Manager, Art Direction (14-month contract)

Company Description

Indigo is a physical and digital place inspired by and filled with books, ideas, beautifully designed lifestyle products, and the creative people who help make it all happen. We believe in real books, living life fully and generously, being kind to each other and to the environment, and that stories – big and little – connect us. Indigo is our customer’s happy place – for joyful moments of discovery and to connect with people who share their passion for reading, their belief in ideas, and their commitment to making the world a better and more beautiful place.

Our Mission is to inspire reading and enrich the lives of booklovers. As such, we believe in the power of people and their stories. We aim to attract top talent, nurture the potential of our employees, and create space for everyone to thrive. Our Guiding Principles are the few key ideas that are meant to influence everything we do, every day.

• We Will Hire, Inspire, Promote and Retain the Best
• We Will Be Customer Centric
• We Will Be Entrepreneurial
• We Will Be Committed to Caring About Each Other, Our Communities, and Our Environment
• We Will Be Committed to True and Shared Value Creation
• We Will Be Systems Thinking, Data Driven and AI enabled

Job Description

The Manager, Art Direction is responsible for ideation and creation of campaign elements and assets from concept to completion ensuring all creative outputs are on brand and support Indigo’s business goals. As part of the creative studio, the Manager, Art Direction will work closely with cross functional partners to ensure the Indigo brand is communicated in a strong and consistent manner. This role will inspire, lead, coach and manage junior designers throughout the creative process from collaborative conceptualization to production and launch.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

• Effectiveness and excellence of creative output
• Impact of creative output on business ambitions
• Team performance
• Stakeholder satisfaction
• Junior team member leadership

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Functional

• Collaboratively develops innovative creative campaigns across all channels with the VP Creative, Designers, Production Designers and other internal teams
• Mentors and manages designer through overseeing their work as well as guiding them on their career development
• Offers regular feedback to Designer, reviewing all their creative output
• Holds regular 1:1s with designer and holds their quarterly reviews as well as year end conversations
• Educates and introduces the creative team to trends in design and user experience
• Develops and executes creative and impactful campaigns, special projects and initiatives
• Stays current in market and industry trends to aid in the development of cutting edge marketing, design concepts and user experience
• Leads the adjustment of project goals and design revisions on the fly as necessary to adapt to changing situations to meet established schedules
• Identifies potential problems in the creative pipeline and works with the VP Creative to resolve them
• Ensures the completion of team deliverables and set/adhere to team budgets, as applicable
• Acts as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all design and decision-making processes
• Proactively identifies and anticipates customer expectations and needs
• Embraces and seeks out technology that creates high tech and high touch solutions for Indigo’s customers
• Challenges the status quo and consistently identifies areas for improvement, diagnoses issues and works to resolve them

People

• Builds strong teams by attracting and developing the best talent
• Brings out the best in others, empowers and constructively stretches talent
• Gives authentic feedback on performance and potential
• Ensures all team members understand where they stand and have clear performance objectives aligned with Indigo and team goals
• Collaborates with others to drive flexible and iterative solutions, quickly and easily
• Shares technical knowledge with others and actively seeks to learn from those more knowledgeable than yourself
• Helps others see the impacts of their efforts and proactively engages other functions to get input
• Encourages others to freely share their point of view and be open to feedback
• Accountable for the overall engagement, productivity, turnover and bench strength of the team

Cultural

• Models Indigo’s beliefs and conveys a positive image in everything you do
• Celebrates diversity of thought and has an open mindset
• Takes an active role in fostering a culture of continual learning, taking risks without the fear of making mistakes
• Embraces, champions and influences change through your team and/or the organization

SCOPE

Reports to: Vice President Creative

Direct report: Designer

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:

• Merchants
• Visual Merchandising
• Marketing (brand, email and social)
• Site

External:

• Vendors
• Suppliers

Qualifications

Work Experience / Education / Certifications

• Degree or diploma in graphic design or related field
• 6-9 years’ experience in art direction in a marketing/advertising agency or client services agency environment, including experience leading and managing people in a similar capacity

Competencies / Skills / Attributes

• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite CS6
• Proficient in Figma
• Functional understanding of AI tools
• Industry leading conceptual, visualization and design skills
• Demonstrated skills in graphic design and brand development
• An understanding of storytelling, craftsmanship and continuity
• Strong attention to detail and professionalism
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to work cooperatively on a team spanning artists, designers, programmers and production staff, and to compromise when necessary to achieve overall best results
• Ability to balance impacts of deadlines and resources with style and quality requirements
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems efficiently
• Strong time management skills with a proven ability to focus on priorities juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• A positive attitude and willingness to learn

Additional Information

Indigo uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with certain aspects of the hiring process, such as screening and assessments. These tools support our team but do not replace human judgment. We are committed to using AI responsibly, fairly, and in compliance with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws. We regularly review these tools to help prevent bias or discrimination.

At Indigo, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility are core to our values. We integrate these principles into our training, policies, and hiring practices and continuously evolve to reflect the needs of the communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences, including but not limited to individuals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at [email protected].

We respect your privacy throughout the recruitment process. Our Candidate Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you apply for a role with Indigo, and the choices available to you.

This posting is for a current opportunity within Indigo.