Senior Art Director

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 weve 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 youre 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 wed love to meet you.

Some agencies treat art direction as a step between the idea and the file. We dont.

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.

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. Youll partner with our Copywriters Art Directors and Production Artist direct freelance designers and specialists and help our creative team get better.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 teams energy for ideas rather than format.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Youre a designer and art director first. You still love making the work and you have the taste and judgment to know when its right.

Youre comfortable:

• Starting from a blank page and a loose strategic direction.
• Being told an idea isnt 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 doesnt 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 dont notice precisely because thats what makes the work feel finished. And youd rather make something genuinely good than something merely approved.

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.

The best art directors combine strong taste with genuine curiosity. They know the difference between a preference and a principle. Theyre 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.

This position is based in Fort Worth Texas. Team members are expected to work in the office at least three days per week.

• 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.

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 wont change is the value of someone who can look at a piece of work and know exactly what would make it better. Were looking for that person.

If that sounds like the kind of career youre looking for wed love to meet you.