Manager, Brand Communications Design (Art Director)

About the Role

Harman's Global Design Team (Huemen) is looking for manager of Brand Communication Design (Art Director)to join a design team focused on multiple creative efforts for the Harman Global Brand Team. This role will function as a traditional Art Director within the Huemen Brand Communciation Design team.

The Art Director will work as a hands-on designer and a brand steward for the global JBL brand. He/she will report directly to the brand communications design function and work within the global design function with a direct connection to the global brand and marketing team. This person will work closely with the brand communications design studio to concept, develop, and produce compelling and entertaining creative and content for brand initiatives, cross-platform campaigns, product launches, and internal global brand communications. The Art Director will be a master of his/her craft as this is a hands-on role responsible for the visual expression across static and digital initiatives for multiple cross-platform initiatives across several brand categories: Print, web, mobile, social, retail, events, etc.

What You Will Do

• Provides creative leadership on key projects by guiding cross-functional teams, aligning external and internal creatives with project goals, and ensuring high-quality execution without direct reporting lines.
• Owns and drives the end-to-end creative process for key initiatives across the global JBL portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment, creative excellence, and timely delivery from concept through completion.
• Successfully translates creative ideas into print, retail, social, video, web, and promotions; able to demonstrate effective work in multiple formats, including but not limited to mobile applications, social media applications, rich format advertising, standard format advertising, websites/microsites, emails, and retail applications.
• Responsible for the visual and creative output of any owned projects
• Learn about and gain a deep understanding of cultural and creative semiotics across different product categories, including Speakers, Headphones, Gaming Headsets, Home, Professional, and Performance audio.
• Hands-on design development of brand and campaign content/graphics.
• Develop various creative solutions across different channels and formats, including but not limited to print, digital, motion/animation, and live/experiential.
• Works with the creative studio to create the visual expression for all brand campaigns and creative initiatives. Develops and maintains visual tone, consistency, and quality across all internal and consumer-facing communications.
• Ability to scope resources, tools, and assets needed for projects and properly source/recruit and/or advocate for the support needed for proper project execution
• Develops and maintains brand guidelines for the JBL global brand and its initiatives. Adopt responsibility for company-wide initiatives that enhance and encourage the growth of talent, and networks to bring new talent to Harman
• Able to manage multiple overlapping projects and workstreams, with strong prioritization and time management skills
• Supports/facilitates the mandatory adherence to Global Design requirements, processes, and procedures
• Manages delivery teams across multiple creative projects, ensuring alignment to the strategic vision while maintaining brand integrity and driving timely, high-quality output.
• Leads and manages key creative vendor relationships, overseeing end-to-end project workflows to ensure seamless collaboration, on-brand execution, and delivery excellence.

What You Need to Be Successful

Must demonstrate a fresh and culturally relevant perspective on design & innovation, and the ability to understand and translate the latest pop culture, fashion, graphic, and design trends into creative marketing outputs. Has a mastery of typography, photography, layout, and general design principles. Must also have Finesse and emotional intelligence to engage partners and vendors, listen carefully, and have reasoned and persuasive answers.

• 7+ years of design experience with a top-notch visual aesthetic.
• Multi-platform experience is a must.
• Minimum of 3yrs. at Art Director level, leading and directing designers.
• Strong strategic and ideation/conceptual abilities-demonstrated ability to translate client message/brief into effective communications across the full range of creative disciplines (print, TV/video, radio, social, web, mobile, etc.)
• Self-motivated, well-organized, and up to the challenges of ever-changing timelines, requests, and deliverables.
• Strong collaborative skills and attitude across multiple disciplines
• Superior presentation skills with the ability to persuade and inform, while maintaining professional standards and a strategic point of view
• Ability to recognize, develop, and enhance concepts developed by other designers and direct their translation across all channels
• Must be industry aware: current events, trends, and general advertising culture
• Fluent verbal and written English essential; other languages desirable.

Bonus Points if You Have

• Experience from a client service organization
• Consumer electronics industry experience
• A design-focused degree is a plus.

What Makes You Eligible

• Willingness to work in our corporate office in Northridge, CA, 1-2 days per week.
• Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment

What We Offer

• Flexible work environment, allowing for full-time remote work globally for positions that can be performed outside a HARMAN or customer location
• Access to employee discounts on world-class Harman and Samsung products (JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, etc.)
• Extensive training opportunities through our own HARMAN University
• Competitive wellness benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• "Be Brilliant" employee recognition and rewards program
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development

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