Senior Art Director
syndigo
Chicago, Illinois, United States
IT Governance
Audiovisual
Branding
Graphic Designer
Advertising
Job Score
100 pts
On-site model (+70)
IT Governance (+10)
Audiovisual (+10)
Branding (+10)
Syndigo powers the continual flow of data and content throughout the entire commerce ecosystem— accelerating delivery of accurate and compelling information that increases sales on every shelf. We are the recognized leader in software and services for the management of master data, product information, digital assets, and content syndication and analytics across industries including grocery, foodservice, hardlines, home improvement, oil & gas, pet, health and beauty, automotive, apparel, and healthcare products.
Syndigo serves the industry’s largest two-sided network, connecting more than 50,000 global users across 12,000+ global brands with more than 1,750 global retailers.
Basically, we're the people that deliver the rich, accurate product content that helps consumers shop online with confidence, and helps brands and retailers operate efficient product supply chains. We cannot do all of this without our amazing employees who make the magic happen here at Syndigo. As we continue to grow, we’re always looking to identify talented individuals to join our team.
**This is a hybrid position that requires 2 days per week in office at our Chicago location**
The Senior Art Director is a highly skilled creative professional responsible for developing and executing visually compelling, strategically driven marketing and brand experiences across digital, web, campaigns, events, product marketing, and multimedia channels. This candidate thinks like an editor and designs like an art director. You're able to turn a data set, a customer story, or a market thesis into a visual narrative that makes people stop and pay attention
This is a senior individual contributor role focused on elevating the quality, sophistication, and effectiveness of Syndigo's visual communications. The Senior Art Director combines exceptional design craft, conceptual thinking, motion design expertise, and a deep understanding of modern marketing principles to create work that advances business goals and strengthens brand perception.
The ideal candidate possesses an outstanding portfolio demonstrating world-class marketing campaigns, motion graphics, digital experiences, marketing assets and brand systems. They are highly proficient in Figma, component-based design systems, and modern creative workflows, with the ability to independently lead projects from concept through execution.
HOW WE’LL BE WINNING TOGETHER DAY TO DAY
Creativity & Design Skills:
- Transform complex data, research findings, and market insights into clear, compelling visual narratives, including report design, ebooks, data visualization, and editorial layouts that feel like a point of view, not a data dump.
- Lead concept development, visual storytelling, art direction, and execution for integrated campaigns.
- Elevate creative quality and consistency across all creative touchpoints, setting high standards for typography, composition, motion, imagery, and user experience.
- Create and maintain scalable creative systems, templates, component libraries, and brand identity standards that balance consistency with flexibility.
- Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, AI-assisted creative workflows, and best-in-class design standards.
Motion Graphics & Multimedia:
- Design and produce high-quality motion graphics, animations, product videos, event content, social media assets, and multimedia experiences.
- Develop storyboards, visual narratives, and creative concepts that bring campaigns, product stories, and brand messaging to life through motion.
- Translate written briefs and strategic objectives into compelling motion concepts and animation frameworks.
- Produce animated assets that support product launches, campaigns, thought leadership initiatives, customer stories, and event experiences.
- Partner with stakeholders to present storyboard concepts and creative approaches before production.
- Ensure motion design aligns with brand standards and enhances audience engagement and user experience.
Design Systems & Figma Excellence:
- Demonstrate expert-level proficiency in Figma and component-based design methodologies.
- Create, evolve, and manage scalable design systems, component libraries, templates, and workflows.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to drive adoption of design standards and reusable assets.
- Continuously improve efficiency through reusable frameworks, templates, and automation opportunities.
Organization & Collaboration:
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional quality and attention to detail.
- Partner closely with Brand, Demand Generation, Product Marketing, Sales, Events, and Product teams to understand business goals and develop effective creative solutions.
- Present concepts and creative rationale clearly to stakeholders and leadership, incorporating feedback while maintaining design integrity.
- Collaborate with external agencies, freelancers, photographers, illustrators, and production vendors as needed.
- Work independently while effectively balancing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Business & Market Insight:
- Ensure creative solutions align with brand positioning, messaging, and business priorities.
- Balance strategic objectives, audience needs, and creative excellence when making design decisions.
- Understand marketing funnel performance and customer journeys to create effective visual communications.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen brand consistency and improve the effectiveness of creative assets across channels.
- Proactively recommend innovative creative approaches that support business growth and market differentiation.
- Contribute to campaign strategy and content planning by identifying creative opportunities that amplify reach, strengthen the brand narrative, and support the content ecosystem across channels.
WE SHOULD TALK IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU
- Bachelor's degree in graphic design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 5+ years of experience in art direction, visual design, brand design, marketing design, or creative execution.
- Exceptional visual design, art direction, conceptual thinking, and creative problem-solving skills across digital, web, campaign, event, advertising, and brand experiences.
- Demonstrated ability to work within and help define a strong brand voice, translating written messaging and positioning into visual decisions that reinforce the brand's point of view.
- Mastery of Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, component libraries, design systems, and modern collaborative workflows.
- Demonstrated experience creating and managing scalable design systems, component libraries, templates, and creative frameworks.
- Advanced motion graphics, animation, multimedia, storyboarding, and visual storytelling capabilities, supported by a strong portfolio from concept through final delivery.
- Expert understanding of typography, color, layout, composition, visual hierarchy, and storytelling.
- Experience leveraging AI-powered creative tools and workflows.
- Excellent presentation, communication, collaboration, attention to detail, and commitment to design excellence.
- Experience in B2B SaaS, technology, ecommerce, retail, or product marketing environments, a plus.
- Exceptional portfolio demonstrating:
- Integrated marketing campaigns
- Brand identity systems
- Motion graphics and animation
- Storyboarding and visual storytelling
- Digital experiences and web design
- Design systems and component libraries
- Event and experiential marketing
For full-time U.S. based-employees, we offer competitive health insurance benefits, PTO and volunteer time off, employer-paid short- and long-term disability, parental and adoption leave, 401(k), and tuition reimbursement.
Your individual compensation within the budgeted salary range is determined based on your skills, education, experience, and internal equity. This position is Bonus Eligible.
Budgeted Salary Range:
$104,000—$130,000 USD
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
To achieve the best version of our organization, we know it takes new ideas, new approaches, new perspectives and new ways of thinking. A purpose we are 100% committed to cultivating.
Diversity is woven into our fabric at Syndigo and it’s how we stay an industry leader, innovating technology solutions that equip our customers with everything they need to be successful!
All are welcome here and we invite you to join our team if you are ready to help us continue that growth!
GDPR/CCPA
Syndigo, to process applications, holds onto data for a "reasonable time" after applications are submitted. This data is stored for Syndigo's internal use by HR/Recruiting Staff only. Verified requests for data deletion and exports will be completed upon request.
Syndigo Job Applicant Privacy Notice
At Syndigo, we care about your privacy. As you go through our recruitment process, we are committed to being transparent about how we process your personal data. To learn more about how Syndigo processes your personal data, go to our Job Applicant Privacy Notice.
About IT Governance
IT Governance is the area responsible for ensuring that information technology resources are used strategically, efficiently, and in compliance with standards and regulations. IT governance professionals ensure that technology supports business objectives in a secure and reliable manner.
Key skills include IT service management (ITIL), IT audit and compliance, risk management, business continuity, disaster recovery, metrics and indicators (SLAs, KPIs), and strategic alignment between IT and business. Frameworks like COBIT, ITIL, ISO 27001, and compliance standards are essential.
IT Governance professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master ITSM, IT audit, and risk management. The field offers opportunities from governance analyst to CIO/CTO, with a focus on efficiency, compliance, security, and business value.
About Audiovisual
The Audiovisual area is responsible for producing, editing, and creating video and audio content for various platforms. With the exponential growth of digital content, audiovisual professionals are fundamental for brands that want to communicate visually and impactfully.
Key skills include video production and editing (Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut), motion graphics (After Effects), animation (Blender, Cinema 4D), sound design, podcast production, live streaming (OBS Studio), and photography. Knowledge of visual storytelling, rhythm, and art direction is a differentiator.
Audiovisual professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master motion graphics, social media videos, and content for digital platforms. The field offers opportunities from videomaker to head of audiovisual, with a focus on creativity, technical quality, and storytelling.
About Branding
Branding is the area responsible for building, managing, and strengthening a brand's identity and market value. Branding professionals create strategies that define how the brand is perceived by the public, from the logo to the complete customer experience.
Key skills include brand strategy, visual identity, brand guidelines, positioning, naming, brand voice, market research, brand equity, and brand management. Knowledge of graphic design (Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop), storytelling, and brand experience is a differentiator.
Branding professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master employer branding, digital branding, and can build strong, memorable brands in competitive markets. The field offers opportunities from brand designer to head of brand, with a focus on identity, differentiation, and perceived value.
About Graphic Designer
The Graphic Designer is the professional responsible for creating visual pieces for print and digital communication, from visual identity and logos to marketing materials and packaging. They combine creativity with technique to convey messages visually and impactfully.
Key skills include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, CorelDRAW, visual identity design, typography, color theory, packaging design, and motion graphics. Knowledge of vector illustration, offset/digital printing, and print production is a differentiator.
Graphic Designers in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master social media design, infographics, and can create materials that strengthen brand visual identity. The field offers opportunities from junior graphic designer to art director and design director.
About Advertising
The Advertising area is aimed at the planning, creation, and delivery of communication campaigns to promote brands, products, ideas, or services. Professionals in the sector work in advertising agencies or in-house marketing departments in creative fields (art direction, copywriting), strategic planning, account management, and media buying.
Discover Other Areas
Understand the scope of work, key skills, and tools used in different career areas.
About Office Suite
Proficiency in Office Suite is an essential skill for professionals across various areas. Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook are fundamental tools in the corporate day-to-day, while Google Workspace and other collaborative solutions are gaining increasing space.
Key skills include advanced Excel (formulas, pivot tables, Power Query, VBA/Macros), Word (formatting, mail merge, styles), PowerPoint (presentation design, animations), Outlook (email and calendar management), and collaborative tools like Google Sheets, Notion, and Airtable.
Professionals with advanced Office Suite proficiency are valued in administrative, financial, data, and operational areas. Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications are important differentiators. The combination of advanced Excel with data analysis skills is one of the most in-demand competencies in the market.
About Technical Support
Technical Support is essential to ensure customer satisfaction and retention. Support professionals resolve technical issues, document solutions, and identify patterns that can lead to product improvements.
Key skills include troubleshooting, customer service, technical documentation, ITIL knowledge, and ticketing tools (Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom).
Technical support has evolved from a reactive to a proactive function, with high-level professionals working in Customer Engineering and Support Engineering.
About Project Manager
The Project Manager is the professional responsible for planning, executing, and controlling projects end-to-end, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and with the expected quality. With the growing complexity of businesses, project management professionals are fundamental to organizational success.
Key skills include planning and scheduling, scope, cost, risk, quality, and resource management, stakeholder communication, cross-functional team leadership, and use of agile and traditional methodologies. Certifications like PMP, PRINCE2, and Six Sigma are important differentiators.
Project Managers in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban), tools like Jira and MS Project, and can deliver complex projects efficiently. The field offers opportunities from project analyst to head of PMO, with a focus on execution, governance, and business value.
About Customer Service
The Customer Service / Client Relations area is essential for ensuring customer satisfaction, retention, and a good relationship. Professionals in this field are the primary interface for communication, handling inquiries, requests, feedback, and ensuring a high-quality day-to-day experience. Skills in communication, problem-solving, empathy, and patience are indispensable.
About Web Designer
The Web Designer is the professional responsible for creating visual interfaces for websites, web applications, and landing pages, combining aesthetics, usability, and user experience. They transform business needs into functional and responsive layouts that communicate brand identity.
Key skills include UI design, responsive design, prototyping (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD), wireframing, design systems, accessibility (WCAG), information architecture, and basic HTML/CSS knowledge. Knowledge of UX design, motion design, and front-end is a differentiator.
Web Designers in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master design systems, design tokens, and can create interfaces that convert and engage. The field offers opportunities from junior web designer to product designer and design lead.