Location: Remote-first with occasional in-person collaboration in Norfolk, VA. We're prioritizing candidates who live within ~90 miles of Norfolk (Hampton Roads and the surrounding region).
Sway Creative Labs is looking for an Art Director who can carry an idea from the first sketch to the hundredth version without losing what made it good. You'll lead concepts on integrated campaigns, set the visual direction for your accounts, and build the systems that let that direction scale across web, social, display, print, broadcast and out-of-home.
This is hands-on art direction at an independent shop. You'll present the concept to the client, then open Figma and build the template that turns it into fifty on-brand units. In return you get real ownership of how the work looks, direct access to the principals, and a genuine say in how Sway's creative gets made. We're looking for range and a point of view, plus the systems thinking and AI fluency to execute at the pace work moves now.
What You'll Own
Creative Leadership & Concepting
Lead concept development on integrated campaigns, bringing original, strategy-driven ideas to every brief
Serve as creative lead on assigned accounts, presenting and defending the visual direction to clients and internal teams
Partner with producers, copywriters, developers and media so the idea holds up in every channel and deliverable
Give designers clear direction and useful feedback, and raise the bar on the work you touch
Systems & Production at Scale
Turn approved concepts into Figma template systems, built with components, variants, auto-layout and variables, so anyone on the team can run them without breaking the design
Art direct high-volume rollouts: full display sets, social systems, localized and market-specific variants, and end frames that still feel designed, not resized
Keep files, versions and naming disciplined so the right asset is always findable
AI-Accelerated Creative
Use Claude and other AI tools as a core part of your process: exploring concept directions, drafting layouts and copy options, generating and populating variants, and running QA passes
Write prompts specific enough to get usable output, and hold the quality line, because AI work that only looks good at a glance doesn't ship
Bring the techniques that work back to the team so they become how Sway works
Web & Digital
Design digital experiences in Figma with sound UX, responsive layouts and clean developer handoff
Direct display, email and landing page work with an eye for accessibility and spec accuracy
Brand & Print
Lead identity projects from discovery through standards: logos, type, color systems and usage guidelines
Prepare print-ready files with a solid grasp of production specs and vendor requirements
Broadcast, On-Set & Social
Art direct photo and video shoots, setting direction on composition, wardrobe, set and color
Build pre-production materials: mood boards, shot references and frame guides
Concept social-first creative built for each platform's format and pace, not adapted from a campaign master
What We're Looking For
Core Qualifications
3–5+ years of art direction experience at an agency or in a comparable creative environment
A portfolio that shows both original concept work and how those concepts scaled across channels
Deep proficiency in Figma: components, variants, auto-layout and variables. You build systems, not artboards
Strong command of Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
Hands-on use of Claude or other AI tools to concept, build or scale creative, and the judgment to know which parts of the job they should and shouldn't touch
Strong fundamentals: typography, color, composition and visual hierarchy
The ability to run several projects at once and communicate early on timelines and scope
Occasional travel and on-set availability
Additional Assets
Motion and animation: directing animators, or working in After Effects or Lottie yourself
Working knowledge of HTML and CSS
Familiarity with digital accessibility standards (WCAG / ADA Level AA)
Experience on tourism/destination, food and beverage, healthcare, legal, CPG or entertainment accounts
What Success Looks Like
By the end of your first year, clients will ask for you on their most important work. Campaign rollouts will be a system rather than a scramble: the second launch will go faster than the first because you built what makes it so. Designers will want to be on your projects because your direction makes their work better, and leadership will trust your creative judgment on high-visibility work.
Where This Goes
The path from Art Director toward Senior Art Director, Associate Creative Director and creative leadership is open and short. We're small enough that there's no queue. The person who proves they can set the bar and build the systems behind it gets handed more of both.
Why Sway Creative Labs
Sway is an independent agency where your work is seen by hands-on leadership. You'll work across industries and project types, with real ownership of creative decisions and a direct hand in rebuilding how Sway's work gets made.
What We Offer
Health Plan: Three Sentara Health Plan options; Sway covers 80% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums
Dental Insurance: Sway pays 100% of employee's United Concordia Dental Plan
401(k): 1:1 match on the first 3% of pay; 50% match on the following 2%
15 Paid Vacation Days, resetting at your start date with up to a 5-day negative balance available
17 Paid Holidays, including your birthday, the Monday after the Super Bowl, Juneteenth, and the full week between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day
Two-Hour Windows: Leave windows at the start (9–11am) and end (3–5pm) of the workday for personal appointments, not counted against PTO
Remote Work Affordance: 100% remote with occasional pre-scheduled in-person meetings and on-set requirements
Year-end performance bonus eligibility; additional bonuses available based on individual and company performance
Upskilling: 100% reimbursement for at least one approved course, workshop, or conference annually
Salary: $65,000 – $85,000
Qualified applicants should send their portfolios, resumes, salary requirements, and optional Braveheart speeches to jobs@madebysway.com.