Reports to: Creative Director

It’s about gut-wrenchingly gorgeous work. It’s about amazing, delighted people. It’s about fantastic, rock-solid results. If those are the sorts of things that get you up and rocking everyday, then maybe you’re the Art Director OpenRoad is looking for.

You will have an unwavering commitment to design excellence, and will know how to connect business objectives with innovative design solutions. You’re friendly, kind, and can inspire a team of designers and developers to create amazing work that clients are excited about, and users will love.

At OpenRoad we’re passionate about great work that puts the user first, always. We’re constantly evolving and looking for ways to push ourselves and our projects, and we need an Art Director who will bring a consistent level of awesome to our team-centred environment. As one of Vancouver’s largest independently-owned digital firms, we’ve built a 19-year reputation working on major projects for clients like Electronic Arts, lululemon, Pokémon, Roxy/QuikSilver, Honeywell, BC Hydro, Dr Pepper, and The Government of Canada.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead by example to inspire a team of designers, giving clear and honest guidance while helping others produce their best work, on-time and on-budget.
• Set the tone and pace for a project through compelling concepts and visual direction, or roll up your sleeves and get deep into design details when needed.
• Commission and direct photographers, artists, film-makers, and illustrators. Take your team’s concepts and make them real.
• Advocate for the role of design across all areas of the company, working with project managers, strategists, marketing, user experience, and developers in a team environment, taking ultimate responsibility for all creative work in projects that you direct.
• Work with clients both through formal presentations and informal conversations, nurturing shared trust.
• Work closely with the Creative Director to implement strategies and support the overall growth and health of the design team.

Is this the right fit for you?

• Solid communication skills. Communication is a critical component of design, so your communication skills—written, verbal, and visual—are top-notch. You’re able to articulate ideas and principles with clarity and precision, in a style that suits the purpose and context.
• No egos. You’re confident enough to stand for what’s awesome, and also confident enough to acknowledge alternative points of view and when to compromise for the greater good of the team, the project, and the client.
• Patient and approachable. You’re respectful and even-keeled, unflappable in the face of deadlines and pressures. But never too busy to support those around you with generous ideas, tactful advice, or just the silence that comes with acknowledging their challenges.
• A clear vision. You’ve been involved in many, many successful web projects, campaigns, and application designs. You know what you want and are able to explain it with patience and conviction, building consensus through honest persuasion and infectious excitement.
• Been there, done that, still love it. You’re experienced but not jaded, having been a successful Art Director for four years or more while still maintaining a passion for all things design. You can identify typefaces in your sleep, setup a baseline grid like it’s your last grid on Earth, design for everything from web to social to print, and turn big-picture marketing goals into effective campaigns and initiatives. You know about all the industry trends, and know that there’s a time and a place for everything.
• Know the tools and when to use them. Photoshop? No problem. Illustrator? Yes, please. InDesign? For sure. Pencil and paper? Awesome! Plus, you’re a master of, or are eager to get into, new ways of doing things like Sketch and InVision, and have a healthy respect for the power of code and how technology and design work together. You know the pros and cons for each tool and are willing to use the right tool for the job.
• Sense of humour. Life is too short to take yourself too seriously. You’re relaxed but professional, casual but respectful. You help make coming to work everyday a joy for those around you.

What else you need to know about OpenRoad

Our wages are not only competitive, but we actually have overtime pay (yes, you read that right—overtime pay) and great benefits. Our flexible working environment is located in downtown Vancouver and is easily accessible by bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, and West Coast Express. And, if you’re hired, be ready to stick around—our people stay for the long haul, having found a place where they’re heard, respected, and valued. Oh, and we also have this successful product called ThoughtFarmer, too, so be ready to get yours hands busy with some product design from time-to-time.