Senior Art Director

About Saatchi & Saatchi

Saatchi & Saatchi is the Nothing is Impossible agency.

We are a creative and strategic hub that develops and implements integrated solutions for our blue chip-clients across multiple markets – from offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg. We’re a diverse, dynamic, and collaborative team, led by strategy and fired by creativity. 

We believe in the power of emotion to break through to people and in the necessity of sharp campaign design to deliver the most effective results – an approach we call Heart and Smart.

As part of the Saatchi & Saatchi global network, and the Publicis Groupe Africa, we collaborate with partner agencies to deliver a myriad of specialized solutions. Saatchi & Saatchi has a rich history of building brands across Africa. 

So, What’s The Gig?

An opportunity to be Snr Art Director in a team that serve all aspects of the creative requirements for the client’s regional portfolio of brands. Your gig will be to craft exceptional creative work that will help grow and nudge the client’s portfolio of incredible brands, with particular focus on digital first thinking and platform best practice.

Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):

• Develop and execute outstanding work across ATL/BTL/Social and Digital
• Understand the client’s strategy and business context, and always aim to do work that performs
• Create artwork in line with brand CI and digital content creation
• Roll-out of campaign collateral
• Work closely with multi-discipline team members to generate concepts to fulfil the client’s brief
• Work collaboratively with planning and client service departments under the direction of the CD/ECD
• Communicate (daily) the status of jobs to the CD/ECD
• Craft creative presentation decks
• Present concepts (internally and to client)
• Build strong collaborative relationship with the team, partners and client
• Timeous execution of work against scheduled deadlines by the traffic manager
• Ability to work on more than one brief at any given time
• Cast actors for TV, Content, Radio, and listening to voice and video auditions.
• Create and brief production documents to the relevant production departments
• Contribute to proactivity and innovative thinking on brands within the portfolio
• Attend reviews and guide copy
• Train / mentor junior Art Directors
• Keep abreast of industry trends and industry best practice

Requirements / Experience / Skills:

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Art Direction / Graphic Design
• Proficient in MS Office (i.e. Word / PowerPoint / Keynote etc.)
• Minimum 6 years working experience in an Advertising Agency as an Art Director with 1 year being a Snr Art Director
• Proficient in InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop
• Firm grasp of executing for channel with a special focus on social platforms (IG, FB & Twitter)
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong time management skills
• Strong multitasking skills

Personality Attributes:

• Team player with the ability to work independently
• Able to remain calm in a highly pressurized environment
• Strategic and creative mind-set
• Assertive
• Accountable
• Proactive
• Resilient
• Problem solver and solution driven
• Deadline driven
• Meticulous with attention to detail
• Other:
  • Flexible to work beyond normal office hours (overtime if and when required)
  • Comfortable to work from Publicis Groupe office (if and when required)
  • Comfortable and willing to work on alcohol brands 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks after submitting your application, please consider your application as unsuccessful.

Publics group is proud to be an Equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan. All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to all candidates from designated groups.