. We’re looking for someone who combines outstanding conceptual thinking with exceptional visual craft—someone equally comfortable partnering with a Copywriter to crack a creative brief, designing beautiful key visuals, shaping integrated campaigns, art directing photography and film, or building brand systems that work seamlessly across every touchpoint.

Working alongside Creative Directors, Strategists, Designers and Producers, you’ll create work that earns attention, builds brands and delivers real impact for global clients. If you’re happiest turning ambitious ideas into beautifully crafted creative, we’d love to hear from you.

The Opportunity

This is a genuinely hands-on creative role where you’ll still be designing—not simply directing others. You’ll help shape creative thinking from the earliest stages, translating concepts into compelling visual worlds that clients instantly understand and audiences genuinely connect with. One day you could be creating the visual identity for a global campaign. The next, developing social-first creative, designing brand systems, building pitch treatments, art directing a shoot or helping bring an idea to life before it even exists. Beyond the creative, you’ll own significant visual workstreams from first response through to final delivery—balancing creative ambition with production realities, mentoring designers, maintaining exceptional standards and ensuring every piece of work leaves the studio stronger than it arrived. Working closely with the Head of Design, you’ll also help shape the creative standards, visual culture and future capability of a growing agency.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Developing compelling visual concepts across integrated campaigns, brand platforms, social-first content, film and digital experiences.
• Leading the visual development of creative ideas from first thought through to final execution.
• Creating exceptional key visuals, layouts, presentations, treatments, mood boards and design systems.
• Designing beautifully crafted work yourself—not simply directing others.
• Partnering with Copywriters to develop integrated ideas and first responses to creative briefs.
• Art directing photography, film and content shoots from pre-production through to delivery.
• Collaborating closely with Creative Directors, Strategists, Motion Designers and Producers to ensure every idea is executed brilliantly.
• Running significant visual workstreams, providing clear creative direction and constructive feedback throughout delivery.
• Balancing creative ambition with scope, production requirements and commercial realities.
• Presenting ideas with confidence, helping clients understand both the thinking and the craft behind the work.
• Mentoring junior creatives and helping elevate the overall creative standard across the studio.

About You

You’ll have substantial experience within an integrated creative agency, Creative Content Agency or design studio, with a portfolio that demonstrates exceptional conceptual thinking and beautifully executed craft. You’ll bring:

• Outstanding visual thinking with exceptional design craft.
• Strong conceptual Art Direction experience.
• An exceptional eye for typography, composition, colour and imagery.
• Experience art directing photography, film and content shoots.
• Advanced Adobe Creative Suite and Figma skills.
• A portfolio spanning branding, integrated campaigns, social content, film and digital creative.
• The ability to develop visual ideas into compelling creative worlds across multiple touchpoints.
• Confidence partnering with Copywriters to shape conceptual creative—not simply visual execution.
• Experience leading significant creative projects from concept through to final delivery.
• The confidence to present ideas and build trusted relationships with clients and internal teams alike.
• The ability to guide Designers, Motion Designers, Retouchers, Photographers and wider creative partners with clarity and confidence.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset with the judgement to balance creativity, quality and delivery.
• A collaborative, low-ego approach and genuine passion for helping others produce their best work.
• Hands-on motion experience would be an advantage, but isn’t essential.

Why Join?

Story is building a different kind of Creative Content Agency. One where exceptional craft, genuine collaboration and ambitious ideas come together without unnecessary layers of process. You’ll help shape not only the work, but the creative standards, culture and future direction of a studio that’s growing quickly and producing some of its most exciting work. This isn’t about joining an established machine—it’s about helping build something exceptional alongside talented people who care deeply about creativity, ownership and making outstanding work together. If you’re looking for a role where you’ll have genuine influence, produce career-defining work and help shape the future of a fast-growing agency, we’d love to hear from you.

Permanent £80,000–£85,000 Hybrid: London | 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday & Thursday) Start: Early September Exceptional freelance Art Directors seeking a long-term opportunity are also encouraged to apply.