Design Director

We are currently seeking a Design Director to be based out of our Chicago studio. Could this be you?

About us

As a company with studios across the globe, we power up the best minds from 31 teams in over 22 countries to create a unique skillset for each client. We spark ingenuity with global creative sprints that cross time zones and borders and spur on the best of our talent. That includes exceptional brand consulting and strategic design, brilliance in experience, retail and workplace design, and competition-smashing motion design. We are part of the WPP group.

The role

As a creative explorer…

At your core, you’re a master designer – always seeking to uncover solutions and ideas through design. You thrive on big ideas, extraordinary design, and providing inspirational leadership for the creative team. You know when you need to roll up your sleeves and when to focus on vision. You are a storyteller, a brand strategist through design, and creative to the core.

As an advocate for design…

You are an expert at communications – saying what you mean and hearing what others mean to say, whether in a one-on-one conversation or in a formal presentation.

You’ll be very good at building relationships – with clients and within the office. You’ll be good at this not just because it’s a requirement of the job, but because you’re passionate about relationships and are sophisticated at dealing with different personalities and different seniority levels. You’re a diplomat and do not fear confrontation. You thrive leading a team and understand the different contributions different individuals make.

As a business leader & mentor…

You are a strategic thinker. You understand branding and love it when you really understand a client’s business and arrive at insights that solve their challenges via their brand.

You are results-focused, very organized, and a skilled planner. But you are also an improviser who knows that ambiguity and changing priorities are common. You know finances, financial goals, reporting and metrics and how to manage these.

You are a team leader and a player. You understand team interaction and roles of team members. You perform well in a team environment and foster communication and cohesion between internal teams and functions.

Finally, you are optimistic and enthusiastic but also a bit restless and dissatisfied.

What we’re looking for

• 2+ years of experience as a Design Director within a branding agency.
• 8+ years of broad creative and management experience (required) with a global sophistication and the ability to adapt to different cultures.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in graphic design, communication, design, fine arts, or a related field.
• Experience leading cross-discipline teams and design leaders.

Finally - our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

We believe diversity brings creativity, which is at the heart of everything we do. We are actively engaging in creating an environment free of discrimination, where our people and their uniqueness can shine and be celebrated. We’re working to set a standard for the industry as a whole, creating a culture of equity and belonging. We may not be perfect, and we know there is work to do, but we regularly check with our teams and Employee Resource Groups on how we are doing, using their insight to frame our thinking and actions, so we can all do better, working as one Landor & Fitch.