Design Director (Full-Time Remote)

About us: Highwire Public Relations is a modern communications agency designed for disruptive companies. As the top-ranked independent tech and healthcare PR firm, we represent some of the biggest brands in cloud, enterprise, security, fintech, healthcare, and consumer. We are nimble, creative and committed to growth and inclusivity for all our team members.

At Highwire, we believe that storytelling fuels transformation. And the most impactful stories represent all voices and perspectives. As a values-driven agency, we foster an inclusive environment, where everyone—regardless of age, race/ethnicity, size, shape, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and different abilities–can feel safe, celebrated and worthy. 

We ensure every Highwire Walker has unique support to climb to success. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging is permanent and foundational to our business and culture. We aspire to change our industry and build a better future for all.

About you: As Design Director, you will work within our growing digital creative team to elevate and expand the breadth of Highwire’s design output. Collaborating directly with our SVP of creative strategy and partnering with our larger team of designers, content specialists, web developers, and account leads, you will oversee and participate in the delivery of creative across a range of visual mediums including websites, social campaigns, presentations, eBooks and other digital content forms. You will also play an instrumental role in the development, mentorship, and growth of our creative team as well as of the Highwire brand overall. 

As a strategic and creative leader, you will need to be able to work independently to develop visually stunning and functionally flawless creative concepts and present them for review to stakeholders, along with your expert recommendations and rationale. Success in this role necessitates being a quick, independent learner with professional curiosity and a passion for helping others improve their visual communication skills. As part of our team, you will be free to use your creativity, courage, curiosity, and expertly articulated creative thinking to push boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Develop best in class creative executions across multiple touchpoints that are both visually stunning and functionally flawless
• Collaborate with creative, account, content, new business, and client leads
• Work with and provide direction to designers, content producers, copywriters, and developers toward the execution of creative deliverables for print, web, and video
• Must be able to both a.) communicate effectively with other creatives and b.) explain the rationale for decisions in language appropriate for a non-designer audience
• Be an active leader in the continuous assessment, evaluation, and refinement of our creative processes across disciplines
• Provide training and mentoring for team members seeking to broaden their skillset
• Develop, maintain, and deploy brand design kits and libraries for production teams
• Be flexible and ready for hands-on involvement in the design, production, and execution of numerous internal and client-facing assets

Qualifications

• Excellent portfolio that displays exceptional design aesthetic, showcasing a range of professional work in digital design and demonstrating a solid understanding of design principles
• Minimum of 5 years of agency experience in a creative leadership role
• Mastery of the UX/UI design principles necessary to develop elegant interactive products, tools, and experiences
• Solid knowledge of marketing, brand, and design principles
• Proven ability to lead a creative team towards the execution of a strategic vision
• In-depth knowledge of fundamental design and production software including but not limited to Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe XD and Figma Proficiency with Adobe Premiere or After Effects (a plus)
• Experience with social media platform design specs and asset delivery
• Ability to think on your feet and thrive in a fast-paced working environment
• Ability to manage time independently
• Must be able to prioritize multiple projects, meet deadlines, and proactively flag conflicts with account and creative teams
• A finger on the pulse of the latest design, social, and digital trends

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Merit-based bonuses and promotions
• Hybrid work model to suit your schedule and lifestyle
• Excellent vacation policy including extended break for summer and winter holiday 
• Highwire offices close at 3pm every Friday 
• 401K Match
• Medical and dental benefits/ FSA
• Paid Parental Leave
• Commuter Benefit
• Home office equipment stipend
• Curiosity Stipend of $100 annually for books, exhibitions, etc.
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Wellness benefit
• Calm Meditation App
• Donation Match
• Full-time writing Coach
• Mentorship
• Monthly recognition programs
• Employee referral bonus
• New business referral bonus
• Quarterly Highwire fun events – Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday
• Dog friendly work environment
• Extremely supportive, nurturing environment with many opportunities for learning and growth