What are the responsibilities and job description for the Art Director position at Ruckus?
Our client, an innovative sustainable beverage startup, is looking for a hands-on Art Director to lead the evolution and extension of the brand’s visual identity and creative strategy. You'll create inspired work that aligns with business goals, deepens connection with the community, and builds brand sentiment. You’ll ensure a high standard of creative excellence is met at every turn to delight customers. Reporting to the VP of Marketing & Growth, this is a full-time role based in NYC with a hybrid office structure. Please include a resume and portfolio/work samples for consideration.
What You’ll Do
- Creative Strategy: Always setting trends and never following, define and evolve creative strategy and visual identity to reflect core values and design principles. Ensure consistency across all content (packaging, website, social, print, in-store), and develop systems to measure creative effectiveness.
- Campaign & Content Development: Lead the creation of integrated campaigns, overseeing concept, art direction, and execution across all channels. Manage content production from ideation to completion, ensuring alignment with brand values and business objectives.
- Customer Experience & Design: Design impactful customer experiences across online, in-store, and experiential. Lead the creative for retail activations (demos, end caps, shelf talkers, in-store displays) and foodservice (cafe/coffee shop) to enhance the in-store and on-premise experiences.
- Team Collaboration & Resource Management: Partner with cross-functional team members including Sales, Product Development, Social, Operations, Food Service, contractors, external media agencies and more to ensure creative project vision is developed, executed and aligns with business goals. Vet and onboard new external partners as needed.
- Guidelines & Monitoring: Create and oversee internal and external creative guidelines to ensure the brand is appropriately and holistically represented across mediums.
- Budget Management: Manage the creative budget to deliver projects on time and within budget.
Who You Are
- A bar-raising creative leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, a passion for brand building and a deep understanding of how design and storytelling shape consumer experiences.
- Highly collaborative, with a proven ability to work cross-functionally and build strong relationships with internal teams and external partners.
- A meticulously detail-oriented project manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment, juggling multiple priorities while maintaining a clear focus on deadlines and budgets.
- Passionate about sustainability and purpose-driven brands, with a strong understanding of premium product positioning.
- Based in New York City, can come to the office 1-2x a week, and can travel as needed.
What You’ll Bring
- At least 3 years of experience in a creative leadership role, preferably within beauty, luxury retail, or CPG.
- You have a strong portfolio that demonstrates your expertise in visual design, brand storytelling, and campaign development.
- A deep passion for shaping a category and a knack for surprising and delighting consumers.
- A rolodex of best-in-class content creators, photographers, prop and food stylists, and production teams to support across key moments.
- A proven track record of developing and executing creative excellence and successful brand marketing strategies that drive awareness and market penetration.
The Perks
We offer a robust and competitive compensation package and the opportunity to be an early member of an exciting, collaborative, fast-growing team.
- Competitive salary
- Equity at an early-stage company
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits
- Unlimited PTO and paid holidays
- Complimentary products, merch, and co-branded products