Schaefer Advertising

Concept, art direct, and design across brand campaigns and integrated advertising projects while collaborating with creative teams. | At least 2 years agency or design studio experience with a strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma. | About Schaefer At Schaefer Advertising, our purpose is simple: Make Life Better. That purpose guides everything we do. We believe great work starts with great people, strong relationships, and a culture that encourages curiosity, collaboration, and continuous growth. For more than 30 years, we’ve helped organizations solve business problems through thoughtful strategy, strong creative, and lasting partnerships. We care deeply about our clients, our community, and each other. We believe the best ideas come from teams that trust one another and enjoy working together. If you’re looking for a place where you can grow as a leader, make a meaningful contribution, and help shape the next chapter of a respected and established independent agency, we’d love to meet you. Some agencies treat early-career creatives like extra hands. We don’t. We’re looking for an Art Director / Designer who wants to contribute to the idea, not just execute someone else’s. Someone who can take a creative brief, understand the strategy, explore different ways into the problem, and help turn the strongest idea into work people notice. You’ll work closely with our VP/Creative Director, Senior Art Director, Copywriters, Designers, Production Artist, account service, and production teams. You’ll be expected to bring ideas, ask good questions, make the work, take direction, and keep pushing until it is genuinely good. This is an ideas-and-craft role for someone who wants to get better at both. Role Scope This is a highly hands-on role. You will concept, art direct, and design across brand campaigns, integrated advertising, environmental and out-of-home, digital, social, and motion—from early territory exploration through final execution. You’ll help develop visual ideas, create campaign concepts, build presentations, design across channels, source and curate imagery, prepare production-ready files, and participate in photo and video production. Some assignments will begin with a blank page and a creative brief. Others will require you to extend an established concept or visual system without losing what made it good. You should be energized by both. You’ll have access to experienced creative leaders who will challenge you, support your development, and expect you to take increasing ownership of the work as your judgment grows. What Success Looks Like Within your first 12 to 18 months, you will have: Become a trusted creative partner to our Senior Art Director, VP/Creative Director, Copywriters, Designers, and Production Artist. Contributed meaningful concepts and visual thinking to campaigns—not just executions. Demonstrated that you can connect your creative choices to the strategy in the brief. Taken increasing ownership of assignments from initial exploration through production-ready execution. Strengthened your art direction across typography, composition, imagery, photography, video, and channel-specific design. Learned to present your work clearly, hear feedback without becoming defensive, and return with a stronger solution. Developed the speed, consistency, and judgment required to handle both considered campaign work and fast-turn assignments. Brought useful new tools, techniques, or AI-assisted workflows into how we work and shared what you learned with the team. Responsibilities Concept Development, Art Direction & Design Translate creative strategy and well-built briefs into relevant, distinctive, and executable ideas. Develop multiple creative territories before narrowing in on the strongest solution. Concept and design campaigns across brand, integrated advertising, out-of-home, digital, social, motion, and environmental work. Think beyond a single execution. Consider how an idea can extend across channels, audiences, formats, and moments. Develop presentation-ready concepts that clearly connect the creative idea back to the strategy. Make thoughtful decisions about typography, composition, color, imagery, hierarchy, and detail. Design for the medium: legibility at highway speed, hierarchy in a feed, restraint on a wall, and clarity on a screen. Recognize when an idea is not there yet, let go of work that is not solving the problem, and go back in. Photography, Video & Production Support and participate in the art direction of original photography and video. Help develop shot lists, casting recommendations, wardrobe, locations, styling, and visual references tied to the concept. Work with photographers, filmmakers, retouchers, animators, illustrators, and other creative partners. Curate imagery with a point of view, including from stock resources and existing client libraries. Prepare accurate, organized, production-ready files for print, OOH, digital, social, environmental, and other applications. Work closely with production partners to ensure that creative intent carries through final execution. Systems & Scalability Extend brand and campaign systems across channels and formats while maintaining consistency and intent. Build clean, organized master files and templates for versioning, localization, and repeated use. Follow established brand standards while learning when an assignment calls for thoughtful evolution. Help create toolkits and guidelines that make the work easier for others to execute correctly. Collaboration & Team Partner daily with our VP/Creative Director, Senior Art Director, Copywriters, Designers, Production Artist, account service, and production teams. Come prepared with ideas, references, questions, and a point of view. Receive direction and feedback thoughtfully, then demonstrate that you understood it in the next round. Give useful feedback to teammates when invited and contribute to a creative environment where people help one another improve. Communicate early when you are stuck, unclear, or at risk of missing a commitment. Stay organized, meet deadlines, and take responsibility for the quality and accuracy of your work. Have strong opinions about the work without making the work about you. Client & Presentation Participate in internal and client creative presentations. Explain the idea behind your work and connect creative choices back to the strategy. Learn to read the room, listen carefully, and respond thoughtfully to questions and feedback. Build the confidence to advocate for an idea without becoming defensive or precious about it. Become increasingly comfortable presenting creative work directly to clients, from informal working sessions to more formal presentations. Innovation Be actively curious about AI and emerging creative tools. Experiment with new tools and understand where they can expand ideation, improve execution, accelerate exploration, or remove repetitive work. Use AI thoughtfully and responsibly without allowing it to flatten the thinking, replace judgment, or make the work feel generic. Learn, test, and share what you discover with the creative team. Stay current on design, culture, technology, production techniques, and the work being made across the industry. Who You Are You are an art director and designer who still loves making the work. You have ideas, but you also understand that an idea only matters if it can be expressed clearly and executed well. You care about craft, want direct feedback, and are looking for a place where experienced people will push you to become better. You’re comfortable: Starting with a creative brief and exploring more than one solution. Working at both ends—the conceptual idea and the details of the execution. Being told an idea is not there yet and going back in without losing your energy or professionalism. Asking questions when you do not understand the strategy, audience, or assignment. Moving between a considered brand campaign and a fast-turn execution in the same week. Working independently when the direction is clear and collaboratively when the work benefits from more voices. Learning from people with more experience while bringing your own perspective to the room. Presenting unfinished thinking, receiving feedback, and making the next round meaningfully better. You are confident enough to contribute and humble enough to listen. You want credit for good work, but you care more about the team producing the strongest idea. Experience We care far more about your portfolio and potential than a perfectly linear résumé, but successful candidates will likely have: 2+ years of professional experience in an advertising agency, design studio, in-house creative team, or comparable creative environment. A portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, visual craft, and the ability to develop work across more than one execution or channel. Strong foundational skills in typography, composition, color, imagery, and visual hierarchy. Fluency in Adobe Creative Cloud and working knowledge of Figma. Experience preparing files for print and digital production. Some experience with photography, video, motion, 3D, interactive, digital design, or UI/UX is a meaningful plus. Curiosity about AI-assisted creative workflows and evidence that you are actively experimenting with emerging tools. Experience in attractions, tourism, the arts, real estate, health and life sciences, economic development, hospitality, or destination marketing is helpful but not required. What We Value The best developing creatives combine curiosity with follow-through. They bring ideas, ask good questions, care about the details, and want to understand why something works—not simply whether it was approved. They can advocate for an idea, hear “no,” take useful feedback, change direction when warranted, and remain a generous, constructive teammate throughout the process. At Schaefer, craft is a form of respect—for the client, the audience, the idea, and the people you work with. The Opportunity Ahead Creative work is changing, and so is Schaefer. Technology will continue to change how we make things. AI, automation, and flexible creative teams are becoming part of everyday agency life. We see those tools as ways to spend more time on thinking and craft, not less. This role offers the opportunity to work beside experienced creative leaders, contribute to meaningful assignments, and develop the conceptual thinking, craft, judgment, and presentation skills required to become a stronger art director. What will not change is the value of curiosity, good judgment, original thinking, and care for the work. If that sounds like the kind of career you’re looking for, we’d love to meet you. Location & Work Style This position is based in Fort Worth, Texas. Team members are expected to work in the office at least three days per week. Benefits 401k with 3% Employer Contribution Health, Dental, Disability and Life Insurance Vision Insurance Paid Time Off Generous Holiday Schedule Dog Friendly Environment Office closure between Christmas and New Years Paid volunteer time Paid parental leave

Concept, art direct, and design across media including brand campaigns, digital, and motion while mentoring the creative team. | 6+ years in advertising or design studio with strong portfolio, proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma, and experience directing freelance partners. | About Schaefer At Schaefer Advertising, our purpose is simple: Make Life Better. That purpose guides everything we do. We believe great work starts with great people, strong relationships, and a culture that encourages curiosity, collaboration, and continuous growth. For more than 30 years, we’ve helped organizations solve business problems through thoughtful strategy, strong creative, and lasting partnerships. We care deeply about our clients, our community, and each other. We believe the best ideas come from teams that trust one another and enjoy working together. If you’re looking for a place where you can grow as a leader, make a meaningful contributions, and help shape the next chapter of a respected and established independent agency, we’d love to meet you. Some agencies treat art direction as a step between the idea and the file. We don't. Our clients hire us because the work is considered — because a campaign feels like it belongs to them and to nobody else. That happens when someone owns the craft: the photography, the typography, the system, the details that separate work people notice from work people scroll past. This role is that person. You will set and hold the visual standard across our portfolio, partnering closely with the VP/Creative Director. This is a craft-first role by design. We are investing in depth, not just headcount, and we want someone who takes visible pride in what leaves the building. Role Scope This is a hands-on role. You will concept, art direct, and design across brand campaigns, integrated advertising, environmental and out-of-home, digital, social, and motion — from first territory exploration through final production files. You will art direct original photography and video, working with photographers, filmmakers, stylists, and retouchers to make sure what gets shot is what the concept actually needs. You will build visual systems that hold together across channels, markets, languages, and years — and package them so teams outside Schaefer can execute them correctly without a creative in the room. You will also raise the craft ceiling around you. You'll partner with our Copywriters, Art Directors and Production Artist, direct freelance designers and specialists, and help our creative team get better. What Success Looks Like Within your first 12 to 18 months you will have: Raised the visible craft standard across the portfolio, in ways clients and the team can both point to. Become a trusted conceptual art direction partner to the VP/Creative Director Owned original photo and video direction on at least one flagship campaign from concept through final delivery. Built or meaningfully strengthened a brand system that others can execute from without losing the intent. Developed a working rhythm with our Copywriters, Art Directors, Designers and Production Artist that makes the whole team faster and sharper. Directed freelance creatives effectively, with clear briefs and useful feedback. Brought new tools, techniques, or production approaches into how we work — and taught them to others. Responsibilities Craft & Art Direction Concept and art direct campaigns across brand, integrated advertising, out-of-home, digital, social, motion, and environmental work. Own typography, composition, color, image selection, and detail — the choices that make work feel intentional rather than assembled. Develop presentation-ready concepts. Much of our work is presented essentially final, with imagery and assets that are immediately usable. Design for the medium: legibility at highway speed, hierarchy in a feed, restraint on a wall. Kill your own work when a stronger idea is available, and make the case for the idea worth protecting. Photography, Video & Production Art direct original photo and video shoots — casting, wardrobe, location, styling, lighting, and shot lists tied to the concept. Partner with photographers, filmmakers, retouchers, and animators to get the intent onto the screen. Curate and edit imagery with a strong point of view, including from existing client libraries. Prepare final files and specs correctly for print, OOH, broadcast, and digital production. Systems & Scalability Build brand and campaign systems that extend across channels, audiences, markets, and multiple years without going stale. Create usage guidelines and toolkits written for non-designers — show how to make a decision, not just what the approved assets look like. Design master files and templates built for localization, versioning, and bilingual application. Establish and maintain templates and standards that free the team's energy for ideas rather than format. Collaboration & Team Partner daily with our Copywriters, Art Directors, Designers, Production Artist, account service, and production teams Give clear, specific, useful feedback — the kind that makes the next round better rather than just different. Write briefs for and direct freelance designers, illustrators, photographers, and specialists. Mentor by example and by explanation: help others understand why a choice works, not just that it does. Client & Presentation Present and defend visual thinking clearly, in partnership with the Associate Creative Director and account leadership. Explain the reasoning behind a craft decision in language a non-designer can act on. Take feedback well, separate preference from strategic direction, and know which battles are worth having. Innovation Stay genuinely current on tools, techniques, and production methods — including AI-assisted workflows. Explore how new tools can raise craft and remove tedium, without letting them flatten the thinking. Share what you learn with the team and help others adopt it thoughtfully. Who You Are You're a designer and art director first. You still love making the work, and you have the taste and judgment to know when it's right. You're comfortable: Starting from a blank page and a loose strategic direction. Being told an idea isn't there yet, and going back in. Working at both ends — the big conceptual swing and the kerning. Directing people whose craft differs from your own. Explaining a visual choice to someone who doesn't share your vocabulary. Moving between a highly considered brand campaign and a fast-turn seasonal execution in the same week. You care about the details other people don't notice, precisely because that's what makes the work feel finished. And you'd rather make something genuinely good than something merely approved. Experience We care far more about your portfolio than your résumé, but successful candidates will likely have: 6+ years in an advertising agency, design studio, or comparable creative environment. A portfolio demonstrating range, conceptual thinking, and real craft — campaign work, not just executions. Demonstrated experience art directing original photography and video. Experience building brand or campaign systems intended for others to execute. Fluency in Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma; motion, 3D, or interactive skills are a meaningful plus. Digital and UI/UX capability is a strong plus — a growing share of our work lives on screen. Experience directing freelance creative partners. Experience in attractions, tourism, the arts, real estate, health and life sciences, economic development, hospitality, or destination marketing is helpful but not required. What We Value The best art directors combine strong taste with genuine curiosity. They know the difference between a preference and a principle. They're generous with what they know. They sweat details without losing the idea. They are accountable, humble, collaborative, and committed to continuous improvement. At Schaefer, craft is a form of respect — for the client, the audience, and the people you work with. Location & Work Style This position is based in Fort Worth, Texas. Team members are expected to work in the office at least three days per week. Benefits 401k with 3% Employer Contribution Health, Dental, Disability and Life Insurance Vision Insurance Paid Time Off Generous Holiday Schedule Dog Friendly Environment Office closure between Christmas and New Years Paid volunteer time Paid parental leave *There is no relocation expense reimbursement for this role. The Opportunity Ahead Creative work is changing, and so is Schaefer. Technology will continue to change how we make things. AI, automation, and flexible creative teams are becoming part of everyday agency life. We see those tools as ways to spend more time on thinking and craft, not less. What won't change is the value of someone who can look at a piece of work and know exactly what would make it better. We're looking for that person. If that sounds like the kind of career you're looking for, we'd love to meet you.