Senior Art Director

Who we are:

Munchkin is the most creative and innovative baby and toddler consumer product company in the world. Founded in 1991, Munchkin has sold billions of dollars of products through our key retail partners: Target, Walmart and Amazon and has global distribution in over 30 countries. Our mission is simple: we want to be the most loved baby lifestyle brand in the world.

We are award-winning industry leaders in design and innovation. In 2019 alone, Munchkin earned more than 40 product innovation and design awards. Munchkin has a portfolio of over 260 patents and has recently averaged over 20 new patents awards per year. We are passionate, creative, and believe in only making the best products. We are looking for a creative leader who can work alongside the CBO on Munchkin and to help launch our exciting, curated, high design line of adult products, Curio.

What we are looking for:

We are searching for a Senior Art Director to be the right hand, a trusted and confident wingman/woman, to the CBO/Creative Director. This full time, on-site role oversees a full 360, in-house, design and production team of 9 in LA with weekly production supervision of assets in Hong Kong and China.

The Senior Art Director needs to be a mature, creative problem solver with a strong managerial background in CPG. You are as comfortable presenting to a Marketing Director as you are to a retail partner. We’re a scrappy team, so we expect this AD not just to provide direction to designers, but also to execute your own ideas. From quick comps to dazzling After Effects creations, we want someone who can take an idea from the conceptual phase and bring it all the way to market. You have strong experience in working with epic story creators, from copy writers to video directors, and have outstanding writing skills yourself.

If you’re looking to create ideas that win every award from GDUSA to The Red Dot, we humbly do this on a regular basis. Munchkin’s Brand Design Department has won over 60 of the most acclaimed global awards in design and branding across all platforms, packaging to TV and everything in between, in 6 short years.

How you will contribute:

• In collaboration with the CBO/Creative Director, you will help lead the global creative vision for Munchkin in alignment with marketing, product development, and digital strategies and business objectives.
• Concept, design, and produce engaging strategic content and creative assets across a range of brand projects and touchpoints, including video, social and influencer campaigns, marketing and promotional, email, print, branding and logo design, packaging, media and PR programs, and whatever comes next.
• Communicate and interact well with team members and supervisors across multiple departments. Work closely and build relationships with Brand Marketing, Global Marketing, Product Development, Ecommerce, and Social Media teams to drive the creative strategy across the Company.
• Ensure that brand and visual identity is consistently applied to all collateral and marketing materials across the company. Drive creative consistency into global markets in packaging and digital platforms. Ensure consistent application and governance of the brand style guides, internally and externally.
• In collaboration with the CBO/Creative Director, provide the vision for photography and direct all photography efforts for use in packaging, social media, and Ecommerce.
• Ensure execution of a thoughtful creative strategy and positive user interface across multiple digital platforms.
• Manage a team of designers, photo/video producers by demonstrating enthusiasm for the creative landscape and new technologies; and contributing strong, inspirational, and relevant creative thinking. Ensure the Creative Team delivers on business objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

You will have:

• 10-12 years of experience in a managerial role for design teams with significant emphasis on interactive media at a hypergrowth consumer products company or beloved CPG brand.
• 10-12 years industry experience or related creative process experience combining creative strategy, content, and messaging with creative deliverables as an Art Director. The majority of your background is in-house at a CPG company.
• Excellent interpersonal skills:
• You feel at your best in a team environment.
• You are a curious, patient leader who thrives in coaching young designers and illustrators in daily crit sessions.
• You understand the nuances and value of the critical role of a #2.
• You are a well-seasoned and graceful giver and receiver of feedback.
• A strong portfolio that demonstrates your ability to come up with modern, playful, original ideas and innovative approaches across channels, along with the visual skills and attention to detail to execute superbly in a variety of mediums
• Proven experience allocating and managing budgets
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and inspire both internal and external creative teams
• Understanding of all dimensions of communication: business strategy and experience design, with the ability to translate this into effective innovative, but integrated marketing programs.
• Killer design chops with Advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Ketnote, etc., and ability to evaluate future tools for team productivity. You have familiarity with Word, Excel and embrace the reality that Power-Point is a necessary and powerful design tool.
• Expert knowledge in the graphic production process including translations needed for international commerce.
• Animation and video production and are well versed in the language of the internet and social. You are comfortable executing everything from an Insta Stories and organic TikTok campaigns to short and long form videos for optimal reach on all platforms, especially mobile.
• You have impeccable taste in and appreciation for the role of music as a story telling backdrop for motion.
• Demonstrated ability to concept across a variety of mediums including social, digital, print, audio, experiential and whatever comes next.
• A tried-and-true Rolodex of vendors to lend a hand when needed from copy writers to stylists to video directors and editors.
• Social fluency and a solid understanding of how to drive conversation and engagement across social channels.
• Strong communication design sensibilities and an understanding of how composition, information hierarchy, color theory and typography work together to drive home a message.
• Proven creativity in the Ecommerce space with successful follow through from concept to build
• Ability to prioritize and manage work, adhering to critical project timelines in a fast-paced environment

We got you covered!

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes supplemental health, profit share eligibility, employee equity plan, and much more. We regularly hold social functions to foster a genuine camaraderie that enhances teamwork. At company-wide award functions, we take time to recognize the talent and dedication of the people who make Munchkin the most loved baby lifestyle brand in the world. To learn more, visit us at www.munchkin.com/join.

... embraces diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.