Art Director

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Art Director provides strategic creative leadership while remaining deeply hands-on in design execution. This role leads and develops a team of full-time and freelance designers, overseeing resourcing, capacity planning, and performance through regular coaching and mentorship. Serving as the creative lead and steward of the CURE brand, the Art Director sets clear visual direction and ensures consistent brand expression across all touch points. Balancing a player-coach model, this role personally leads priority design initiatives requiring senior-level judgment, models excellence in craft and attention to detail, and elevates the work of the team through thoughtful art direction and actionable feedback.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1. Art Direction & Creative Leadership
   • Serve as the creative lead on design projects, setting clear visual direction and quality standards from kickoff through final delivery
   • Review work-in-progress and final deliverables, providing clear, actionable feedback that elevates good design into excellent design
   • Lead through mentorship rather than rework, help designers grow
2. Visual Brand Management
   • You are the steward of the CURE brand. Ensure consistent, thoughtful expression across all touch points
   • Partner closely with our branding agency to translate their work into executable projects
   • Develop and guide a plan for implementing brand systems across teams and channels
   • Serve as an internal brand authority and resource, helping teams understand and apply brand standards effectively
3. Graphic Design
   • Player/coach role, expected split of 50% leadership and 50% hands-on design
   • Personally lead design execution for priority initiatives that require senior-level creative judgment and craft
   • Model excellence in visual design, setting the bar for quality, craft, and attention to detail
4. Team Leadership & Resource Management
   • Lead, coach, and develop a team of full-time designers based in Grand Rapids
   • Conduct regular 1-on-1s and performance check-ins with direct reports
   • Own design resourcing and capacity planning, including scoping work/estimating hours
   • Manage a bench of freelance designers, engaging them as needed to meet demand

OTHER DUTIES
Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the co-worker for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Co-worker must perform other tasks, duties, and projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience

• Minimum 7–10 years multi-channel total design experience 
• 2+ years managing designers/design teams/external contractors
• Prior experience working with or alongside agencies
• Non-profit design experience 
• Experience managing branding 
• Design portfolio with long-form print examples (magazines, annual reports) preferred