Associate Design Director (On-Site)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate Design Director (On-Site)

Company: MATTE PROJECTS

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing

Date Posted: 2026-01-16

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in-office, 1 day remote)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a senior creative leadership position focused on driving visual direction and brand identity for a dynamic creative studio.

• Responsibilities include originating and leading major creative concepts for branding, integrated campaigns, content, and experiential projects.

• The Associate Design Director will ensure the highest level of design craft and execution across digital, print, motion, and spatial mediums.

• A key aspect involves mentoring junior designers and collaborating closely with strategy, production, and client-facing teams to deliver impactful creative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title clearly indicates a design leadership role, the "Associate Design Director" title, coupled with the requirement for 8-9+ years of experience and leadership responsibilities, positions this as a mid-to-senior level creative role. The focus on "branding and campaigns" and "visual systems" suggests a strong emphasis on GTM strategy and brand development within the creative output.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the conceptualization and development of compelling brand identities, integrated campaigns, and experiential marketing initiatives.

• Define and maintain a consistent, high-caliber visual direction and creative bar across all project touchpoints and platforms.

• Design and oversee the execution of sophisticated visual systems for digital, print, motion graphics, and physical/spatial environments.

• Translate complex strategic insights and client objectives into bold, culturally relevant, and innovative creative ideas.

• Act as a primary creative spokesperson, articulating vision, rationale, and strategic thinking during internal reviews and client presentations.

• Foster a collaborative environment, partnering with creative directors and teams to elevate creative ambitions and push the boundaries of the work.

• Provide direct creative leadership, mentorship, and constructive feedback to a team of designers, ensuring skill development and exceptional craft.

• Collaborate effectively with production teams, including on-set direction, to safeguard creative integrity and execution quality from concept to final delivery.

• Proactively research and integrate emerging cultural trends, design innovations, and new technologies into creative strategies and outputs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic creative leadership and hands-on design execution, typical for a senior role in a creative studio. The direct involvement in "branding and campaigns" and "visual systems" indicates a strong connection to Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies, where design plays a crucial role in shaping brand perception and driving market engagement.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific degree mentioned, but a strong portfolio and relevant experience are paramount.

Experience: 8–9+ years of dedicated experience in design and art direction within creative agencies, studios, or production companies.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to lead and conceptualize major creative projects, particularly in branding and integrated campaigns.

• Exceptional design craft and a strong, well-defined visual point of view.

• Demonstrated skill in developing and scaling comprehensive visual systems across diverse media.

• Deep understanding and instinct for current cultural trends and emerging aesthetics ("cultural fluency").

• Experience in leading design projects, mentoring junior talent, and effective cross-functional collaboration at a senior level.

• Proficiency in hands-on design execution, with experience directing visual outcomes in production environments (e.g., on-set).

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.).

• Fluency in design and prototyping tools such as Figma.

• Fluency in 3D design and rendering software like Cinema4D.

• Strong presentation and communication skills, capable of articulating creative concepts to internal teams and clients.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with motion graphics software (e.g., After Effects) or other emerging technologies.

• Familiarity with web design and development principles.

• Experience in experiential design and spatial environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required proficiency in Figma and Cinema4D, alongside Adobe Creative Suite, indicates a modern design workflow. The emphasis on "branding and campaigns" and "visual systems" ties directly into GTM operations, where consistent brand messaging and visual identity are critical for market penetration and customer engagement. The "cultural fluency" and "emerging technologies" requirement suggest a forward-thinking approach relevant to dynamic market environments.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing exceptional branding and campaign work is mandatory.

• Clear evidence of concept leadership, demonstrating the ability to originate and drive big ideas.

• Refined execution across a variety of design disciplines, including digital, print, and potentially motion or spatial.

• Examples of developing and scaling visual systems across multiple touchpoints and platforms.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate the ability to articulate the design process from initial ideation and concept development through to final execution and delivery.

• Showcase how strategic thinking is integrated into the design process to meet business objectives.

• Provide examples of how creative direction is maintained and executed consistently across different project phases and teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on creative leadership and GTM impact, the portfolio should not only showcase aesthetic quality but also strategic thinking. Demonstrating how design concepts translate into tangible business outcomes (e.g., brand recognition, campaign engagement) will be crucial. The emphasis on "visual systems" and "scaling across multiple touchpoints" is particularly relevant for GTM operations where brand consistency is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $145,000 - $165,000 per year, dependent on experience.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.

• 401k plan with a company contribution match of up to 4%.

• Fully covered annual Citibike membership.

• Talkspace mental wellness membership.

• Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO) package.

• Dedicated "End of Year Recharge" paid time off.

• Sabbatical Program available after three years of employment.

• Paid Parental Leave for all new parents.

Working Hours: Standard 40 hours per week, with a hybrid schedule (4 days in-office, 1 day remote).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range of $145,000-$165,000 for an Associate Design Director in New York City aligns with industry benchmarks for experienced creative leaders. The comprehensive benefits package, including mental wellness support, PTO, and a sabbatical program, reflects a commitment to employee well-being, which is increasingly important in high-pressure creative roles. The hybrid work model offering one remote day is a common arrangement in creative industries.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Creative Studio / Advertising / Branding / Production / Experiential Marketing. MATTE PROJECTS operates at the intersection of culture, storytelling, and design, working with forward-thinking brands and institutions.

Company Size: The LinkedIn company size is not provided, but the job description suggests a studio capable of handling "full-scale production and execution" and having multiple creative capabilities, implying a mid-sized to larger creative agency or studio structure.

Founded: The founding date is not provided.

Team Structure:

• The Associate Design Director reports directly to the Design Director.

• This role operates as a senior creative partner to Strategy, Production, and other creative leads.

• It involves leading and mentoring a team of designers.

Methodology:

• MATTE's approach is described as 360° creative, integrating strategic ideation, creative development, branding, experiential design, web development, campaigns, content creation, and full-scale production.

• Emphasis is placed on storytelling, hype, and inspiring new ways of engagement.

• A data-driven approach is implied through "strategic ideation and insights."

• The studio aims to provoke long-term progress and entertain audiences through innovative creative solutions.

Company Website: [MATTE PROJECTS Website URL - Not provided in input, but assumed to be matteprojects.com based on domain_derived]

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the company description, MATTE PROJECTS positions itself as a high-impact, culture-forward creative studio. The "360° creative" approach suggests a collaborative environment where different disciplines work in synergy. For an operations perspective, this means understanding how creative output aligns with and drives GTM strategies, requiring close alignment between creative vision and business objectives.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a senior individual contributor or early-stage management position within the creative hierarchy. It signifies a transition from primarily executing design to leading creative vision, conceptually and visually. It’s a critical step for designers aiming for Creative Director or Executive Creative Director roles.

Reporting Structure: The Associate Design Director reports to the Design Director, indicating a clear leadership pipeline. This structure allows for mentorship and guidance from more experienced creative leaders, preparing the individual for greater autonomy and responsibility.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role, the impact is significant on GTM operations by shaping brand perception, driving campaign effectiveness through compelling visuals, and ensuring brand consistency across all customer touchpoints. Strong design leadership directly influences brand equity, market differentiation, and audience engagement, all critical components of successful go-to-market strategies.

Growth Opportunities:

• Creative Director: The most direct path, involving greater ownership of client relationships, broader strategic input, and leading larger creative teams and projects.

• Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific areas like digital branding, experiential design, or motion graphics, potentially leading to specialized leadership roles.

• Studio Leadership: With extensive experience and proven success, potential to move into executive creative leadership roles within MATTE PROJECTS or similar organizations.

• Mentorship & Development: Opportunities to refine leadership and mentorship skills, contributing to the growth of emerging design talent within the studio.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path from Associate Design Director to Creative Director is a standard progression in creative agencies and studios. For operations professionals, understanding this creative trajectory is key to appreciating how design leadership contributes to GTM strategy and brand execution. The focus on "visual systems" and "campaigns" directly links this creative role to the operational execution of marketing and brand initiatives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is "On-Site" with a hybrid arrangement, meaning a significant portion of the work will be conducted from MATTE PROJECTS' New York office.

Office Location(s): New York, New York. This implies a vibrant, urban work environment with access to industry networks and cultural happenings.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model (4 days in-office, 1 day remote) suggests a balance between collaborative in-person interaction and focused remote work.

• The office environment is likely designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and client engagement, typical of a leading creative studio.

• Access to industry-standard design tools and technology is expected.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with a diverse team of creatives, strategists, and production specialists.

Work Schedule: Standard working hours (likely 40 hours/week) with a hybrid flexibility on Fridays. This schedule allows for deep work on creative projects while accommodating in-person collaboration and client meetings during the core office days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment with 4-day in-office requirement indicates a company that values in-person collaboration for creative ideation and team synergy, while also offering flexibility. This structure is common for roles requiring significant team interaction and client-facing activities, typical in creative agencies supporting GTM efforts.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, craft, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Creative/Portfolio Review: In-depth discussion of the candidate's portfolio, focusing on concept development, design process, execution, and leadership examples. This stage will likely involve presenting specific case studies.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Creative Directors, potential peers, and other department leads (Strategy, Production) to assess collaboration style, cultural fit, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Client Presentation Simulation (Potential): Candidates might be asked to present a concept or rationale as they would to a client, demonstrating their communication and advocacy skills.

• Final Interview: Discussion with senior leadership to finalize fit and discuss role expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Showcase a diverse range of work that highlights strengths in branding, campaigns, and visual systems. Ensure it clearly demonstrates concept leadership and refined execution.

• Tell a Story: For each project, articulate the challenge, your strategic approach, your role, the creative solution, and the impact or outcome. Use process visuals to show your thinking.

• Highlight Leadership: Include examples of mentoring junior designers, leading project teams, and collaborating cross-functionally.

• Demonstrate Craft: Ensure high-quality presentation of your work; clean layouts, clear typography, and well-rendered visuals.

• Showcase Tool Proficiency: If possible, subtly indicate the tools used (Figma, Cinema4D, Adobe Suite) within your case studies.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your design philosophy and approach to creative problem-solving.

• Have clear examples ready to illustrate how you translate strategy into creative concepts and execute them.

• Understand MATTE PROJECTS' work and brand identity; be ready to articulate what resonates with you and how you would contribute.

• Prepare thoughtful questions about the team, culture, and upcoming projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is central to this role. Candidates must be prepared to not only show their design work but also articulate the strategic thinking and leadership behind it. For GTM, this means demonstrating how their creative vision supports broader marketing and brand objectives. The emphasis on "concept leadership" and "visual systems" points to a need to connect design output directly to market impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for graphic design, illustration, photo editing, and layout (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Figma: Critical for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows.

• Cinema4D: Required for 3D modeling, rendering, and animation, indicating a need for advanced visual capabilities.

Analytics & Reporting: Not explicitly mentioned, but proficiency in understanding how design impacts campaign performance metrics (e.g., engagement, conversion rates) would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to this design role, but awareness of how design integrates with marketing automation platforms and CRM data for campaign execution could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Cinema4D alongside Adobe Creative Suite highlights a modern, technically advanced design environment. Proficiency in these tools is crucial for creating sophisticated branding, digital assets, and 3D elements necessary for contemporary GTM campaigns and brand experiences.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Hype & Storytelling: A core value is creating engaging narratives and culturally relevant content that captures attention.

• Design Craft & Excellence: A commitment to high-quality execution and a refined aesthetic across all outputs.

• Innovation & Progress: Driving new ways of engaging audiences and fostering long-term progress through creative solutions.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Working closely with strategy, production, and clients to achieve shared goals.

• Cultural Fluency: Staying attuned to contemporary culture and translating it into relevant creative work.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, involving close partnerships between creative, strategy, and production teams.

• Emphasis on shared ownership and pushing creative ambition together.

• Open to constructive feedback and iterative design processes.

• Direct collaboration with production teams, including on-set direction, to ensure creative integrity.

📝 Enhancement Note: MATTE PROJECTS' values emphasize creativity, cultural relevance, and collaborative execution. For a role focused on GTM, understanding how these values translate into impactful brand campaigns and customer experiences is key. The "hype" and "storytelling" focus suggests a forward-thinking approach to engaging target audiences.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Concept and Execution: Consistently originating groundbreaking ideas while ensuring meticulous and timely execution across diverse media.

• Maintaining Creative Vision: Guiding a team and projects to uphold a high creative bar and unique brand voice, especially under tight deadlines.

• Navigating Client Expectations: Translating client objectives and feedback into innovative design solutions that meet business goals.

• Integrating Emerging Technologies: Staying ahead of the curve and effectively incorporating new tools and techniques (e.g., AI in design, advanced 3D) into the creative workflow.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Creative Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone mentorship, team management, and strategic creative direction skills.

• Exposure to Diverse Projects: Working across various industries and project types (branding, campaigns, experiential) to broaden creative experience.

• Industry Trend Integration: Continuous learning about new design technologies, cultural shifts, and best practices in creative production.

• Potential for Advanced Skill Acquisition: Encouragement to develop expertise in preferred skill areas like motion graphics or 3D.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the dynamic nature of the creative industry and the need for adaptability. For GTM operations, this translates to the need for design strategies that are both innovative and robust enough to withstand market changes and client feedback loops, ensuring consistent brand messaging.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the conceptualization of a major branding campaign. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on concept origination, strategic rationale, and execution oversight.)

• "How do you develop and scale visual systems across multiple platforms and touchpoints? Can you provide an example from your portfolio?" (Demonstrate understanding of brand consistency and application.)

• "How do you balance maintaining a strong creative vision with client feedback and production constraints?" (Showcase adaptability, communication, and problem-solving skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about MATTE PROJECTS' work and our approach to creative storytelling?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest.)

• "How do you stay current with cultural trends and integrate them into your design work?" (Showcase cultural fluency and proactive learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio by project, clearly outlining the brief, your role, the creative process, key deliverables, and results.

• Narrative: For each project, tell a compelling story that highlights your conceptual thinking, problem-solving skills, and leadership.

• Visuals: Ensure high-quality visuals that showcase your design craft. Use mockups effectively to demonstrate application across different mediums.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your strongest work efficiently, focusing on the most relevant examples for this role (branding, campaigns, visual systems).

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma, Cinema4D, and Adobe Creative Suite in the context of your projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership, and cultural relevance. For GTM alignment, candidates should be ready to articulate how their creative contributions directly support brand objectives and market engagement.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this creative leadership position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to specifically highlight your strongest branding, campaign, and visual system work, emphasizing concept leadership and execution.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to clearly articulate your 8-9+ years of experience in design and art direction, focusing on achievements and leadership responsibilities.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on the narrative, strategic rationale, and impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to mentoring and collaboration.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review MATTE PROJECTS' website and recent work to understand their aesthetic, client base, and cultural positioning. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your engagement with their brand and mission.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

---