Job Title: Art Director

General Position Summary

The Art Director position is responsible for exercising a wide range of disciplines in order to design web solutions for customers. The Art Director role is one that makes ISITE Design remarkable to the outside world. From defining the creative themes and directions for client projects during prospect pitches to rolling up the sleeves and creating graphical assets, we look at this position not just as a designer but as a person who can single-handedly design and create web sites. Knowledge of branding, marketing, advertising, art direction, graphic design, illustration, photography and other visual production skills coupled with a strong ability to present concepts to clients and projects is a must. Working in a team environment, the Art Director will create and present branding and design concepts for clients and prospects. Those concepts should fulfill the client's business objectives as well as offer an engaging interface for their primary audiences.

Once a direction is established, the Art Director will be responsible for creating the production graphics that are cut and optimized for use by the Web Application Developers; the Art Director may even be expected to create static HTML pages directly utilizing CSS and JavaScript to build out the user interface and populate content. Additionally, the Art Director will work closely with the Information Architect, Web Application Developers and the Project Manager to ensure that the highest quality standards are being met and that innovation is appropriately applied.

Essential Duties/Major Responsibilities

• Represent ISITE Design in a professional and ethical manner and possess a strong conviction to customer service and satisfaction for themselves and ISITE Design
• Having a high degree of comfort presenting in from on audiences, prepare for and lead creative design meetings with clients
• Provide creative vision and concepts for compelling user experiences
• Write creative briefs that articulate the theme of a design and how it correlates to the client's brand and identity
• Design Web sites based on provided informational architecture and/or functional specifications
• Present artwork, including comps and storyboards, to clients and discuss the rationale behind the design
• Be prepared to create site maps and wireframes when an Information Architect is not present on a project
• Create original graphics using Adobe Photoshop and other tools to process web-safe graphic assets
• Create web pages using HTML and CSS technologies
• Be receptive to criticism from team and client to better the product during the review cycle
• Appropriately apply innovation in user interface elements for rich Internet applications
• Communicate at different technical and artistic levels
• Actively balance user, business, operational and technical needs to provide the best creative solutions that meet the client's needs
• Manage development tools and project resources
• Manage personal workflow and deliverable deadlines of multiple and simultaneous projects
• Deliver high-quality deliverables on time and within budget for medium to large projects
• Build long-term relationships with clients and team members
• Contribute and participate in all company meetings and work relations with a strong team spirit and respect for coworkers
• Stay current on Web and Internet technologies as they apply to the ongoing needs of our customers and the solutions that ISITE Design offers
• Possess a strong belief in doing what's right for the customer and display the ability to adapt to the fluctuating needs of various projects
• Be viewed as a positive influence and mentor junior members of the ISITE Design team and display the ability to learn new concepts
• Other duties as assigned by the Director of Client Services

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Must be able to partake in research and development of new design and development tools
• Must work with other team members to develop client oriented solutions in a structured and organized manner
• Must be able to provide accurate time estimates in terms of work-hours for how long it will take to create, review and revise deliverables
• Assist the Director of Client Services in defining the process of Web site development and documentation

Supervisory Skills

• This position has no direct reports. The Art Director, however, will mentor other creative staff including Graphic Designers and Web Developers on creative best practices. Leadership skills are critical in motivating and facilitating teamwork.

Required Skills, Abilities and Qualifications

Experience

• 3+ years in Web site design and development with a proven track record of designing compelling user interfaces and user experiences
• 5+ years in the graphic design, fine arts, marketing or advertising related industry
• Agency experience is a plus

Education and/or Formal Training

• Trade school or College degree preferred within a related field such as human-computer interaction, visual design, product design, or interactive design
• Macromedia certification is a plus

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent and extensive design skills
• Graphic production expertise
• Solid HTML and CSS skills
• Web development applications Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Fireworks
• Flash design and development experience is a plus
• Web graphics guidelines
• Capabilities and limitations of various browsers and user operating systems as it applies to Web site development
• Adherence to standards and conventions
• Exceptional verbal, written, interpersonal, persuasive and presentation skills
• Team oriented mentality with strong team leadership and meeting facilitation skills
• Thorough knowledge of the digital graphic production process
• Knowledge of preparation and optimization techniques of images for delivery over the Internet and other networks
• Understanding of the importance of delivering high-quality product while balancing the need for rapid delivery
• Ability to follow directions with a minimum of supervision and to work under tight deadlines
• Ability to understand and learn new development tools and techniques

Working Environment

• Fast-paced, high-volume production environment in fixed location with occasional visits to client locations
• All expenses (hours, equipment, etc.) accountable and billable to projects

Material and Equipment Directly Used

• Windows XP Professional (with knowledge of MacOS)
• MS Office
• Adobe Photoshop
• Macromedia Dreamweaver
• Macromedia Fireworks
• Macromedia Flash
• Other Web development tools with emphasis on Macromedia products
• Common office supplies and tools

Physical Requirements

• The physical requirements for this position are light to moderate.
• May require some lifting and carrying of materials or equipment.
• Extended hours required at times to meet client deadlines.