Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Art Director

Primary Function: The Art Director must be an accomplished designer with vision, initiative, and autonomy who can act as creative partner, internal critic, and sounding board. As a member of the Brand team, the Art Director executes the Barnes Foundation’s brand strategy and ensures consistency across media by managing the design of print and digital materials for marketing, education, and membership. As head of the Design department, the Art Director oversees the work of the Senior Designer and manages the departmental budget. The Art Director oversees concepting and design of exhibition graphics and other collateral for special exhibitions and works with the Director of Design and Publications and Production Manager to ensure that books and catalogues meet the highest standards.

Job Qualifications 

  • Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or related field with five years’ design experience required, including experience in a museum or other cultural institution. 
  • A strong record of outstanding design practice and a sophisticated visual sensibility.
  • Ability to think strategically and to work across a range of projects, including print collateral, digital collateral, book and catalogue design, and identity design.
  • Excellent typographic skills and an understanding of visual systems. Demonstrated ability to successfully translate complex ideas into compelling, communicative visuals.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills. Ability to builds good working relationships with internal clients and team members, and to give and receive constructive feedback.
  • Proficiency with design software and an understanding of Web interface design, HTML coding, and CSS. Highly skilled in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, multi-page layout, and all print production techniques.
  • Demonstrated effectiveness ensuring that print and digital materials reflect an organization’s brand identity and support its diversity and outreach goals.
  • Experience managing other design professionals.
  • Demonstrated ability to prepare complex files for print production, review and comment on printer’s proofs, and press check projects with a keen eye for detail. An understanding of production requirements for digital media formats to be used in websites, email, video, and other digital communication.
  • Ability to develop and monitor budgets and work closely with the Production Manager to establish priorities and schedules.
  • Ability to analyze and evaluate the efficacy of graphic design projects and adjust and innovate accordingly.

Clearances:  Criminal Background-National

Physical Activities to Perform Essential Functions: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Moving:

  • Approximately 80%+ of time is spent seated while working at a desk.   
  • Ability to occasionally transport up to 25 lbs. of files, equipment or supplies.  
  • Ability to move to access files, equipment or supplies.

Vision Requirements:

  • This position requires extended time on the computer.

Communication Requirements:   

  • Clearly communicate in person, by phone, and by video conference.  
  • Communicate with others in conversational and written English. 

Working Conditions:  

  • Position operates in hybrid work setting comprised of the Barnes’ Philadelphia campus and remote work setting indicated by the employee at their documented home address.
  • Position requires extended time on the computer.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Collaborates with leadership on the design direction of all institutional materials to ensure consistent storytelling and brand focus across all channels. 
  • Directs and implements design of all digital and print projects—from ads to brochures and signage to ephemera—handling them from project request to final product at a high level of competence and creativity. This includes the following:
  • Meets with department heads and/or project managers as necessary.
  • Provides design concepts for presentation, and oversees the execution of design concepts by junior team members.
  • Designs projects personally or oversees the work of internal and/or external designers. Makes decisions regarding referral of projects to outside designers.
  • Reviews and approves the production stages of creative execution.
  • Evaluates end product and distribution appropriately.
  • Oversees archiving of paper and electronic files.
  • Supervises design team members by orienting, training, assigning, scheduling, and coaching them as they develop their skills.
  • Researches and recommends photography and/or illustrations for projects. Identifies photography needs and coordinates photography.
  • Manages external designers as necessary.
  • Maximizes results within given budget and timeframes.
  • Partners and collaborates across all departments to ensure brand integrity and consistency.
  • Identifies opportunities for improvement and change in design processes and initiates proposals and/or projects.
  • Performs other duties as requested.

Managerial Competencies:

  • Demonstrates the ability to monitor, supervise, and hold accountable employees in the areas of attendance, performance completion of documentation, ADP, and implementation of all company policies, procedures, and protocols.
  • Supervises and meets regularly with direct report to review operational metrics and provide ongoing guidance; documents constructive feedback regarding job-specific functions, responsibilities, and competencies. 
  • Maintains written documentation of supervision for oversight and review by other parties as appropriate.
  • Demonstrates the ability to maintain a stable, productive team environment through effective communication, staff appreciation, and other activities that yield a high level of employee engagement to support and preserve the employee’s interest in working for The Barnes Foundation.

Organization-Wide Competencies:

1. Accountability: 

a. Prepares for work assignments and meetings, 

b. Conducts thorough fact-finding, decision-making and/or follow through, 

c. Admits mistakes and errors and informs others when one is not able to meet a commitment.

2. Job Quality: 

a. Dependably demonstrates job knowledge necessary for the position,

b. Produces timely, accurate, high quality work output, 

c. Prioritizes work responsibilities effectively and produces work quantity expected for the role.

3. Service: 

a. Identifies problems and collaborate with others to devise and create effective solutions. 

b. Interacts and communicates with fellow employees in a manner that promotes a harmonious and cooperative working environment in accordance with our Core Values. 

c. Facilitates open communication and keeps an open mind about new ideas.

4. Leadership: 

a. Sets a good example for others, 

b. Demonstrates ethical decision-making and communication, 

c. Makes decisions. Uses a solution-oriented, collaborative approach.

5. Collaboration: 

a. Seeks win-win outcomes in decision-making, 

b. Shows a proactive, inclusive, helpful, and respectful attitude to colleagues, guests and others, 

c. Takes initiative to contribute to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives.

6. Empowerment (Supervisors): 

a. Directs others’ work effectively with adequate goalsetting, accountability, delegation, supervision, conflict resolution, accessibility to support and resources, 

b. Motivates team to meet short- and long-term goals: individual, department and strategic plan, 

c. Creates environment for staff development.

7. Administration (Supervisors): 

a. Meets goals related to revenue targets, expense control, program fees, etc., 

b. Develops/manages budget in keeping with organizational priorities, 

c. Follows protocols and reporting requirements set by other departments (HR, IT, Facilities, etc.), 

d. Collects and analyzes data effectively, 

e. Documents work accurately and consistently, shares information appropriately.

The Art Director must be an accomplished designer with vision, initiative, and autonomy who can act as creative partner, internal critic, and sounding board. As a member of the Brand team, the Art Director executes the Barnes Foundation’s brand strategy and ensures consistency across media by managing the design of print and digital materials for marketing, education, and membership. As head of the Design department, the Art Director oversees the work of the Senior Designer and manages the departmental budget. The Art Director oversees concepting and design of exhibition graphics and other collateral for special exhibitions and works with the Director of Design and Publications and Production Manager to ensure that books and catalogues meet the highest standards.