Senior Art Director

IMA is a creative agency with a simple purpose: to create connections people buy into, emotionally and literally. Through everything from advertising and media to packaging and retail activations, we deliver work that earns attention, builds relationships, and gives people a reason to choose your brand in the moments that matter.

We’re seeking a hands-on and strategically minded Senior Art Director to join our Creative team. You’ll lead the visual direction of campaigns and brand experiences across retail, digital and live activations, working closely with creative, strategy, content and client teams to deliver work that’s bold, distinctive and commercially effective.

If you’re someone who combines craft excellence with strong collaboration skills and a desire to mentor others, we’d love to hear from you.

The Role

As Senior Art Director, you will set and execute the visual language for briefs across brand, campaign and retail channels. You’ll partner with Copy, Design, Strategy and Account teams to craft concepts, lead artwork and production, and ensure creative output is consistently excellent and on brand. You’ll balance hands-on art direction with mentoring mid-weight and junior creatives, helping elevate craft standards and creative thinking across the studio.

What You’ll Get From Us

• A chance to grow your creative leadership within an award-winning, people-first creative agency.

• A values-led culture where your creative contribution and mentorship are recognised and supported.

• Ownership of visual direction on high-profile campaigns, retail activations and experiential work, with the backing of a collaborative team.

• Opportunities to influence idea development from concept through to production and delivery.

• A people-first environment where we challenge, learn and deliver great work together.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading visual concepting and art direction across integrated campaigns, retail and experiential briefs.

• Producing high-quality artwork, layouts and creative comps for digital, OOH, print and in-store applications.

• Collaborating with Copy, Design, Motion and Content teams to ensure cohesive, multi-channel executions.

• Managing briefs through to production: overseeing suppliers, shoots, post-production and final sign-off.

• Mentoring and developing other creatives—providing constructive feedback, creative direction and career support.

• Presenting creative ideas confidently to internal stakeholders and clients, and articulating the rationale behind visual choices.

• Maintaining attention to detail and brand integrity while delivering to deadlines and budgets.

• Contributing to process improvements, toolkits and templates to raise efficiency and craft quality across the team.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience as an Art Director or Senior Art Director in an agency or brand environment, with a strong portfolio of integrated work.

• Exceptional creative sensibility, with an excellent eye for composition, typography, colour and visual storytelling.

• Confident hands-on skills in Adobe Creative Suite and familiarity with prototyping and motion tools.

• Experience art directing photoshoots, shoots and external suppliers, with practical production knowledge.

• Strong communication and presentation skills, able to sell ideas clearly and build trust with clients and teams.

• Demonstrable experience mentoring and leading creative colleagues, with a collaborative and generous approach.

• Commercial awareness and the ability to deliver creative solutions that meet business objectives and budgets.

• Agency experience working with retail, lifestyle or consumer brands is desirable.

Our Values at IMA

• Own it - take responsibility when it matters.

• Build Trust - nurture honest, open, lasting relationships with colleagues and clients.

• Stay Hungry - share a mindset of curiosity, proactivity and continuous improvement.

These principles shape how we work - with each other, with clients, and with the world.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. If this Senior Art Director role sounds like a fit, we’d love to hear from you.

We are an equal opportunity employer. Preference will be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups in line with the company’s Employment Equity Plan.