Senior Art Director
Haymarket Media, Inc. is seeking a Senior Art Director to join the PRI Creative team. This position is located in our Paramus, NJ office on a hybrid work schedule; three (3) days in office depending on business needs.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- The Senior Art Director is a highly skilled and experienced design leader who plays a pivotal role in creative execution, visual production, and strategic direction. This position is responsible for leading and overseeing high-quality visual content across various media-including print, digital, and event deliverables-while ensuring strict alignment with brand standards, client objectives, and production specifications.
- Beyond hands-on design, this role encompasses strategic thinking, team leadership, project management, and pre-press production. The Senior Art Director works closely with the Associate Creative Director, designers, development, and cross-functional teams (including scientific writers, editorial, client services, program management, and marketing) to maintain visual consistency, innovation, and technical excellence in all creative output.
- Additionally, the Senior Art Director plays a key role in business development, creating mock-ups and visual materials for pitches, presentations, and proposals. This position involves presenting work directly to clients, confidently defending design concepts, and incorporating client feedback while maintaining creative integrity.
- The Senior Art Director leads the creative process from concept to final execution, ensuring every project stays true to the original vision. They serve as the bridge between client services, internal teams, and external production partners-providing creative leadership, reviewing deliverables, and maintaining the highest standards of visual quality and technical accuracy. From kickoff through final delivery, they ensure work is executed seamlessly, strategically, and with exceptional attention to detail.
- This role may require occasional travel for client meetings, presentations, pitch collaborations, or live press checks.
Creative Leadership & Strategy
- Serves as a creative leader, mentoring, guiding, and providing direction to junior and mid-level designers
- Develops and presents high-level creative concepts, visual narratives, and design systems aligned with project goals, client needs, and brand identity.
- Thinks strategically about design, ensuring solutions are visually compelling, effective in achieving business objectives, and aligned with marketing/branding goals.
- Assists the Associate Creative Director in shaping and enforcing brand strategies, serving as an expert on client and internal brand guidelines.
Creative Development & Design Execution
- Produces high-quality and strategically sound visual designs across multiple platforms, including print, digital, web, branding, and event materials.
- Reviews and refines design work to uphold brand consistency, design integrity, and industry best practices.
- Collaborates with writers, marketing teams, editorial, and developers to ensure cohesive storytelling and visual communication.
- Oversees the creation and execution of presentation materials, high-stakes pitch decks (PowerPoint and Google Slides), templates, and custom proposal deliverables.
- Generates design concepts, mock-ups, custom program materials, and final designs based on client-selected comps.
- Creates custom images, graphic elements, charts, figures, data visualizations, and infographics to enhance communication.
- Performs image sourcing, photo manipulation, and digital asset creation/edits for web and multi-format distribution.
- Stays updated on design trends, emerging technologies, and industry tools to continuously push creative boundaries.
Production & Quality Control
- Leads end-to-end quality control (QC) oversight throughout the design and production process, performing meticulous self-QC and peer reviews.
- Prepares, packages, and finalizes files for print or web production and release to developers, printers or clients, ensuring proper pre-press setup, color management, and specifications.
- Reviews and approves printer proofs, attending press checks as needed to ensure print quality, color fidelity, and paper stock accuracy.
- Provides hands-on production assistance, including inputting edits/corrections, reformatting layouts, and releasing files.
- Supports web production and digital asset collection, optimizing designs for various platforms and formats.
Collaboration, Client Relations & Project Management
- Works closely with the Associate Creative Director to develop and refine design concepts.
- Participates in team briefings and kick-off meetings to align on project goals and execution strategies.
- Engages with clients to understand their business objectives, present work directly, defend concepts, and integrate feedback.
- Manages projects and tasks within WorkFront, ensuring workflows, project scopes, and timelines are properly monitored.
- Liaises with printers and outside vendors, providing detailed specifications, addressing questions, and coordinating order forms.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:
- Education: Bachelor's degree (preferably in Graphic Design, Graphic Arts, or a related field.
- Experience: Minimum 15+ years of experience in publishing, advertising, media, or agency environments. Pharmaceutical industry experience is a PLUS.
- Design Expertise: Demonstrates superior design skills and a strong portfolio showcasing work across digital, print, branding, event materials, and marketing deliverables.
- Software Proficiency: Expert in industry-standard design tools including Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), Figma, Google Suite (Google Slides), and Microsoft Office (especially PowerPoint).
- Printer Production Knowledge: Strong understanding of printing processes, paper types, pre-press preparation, color management (CMYK/Pantone), pre-flight file release, and vendor collaboration.
- Workfront & Project Management: Experience with Workfront is a plus, but not required. Must be willing to learn and use the platform to effectively manage tasks, workflows, timelines, and project deadlines.
- Detail-Oriented & Organized: Highly meticulous, deadline-driven, and skilled in time management to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high standards.
- Collaboration & Communication: Excels in both team-oriented and independent work settings, with strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills to collaborate effectively across departments and present to clients.
Special Instructions:
- Portfolio or website required
What We Offer:
- A competitive compensation package
- The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $125,000. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, skill level, functional and/or industry knowledge, education level, certifications, as well as other qualifications.
- Paid annual vacation, holiday and sick time off
- Comprehensive health plans including medical, dental and vision
- Competitive 401(k) investment options and generous company matching program
- Life insurance
- Commuter benefits
- Employee referral awards
- Tuition reimbursement
- Training opportunities through industry-recognized programs
- A creative and passionate workplace and a fun, collaborative team environment
- Three Week "Work from Anywhere" benefit, to ensure work life balance
About PRI:
As the US-based medical communications division of Haymarket Media, PRI develops highly customized products for our pharmaceutical clients. The overarching goal is to develop impactful programs that elevate disease awareness and build brand affinity through scientifically-rigorous integrated marketing solutions. Our matrix client teams work tirelessly to ensure that our client-centric solutions take full advantage of our scientific and clinical knowledge, key opinion leader relationships, industry intelligence, marketing expertise, creative and digital innovation, advanced data analytics, exceptional program management, and expansive print/web/mobile distribution channels through our premier network of affiliated Haymarket Media medical brands.
