The Role
EMA is looking for an Art Director with strong conceptual thinking, refined design craft, and a passion for building distinctive brands.
In this role, you will shape and lead the visual direction of branding, packaging, and integrated campaign projects from initial concept through final execution. You will translate brand strategy and consumer insights into compelling visual identities, packaging systems, and creative experiences that connect with audiences and support business objectives.
This is a hands-on creative leadership role for someone who can see the bigger picture, elevate the details, and inspire a team to deliver thoughtful, cohesive, and beautifully executed work.
Key Responsibilities
Branding & Visual Identity
Translate brand positioning, strategy, and insights into distinctive creative territories and visual identity systems.
Lead the development of brand identities, including logos, typography, colour palettes, imagery, graphic elements, and art direction principles.
Develop brand guidelines that help teams apply identities consistently while allowing flexibility across touchpoints.
Ensure every design decision strengthens the brand's character, differentiation, and relevance to its audience.
Packaging Design
Lead packaging projects from concept exploration and design development through artwork review and production collaboration.
Develop packaging architectures and design systems that work across product ranges, variants, and SKUs.
Balance brand storytelling, information hierarchy, product differentiation, and shelf impact across physical retail and e-commerce.
Collaborate with Production teams, suppliers, and relevant specialists on packaging formats, materials, print techniques, and finishes.
Review mock-ups, prototypes, and proofs to help ensure the final result reflects the approved creative direction and meets production requirements.
Campaigns & Creative Execution
Develop visual concepts for integrated campaigns across digital, social, print, film, and other relevant channels.
Collaborate with Copywriters,
Content Creators, and Creative Directors to build compelling ideas with a cohesive relationship between visuals and messaging.
Extend brand identities into campaign expressions that feel fresh while remaining recognisable and consistent.
Art-direct photography, video, illustration, and other creative production, providing clear briefs and actionable feedback to collaborators.
Creative Leadership & Collaboration
Present creative work with clear, persuasive rationale, connecting visual choices to brand strategy and project objectives.
Guide and mentor
designers through constructive feedback, creative reviews, and hands-on design support.
Work closely with Account, Strategy, and Production teams to deliver work that meets the brief, budget, and timeline.
Maintain high standards of concept, craft, and consistency across projects, from early exploration to final delivery.
Bring relevant perspectives on design, culture, consumer behaviour, and production techniques into the creative process.
Requirements
3+ years of relevant experience in a creative agency, branding studio, or packaging design environment, with experience taking ownership of creative work and guiding designers.
A strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and art direction, with substantial work in branding and packaging.
The ability to translate brand strategy into distinctive visual ideas and cohesive design systems.
Excellent command of typography, composition, colour, visual hierarchy, and image-making, with meticulous attention to detail.
Experience developing visual identities and packaging systems across multiple applications, product variants, or SKUs.
Working knowledge of packaging production, including dielines, print processes, materials, finishes, and artwork preparation.
The ability to move confidently between creative direction and hands-on design execution.
Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, alongside other relevant design and presentation tools.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain creative decisions and respond thoughtfully to feedback.
Experience mentoring designers and collaborating effectively across disciplines.
Strong project organisation skills and the ability to maintain creative quality across multiple briefs and deadlines.
Nice to Have
Illustration skills, particularly the ability to develop original imagery, characters, or graphic assets for brand identities, packaging, and campaigns.
Experience commissioning and art-directing illustrators, photographers, or other specialist creative partners.
Familiarity with 3D visualisation, packaging mock-ups, or motion design.
Portfolio
Please include a portfolio highlighting your strongest branding and packaging projects. For each selected project, briefly outline the challenge, your creative approach, and your specific role from concept development to final execution.