What does a junior art director do?
The job of a junior art director is to plan, assist, and execute the design and creative projects, including websites, emails, magazines, and ad campaigns. Duties may vary but typically include creating presentations and layouts, working closely with other departments on current projects, and organizing and conducting training on branding and design concepts. Additionally, you will be responsible for creating logos, brand standards, and corporate marketing. You are also responsible for creating graphic standards and communication guidelines.
Junior art director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real junior art director resumes:
- Direct and manage all photography including composition, talent acquisition and photo manipulation.
- Lead the interactive team from concept, UX and design to implementation.
- Key player responsible for the creation and maintenance of SEO ready web pages.
- Develop portions of the corporate website relative to design, layout and HTML content.
- Assist in planning and merchandising photographic shoots for large catalog projects and POS displays.
- Provide clients with top SEO rankings and help them succeed with top-notch designs and online marketing campaigns.
- Collaborate with editors and developers on story presentations and UX design.
- Create corporate communications, mini websites, PowerPoint presentations, print collateral, promotional advertising materials.
- Work side-by-side with team of designers and programmers to create websites, CMS layouts, marketing design and advertisements.
- Participate in brainstorm sessions and develop creative options for internal projects.
Junior art director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Junior Art Directors are proficient in Graphic Design, Adobe Creative Suite, and Creative Concepts. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Creativity, and Leadership skills.
We break down the percentage of Junior Art Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Graphic Design, 16%
Web page graphic design, Web Update/Maintain, Flash Banner Design, E-Mail Blast Materials, New Products Graphic Design.
- Adobe Creative Suite, 12%
Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in design, web and multimedia software and applications, such as Adobe Creative Suite.
- Creative Concepts, 11%
Produced creative concepts that transcended digital tactics that immediately drew public emotions, and directly affected and positively engaged the audience.
- Visual Design, 8%
Completed all projects accurately with quick turnarounds while ensuring all visual design adhered to existing brand guidelines.
- Art Direction, 5%
Worked alongside various creative directors on numerous new business pitches, primary focus being art direction for print and digital campaigns.
- Mac, 4%
Implemented server applications, networked digital cameras and equipment with Mac and Windows based computers.
Most junior art directors use their skills in "graphic design," "adobe creative suite," and "creative concepts" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential junior art director responsibilities here:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a junior art director to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what junior art directors do because "art directors must be able to listen to and speak with staff and clients to ensure that they understand employees’ ideas and clients’ desires for advertisements, publications, or movie sets." Additionally, a junior art director resume shows how junior art directors use communication skills: "revamped all communication tools: website design, branding pieces, company brochure, publication design and e-marketing. "
Creativity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling junior art director duties is creativity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "art directors must be able to come up with interesting and innovative ideas to develop advertising campaigns, set designs, or layout options." According to a junior art director resume, here's how junior art directors can utilize creativity in their job responsibilities: "worked with copywriting partner, under creative directors as well as other agency departments. "
Leadership skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of junior art directors is leadership skills. This skill is critical to many everyday junior art director duties, as "art directors must be able to organize, direct, and motivate other artists." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "worked closely with members of the senior leadership, strategy, account, and project management teams. "
Time-management skills. A big part of what junior art directors do relies on "time-management skills." You can see how essential it is to junior art director responsibilities because "balancing competing priorities and multiple projects while meeting strict deadlines is critical for art directors." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical junior art director tasks: "skilled in client presentations, project proposals, client/vendor negotiations, budgetary adherence and able to work under tight deadlines. "
The three companies that hire the most junior art directors are:
- The Walt Disney Company2 junior art directors jobs
- Promotion Execution Partners2 junior art directors jobs
- Havas Edge2 junior art directors jobs
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Compare different junior art directors
Junior art director vs. Graphic design manager
A graphic design manager is primarily in charge of leading and overseeing the efforts of a graphic design team, ensuring adherence to goals and deadlines. It is their duty to learn and analyze the purpose of design, coordinate staff, liaise with internal and external parties, set goals and objectives, manage schedules, and conceptualize plans. Furthermore, as a graphic design manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a junior art director are more likely to require skills like "creative concepts," "visual design," "jr art," and "account executives." On the other hand, a job as a graphic design manager requires skills like "project management," "customer service," "brochures," and "print collateral." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Graphic design managers tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $82,776. In contrast, junior art directors make the biggest average salary, $102,054, in the professional industry.graphic design managers tend to reach similar levels of education than junior art directors. In fact, graphic design managers are 2.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Junior art director vs. Lead graphic designer
A lead graphic designer is responsible for creating, designing, and updating the company's visual aspects. The lead graphic designer works closely with the branding department alongside the advertising and marketing team. It is essential for the lead graphic designer must be creative, willing to think outside the box, and brave to dare novel ideas. The lead graphic designer is also responsible for leading the creative department in accomplishing assigned tasks from management.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real junior art director resumes. While junior art director responsibilities can utilize skills like "creative concepts," "visual design," "jr art," and "account executives," lead graphic designers use skills like "adobe illustrator," "project management," "motion graphics," and "brochures."
Lead graphic designers may earn a lower salary than junior art directors, but lead graphic designers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $85,443. On the other hand, junior art directors receive higher pay in the professional industry, where they earn an average salary of $102,054.lead graphic designers earn similar levels of education than junior art directors in general. They're 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for junior art directors in the next 3-5 years?
Scott Foster
Associate Professor of Studio Art, Chair of Creative Arts Department, Siena College
Junior art director vs. Art consultant
Senior designers are typically in charge of realizing design solutions that adhere to the business goals and marketing strategies of an organization. They should be comfortable managing graphics designers and making decisions. They must have extensive knowledge of styles, layout techniques, and graphic design while also managing projects and people effectively. Senior designers have a variety of duties, which include delegating tasks to junior designers, maintaining high-quality standards, and collaborating to improve digital creativity standards.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, junior art directors are more likely to have skills like "adobe creative suite," "creative concepts," "visual design," and "art direction." But a art consultant is more likely to have skills like "art gallery," "fine arts," "contemporary art," and "art collections."
Art consultants make a very good living in the internet industry with an average annual salary of $68,646. On the other hand, junior art directors are paid the highest salary in the professional industry, with average annual pay of $102,054.Most art consultants achieve a higher degree level compared to junior art directors. For example, they're 8.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Junior art director vs. Senior designer
Updated January 8, 2025
