What are the responsibilities and job description for the Art Director position at Saxum Strategic Communications LLC?
About Saxum
Saxum is an integrated strategic communications and marketing agency on a mission to strengthen bedrock industries and institutions serving citizens, community, and country. We fuse bold creativity with deep strategic thinking to deliver innovative solutions that drive measurable results. At Saxum, we champion curiosity, collaboration, and change.
Our values are BOLD:
Brave – We speak up, stand up, and act when others stand still.
- Original – We champion new ideas and embrace unique perspectives.
- Lively – We love our work and celebrate our community.
Driven – We move with a constant sense of urgency.
Saxum offers a competitive benefits package, including health, dental, and short-term disability insurance, PTO, and IRA retirement plans for team members. Recognized as one of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing businesses since 2012, we’re committed to excellence and innovation.
Job DescriptionThe Art Director at Saxum is a hybrid thinker—a conceptual creative who’s just as comfortable ideating campaign visuals as they are leveraging AI tools to streamline workflows, spark ideation, and optimize execution. This role bridges strategy and execution, overseeing the visual output across digital, brand, and campaign work while incorporating emerging design and AI technologies to elevate creative possibilities. You’ll guide concept development, oversee execution across multiple channels, and partner closely with the Creative Director to ensure all work reflects Saxum’s creative standards, meets client objectives, and pushes boundaries. You’ll lead projects, mentor talent, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to craft integrated brand, digital, and campaign experiences. This role demands exceptional creative thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to turn insights into compelling visual stories.
Key Responsibilities
Creative Leadership & Strategy
Lead concept development and visual direction across digital, print, social, and experiential campaigns
- Collaborate with the Creative Director to ensure all work is aligned with brand strategy and optimized for performance
- Infuse AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, Runway, Firefly, ChatGPT) into creative processes for ideation, prototyping, content generation, and visual experimentation
- Present and sell ideas to clients and internal stakeholders, articulating both the strategic and creative rationale
- Mentor designers and content producers, with a focus on expanding their use of AI and emerging tools
- Contribute to new business development and proposal creation, bringing innovative ideas and visuals to the table
Stay on the pulse of design and AI trends, helping Saxum evolve its creative capabilities
Design & Execution
Originate and explore multiple design concepts for each campaign/project
- Deliver high-quality creative content across mediums: web, mobile, email, social, video, print
Produce user-centered design deliverables (site maps, wireframes, stylescapes, hi-fi comps, etc.)
Guide digital product and web experience design from discovery to deployment - Ensure all project work is strategic, brand-aligned, and client-ready
- Maintain a strong understanding of digital best practices, UX/UI principles, and accessibility
- Oversee outside creative resources (photographers, illustrators, developers, etc.)
Lead the integration of AI-driven design tools and generative content workflows into production processes
Collaboration & Communication
Participate actively in creative reviews, team meetings, and project kickoffs
- Work seamlessly with account, strategy, and digital teams to ensure alignment and integration
- Communicate project progress and capacity to leadership and project managers
- Effectively delegate, provide direction, and elevate the creative output of others
Build and nurture a collaborative, inclusive, and feedback-rich creative culture
Project & People Management
Help manage project timelines, scopes, and deliverables
- Oversee relationships with vendors, contractors, and external collaborators
- Ensure creative assets are delivered on-brand, on-time, and on-strategy
- Contribute to internal documentation and knowledge-sharing around AI tools, creative processes, and best practices
- Support project resourcing and capacity planning
- Ensure design standards, processes, and tools are consistently applied across projects
Understand financial aspects of projects and contribute to scoping when needed
While a college degree would be welcomed, knowledge and experience is often just as valuable.
- 5 years of agency experience with a strong design foundation.
- Have an extensive toolbelt with some or all of the following types of tools::
- Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premier Pro, After Effects)
- Experiential tools such as Figma
- Webflow or similar web design tools
- AI tools like Firefly, Midjourney and ChatGPT
- Project collaboration tools such as ClickUp, Asana, or others
Proven ability to develop experiences for integrated communications strategies supporting broader client business goals.
