Art Director
Job Details
The Art Director, Social Media is a conceptual thinker and visual storyteller who leads the creation of
compelling content across Mary Kay’s global and market-specific social platforms. This role combines
strategic thinking, art direction, and hands-on design to drive brand awareness, engagement, and
innovation across all social channels. Under the supervision of the Associate Creative Director and
Senior Art Director, the Art Director collaborates with the creative team in addition to the videographers,
photographers, copywriters, strategists and marketers to develop breakthrough content that inspires and
informs diverse audiences
About the Role
Responsibilities:
- Lead the visual development and execution of social-first campaigns across Mary Kay’s core social platforms—Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube—ensuring all creative feels dynamic, modern, and tailored to the nuances of each channel. Design high-performing, scroll-stopping content for both paid and organic social media that reflects evolving trends, embraces platform-specific storytelling, and aligns with our overall brand and campaign goals. Uphold creative excellence by ensuring that every asset meets brand identity standards, speaks to global audiences, and reflects a balance of strategic intent and cultural relevance. Champion inclusive, globally relevant storytelling in every creative output to ensure Mary Kay is represented as an accessible, empowering brand for all.
- Art direct and oversee photo and video shoots with a strong social-first lens—both onset and remotely—including leading pre-production, casting, styling, location direction, and creative direction throughout the shoot. Manage end-to-end production teams including photographers, stylists, videographers, and editors, while ensuring output aligns with strategic goals, visual cohesion, and production timelines. Direct creators and influencer collaborations to develop authentic, lo-fi yet elevated content that mirrors real user behavior and enhances brand trust through relatability and style. Drive innovation in shoot styling and execution, exploring new environments and formats beyond our core Dallas setup to diversify our content and storytelling.
- Spearhead the quarterly development of the Mary Kay Social Playbook, a foundational tool that provides global markets with creative direction, templates, and guidelines for launching new products and campaigns. Serve as the creative lead and visual architect 25% for the Playbook, working with internal stakeholders and global partners to ensure it delivers clarity, cohesion, and inspiration across markets. Translate complex brand strategies into actionable toolkits, empowering social teams around the world with the assets and inspiration they need to produce on-brand, engaging content. Ensure the Playbook reflects best-in-class platform trends, creative strategy, and the latest brand visuals, becoming a go-to guide for high-quality, scalable social content.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including strategy, product marketing, regional/global partners, and creators to translate briefs into standout social-first creative. Align with product launches, seasonal campaigns, and strategic goals by participating early in planning discussions and ensuring creative execution reflects the bigger picture. Create content that drives measurable impact by aligning visuals and messaging with KPIs such as reach, engagement, and conversion, using data to inform decisions while protecting creative integrity. Act as a connector across creative and marketing teams, ensuring consistency, speed, and alignment while representing the creative POV with clarity and confidence.
- Mentor and guide junior designers and editors to develop social-first skills, creative intuition, and platform expertise, fostering a team culture of collaboration, feedback, and growth. Lead by example in adopting new trends and technologies, staying up to date with emerging formats, visual techniques, and creator tools to push boundaries and keep Mary Kay competitive. Build a strong, positive creative culture by modeling inclusivity, curiosity, and a passion for experimentation across every touchpoint. Contribute to a high-performing, social-obsessed team that thrives on collaboration, celebrates creativity, and moves quickly without sacrificing quality.
- This job requires on-site work at a Mary Kay facility.
Skills & Experience
Experience: 3+ years in Fine Arts, Social Media or Design
Education: Bachelor/University Degree in Design, Social Media, Beauty or Lifestyle Brand
Additional Skills & Abilities:
- Exceptional design and storytelling skills across a range of formats (static, video, motion, reels, carousels, stories, live, etc.).
- Experience art directing social content shoots from pre-production through post.
- Strong understanding of social media platforms, creative trends, and performance metrics
- Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite; motion/animation skills a plus (After Effects, Premiere, etc.).
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
- Positive, proactive, and open to feedback and iteration.
- Passion for beauty, brand-building, and storytelling that connects.
- Ability to translate marketing objectives into innovative, platform-specific visual concepts that drive engagement and brand relevance.
- Deep understanding of platform nuances (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, etc.) and what makes content perform organically and in paid placements.
- Confident leading visual direction across multiple projects, collaborating with writers, producers, and marketing partners while providing clear, inspiring creative feedback to junior talent.
- Strong eye for composition, styling, motion, and design. Able to oversee and direct shoots while ensuring final assets align to brand standards and campaign goals.
- Maintains and evolves the visual expression of the brand with consistency across campaigns and content types, while pushing creative boundaries when appropriate.
- Versatility in working with both polished and lo-fi aesthetics.
- Works seamlessly with social strategists, community managers, marketing partners, and video editors to deliver cohesive, scroll-stopping creative.
- Takes initiative in driving projects from brief to delivery, meeting deadlines, managing timelines, and anticipating creative needs before they arise.
- Open to feedback and quick to iterate while maintaining design integrity and team vision.
- Stays ahead of evolving design, social, and cultural trends — and knows how to translate them into relevant, brand-appropriate content.
