📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Sr. Art Director, Creative Lab
🔹 Company: Ovative Group
🔹 Location: Minneapolis, Chicago, New York
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Advertising & Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-02
🔹 Experience Level: 7-10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (Minneapolis, Chicago, New York)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading creative development across a diverse client portfolio
- Collaborating with clients, strategists, designers, and the Creative Director
- Delivering high-quality work that is on time, on-brief, on-budget, and on-brand
- Art direction, design, and video creation and editing
- Thought leadership on trends and creative best practices
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a broad range of creative skills and the ability to adapt to various client needs and project types.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead development of creative concepts and visual look and feel in an increasingly social-first world
✅ Align concepts, visual direction, and designs to business objectives, strategies, audiences, brand strategy, and brand standards
✅ Use data and insights, platform best practices, and industry trends to communicate and connect to creative direction
✅ Lead and participate in brainstorming sessions
✅ Lean into the design creation of various content and campaign-specific elements where relevant
✅ Foster quality of output through application of creative and design best practices, incorporating client feedback and QA process management
✅ Identify process improvements that result in increased quality or efficiency within creative approaches, processes, or technology
✅ Lead client-facing delivery of work, presenting and iterating on creative ideas, approaches, and deliverables with clients
✅ Develop thought leadership on trends and creative best practice, leading creative needs during research or strategic phases and using research to inform concepts and visual approach
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills to manage client relationships and deliver high-quality work.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Fine Arts, or a related field
Experience: 7-10+ years in art direction, design, and video
Required Skills:
- Proven track record in leading creative teams
- Great communication and extensive client management experience
- Passion for creative in the digital marketing space but an understanding of conceptual thinking in a holistic way is paramount
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, or similar design tools
- Strong video creation and editing skills
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with motion graphics and animation
- Fluency in multiple languages
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a strong portfolio showcasing their creative skills and experience leading creative teams.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $111,000 - $186,000 per year, inclusive of a 25% bonus
Benefits:
- Flexible paid vacation policy
- 401k match program
- Top-notch health insurance options, inclusive of same-sex partners
- Family formation benefits
- Monthly stipend for your mobile phone and data plan
- Sabbatical program
- Charitable giving via our time and a financial match program
Working Hours: Full-time, with flexible hours and frequent travel to Minneapolis headquarters for company events and in-person collaboration
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is inclusive of a 25% bonus and is based on relevant experience and anticipated impact.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Advertising Services
Company Size: 501-1,000 employees
Founded: 2009
Company Description:
- Ovative Group is a digital-first media and measurement firm that is transforming the measure of marketing success.
- Their team of marketing experts does the hard work to drive measurable performance and surpass expectations, fostering a trusting environment with each other and their clients.
- Ovative offers Paid and Owned Media Services, Omni-Channel Measurement, and Strategy Consulting, combining deep industry expertise and proven processes with an innovative new marketing metric, Enterprise Marketing Return.
Company Specialties:
- Cross Channel Measurement
- Customer Data Architecture
- Search Engine Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization
- Digital Media Execution
- Multi-touch Attribution
- Marketing Analytics
- Digital Media Optimization
- Paid Social
- Display
- Online to Offline Measurement
Company Website: http://www.ovative.com
ASSUMPTION: Ovative Group is a well-established advertising firm with a strong focus on digital marketing and data-driven insights.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior level, with the opportunity to grow and mentor junior team members
Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Creative Director
Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with frequent travel to Minneapolis headquarters for company events and in-person collaboration
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to mentor junior team members and grow within the creative department
- Opportunities to work on a diverse range of client projects and campaigns
- Exposure to various aspects of the advertising industry, including strategy, media, and data
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to mentor junior team members and take on more responsibilities over time.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Modern, collaborative office spaces in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York
Office Location(s): 729 Washington Ave N, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401, US; 254 Canal St, Suite 5000, New York, 10013, US; 224 N Desplaines St, Ste 200, Chicago, Illinois 60661, US
Geographic Context:
- Minneapolis: A vibrant, midwestern city known for its arts, culture, and outdoor recreation
- Chicago: A major city with a diverse economy, rich cultural scene, and iconic architecture
- New York: A global hub for business, finance, media, and entertainment
Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexible hours and frequent travel to Minneapolis headquarters for company events and in-person collaboration
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility and the opportunity to work remotely, while also fostering collaboration and in-person team building.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screen with the Hiring Manager
- In-person or video interview with the Creative Director and other team members
- Creative challenge or presentation
- Final interview with the Hiring Manager and/or other senior team members
Key Assessment Areas:
- Creative portfolio and process
- Client management and communication skills
- Adaptability and problem-solving skills
- Alignment with Ovative Group's values and culture
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight relevant skills and experience for this role
- Prepare a creative brief or concept for a hypothetical client project to showcase your problem-solving skills and creative thinking
- Be prepared to discuss your design process and how you approach creative challenges
- Research Ovative Group's clients, industry, and company culture to demonstrate your understanding and enthusiasm for the role
ATS Keywords: Art Direction, Design, Video, Creative Development, Client Management, Collaboration, Brainstorming, Data Insights, Presentation Skills, Leadership, Communication, Adaptability, Holistic Thinking, Empathy, Creativity, Problem Solving
ASSUMPTION: The interview process for this role will focus on assessing the candidate's creative skills, client management experience, and cultural fit with Ovative Group.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Sketch
- Video editing software (e.g., Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro)
- Presentation software (e.g., Keynote, PowerPoint)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
ASSUMPTION: The required tools and technologies for this role may vary depending on the specific needs of the client projects and campaigns.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Trust and transparency
- Doing the hard and complicated work others put off
- Open communication and floor plan
- Flat organizational structure
- Fostering an environment where smart people can support each other in performing to their highest potential
Work Style:
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Adaptable and flexible
- Data-driven and insights-focused
- Client-centric and solutions-oriented
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where you're expected to manage multiple projects and clients simultaneously?
- Are you comfortable working with a diverse range of clients and project types, and adapting your creative approach accordingly?
- Do you have strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to build and maintain effective client relationships?
- Are you passionate about staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices, and incorporating them into your creative work?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and have strong communication, presentation, and client management skills.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple client projects and deadlines simultaneously
- Adapting to diverse client needs and project types
- Working with a remote team and traveling frequently for in-person collaboration
- Keeping up with industry trends and best practices
ASSUMPTION: The fast-paced nature of the role and the need to adapt to diverse client needs and project types may present challenges for some candidates.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is unique in its focus on leading creative development across a diverse client portfolio, requiring strong client management, collaboration, and adaptability skills
- Compared to other art director roles, this position offers significant growth potential and the opportunity to work on a wide range of client projects and campaigns
- Career path comparison: This role may lead to senior leadership positions within the creative department or other areas of the business, depending on the candidate's interests and skills
ASSUMPTION: This role offers unique opportunities for growth and development within the creative department and the broader advertising industry.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a comprehensive creative campaign for a major retail client, including visual direction, design, and video components
- Creating a social-first visual identity for a healthcare client, incorporating data and insights to inform creative direction
- Leading a team to design and produce a series of animated explainer videos for a technology client, showcasing the company's products and services
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the diverse range of client projects and campaigns that the Sr. Art Director, Creative Lab may work on.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the typical timeline and process for a creative project, from initial brief to final delivery?
- How does the creative team collaborate with other departments, such as strategy, media, and data, to ensure integrated and effective campaigns?
- What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the creative department and the broader organization?
- How does Ovative Group support work-life balance for its employees, particularly those in hybrid or remote roles?
- Can you provide examples of how Ovative Group has adapted its creative approach to meet the evolving needs of its clients and the market?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions will help candidates better understand the role, the company culture, and the opportunities for growth and development.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight relevant skills and experience for this role
- Prepare a creative brief or concept for a hypothetical client project to showcase your problem-solving skills and creative thinking
- Be prepared to discuss your design process and how you approach creative challenges
- Research Ovative Group's clients, industry, and company culture to demonstrate your understanding and enthusiasm for the role
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your interest and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
