Art Director

Art Director

Department: Design & Creative

Application Requirements

Please ensure your application includes your resume, cover letter, and a link to an online portfolio, as incomplete applications will not be considered.

Overview:

As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the "Trojan Family," which comprises the faculty, students, and staff that make the university a prime place to learn, grow, and succeed.

USC Communications is seeking an Art Director to join its team. The Communications team sets the strategic communications vision and marketing strategies that promote the campus community’s innovative accomplishments, builds a strong brand identity and nurtures the University’s reputation among its vast constituencies.

Reporting to the Special Advisor/Associate Vice President, Advancement Communications, the Art Director will oversee the visual identity and branding of all marketing and communications efforts developed for University Advancement and the USC Alumni Association.

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced and creative professional with a strong background in managing visual identity and branding initiatives. The candidate must possess strong leadership skills to guide creative teams from concept to completion, while ensuring high standards of visual execution across all projects.

Job Responsibilities:

• Serves as a university brand steward and ensures compliance across channels and deliverables.

• Leads Advancement Communications designers through the creative process from initial intake to concept presentation to final production and delivery.

• Translates marketing and communication objectives into creative strategies.

• Creates and executes concepts for print and digital collateral including, but not limited to, leadership gift proposals, program and event identities, magazines, impact reports, brochures, ads, presentations, event collateral, signage, infographics, webpages, emails and promotional items.

• Generates ideas and visual concepts, and conducts presentations to clients, in accordance with university editorial standards.

• Ensures a high standard of visual execution across all media and campaigns.

• Reviews the work of creative teams and provides direction and feedback. Schedules, assigns and prioritizes workloads of staff supervised, including designers, photographers, administrative support, etc.

• Ensures timely completion of publications and projects.

• Develops, manages and administers department and or project-specific budgets, providing financial status reports. Recommends and/or makes budgetary and resources allocations. Creates financial projections and/or cost estimations, as needed.

• Informs management of trends and developments in the field. Provides creative industry best practices advice and counsel regarding current developments.

• Reviews, modifies and negotiates contracts and agreements, and makes recommendations and specifications for bids. Selects appropriate vendors for each project, supervises jobs in progress and ensures vendor payments.

• Maintains currency of emerging and new media trends through professional organizations and publications.

• Perform other duties, as assigned.

This is a hybrid position under our current work arrangement plan, with the expectation of on-site presence in our offices in the USC Tower located adjacent to campus in downtown Los Angeles.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Combined 7 years of experience as substitute for minimum education.

• Possesses thorough understanding of digital media and evolving online platforms.

• Knowledge of user experience, website utilization, responsive and motion design, photography, typography, and printing.

• Ability to communicate effectively to support ideas and concepts.

• Demonstrated creativity to generate original ideas and visual concepts.

• Knowledge of social media management, editorial design, desktop publishing systems and latest art and design packages.

In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Core Values: integrity, excellence, diversity, equity and inclusion, well-being, open communication and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10 years of experience.

• At least three years of supervisory experience, and a record of meeting deadlines.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $103,517.83 - $141,014.38. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations. 

USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff & their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions once you meet Program's eligibility; tuition benefits for staff & their family; free professional development online courses; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses & free tram pick up services; discounts to football, basketball & other campus events.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 7 years, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience Minimum Field of Expertise: Possesses thorough understanding of digital media and evolving online platforms. Knowledge of user experience, website utilization, responsive and motion design, photography, typography and printing. Ability to communicate effectively to support ideas and concepts. Demonstrated creativity to generate original ideas and visual concepts. Knowledge of social media management, editorial design, desktop publishing systems and latest art and design packages.