Art Director

About Rate Companies:

Rate is one of the nation’s top retail mortgage lenders, delivering a seamless, tech-driven experience that helps customers reach their homeownership and financial goals. Founded in 2000 and based in Chicago, Rate is licensed in all 50 states and D.C. and has helped over 2 million homeowners with a wide range of loan products, competitive rates and personalized service. With 5,000+ employees across 300+ offices and 12+ subsidiaries, Rate’s Loan Officers rank among the best in the country. From purchases and refinances to tapping into equity, Rate makes financing faster, simpler and less stressful. Our technology — including Same Day Mortgage, the Rate App, FlashClose℠, MyAccount and the Language Access Program — has earned recognition from HousingWire, Scotsman Guide, NerdWallet, the Chicago Tribune and Crain’s Chicago Business. Learn more at rate.com.

Pay Range: $90k-$100k

About the role

We’re looking for a hands-on Art Director with exceptional typography and layout skills, strong conceptual thinking and a portfolio showing a variety of projects and visual styles.

Your primary focus will be graphic design and art direction: turning briefs into compelling concepts, building cohesive campaign identities and creating polished work across digital and print. You should be equally comfortable designing a concept-driven campaign and organizing complex information into clear, engaging layouts that can be adapted across deliverables.

You’ll collaborate with designers, copywriters, project managers and marketing partners in a fast-paced environment that values craft, ownership and proactive communication.

Working knowledge of After Effects is required for occasional light motion work. We have a dedicated video team; video production, photography and organic social content creation are supplemental skills.

What you’ll do

• Develop concepts and execute designs from initial brief through final production, with a consistent focus on typography, hierarchy, composition and layout.
• Create campaign identities and extend them across paid media, landing pages, email, presentations, print, out-of-home advertising, events and partnerships.
• Adapt your design approach to different audiences, messages and creative needs while maintaining brand consistency.
• Partner with copywriters to make messaging clear, compelling and visually engaging.
• Stay hands-on while providing thoughtful art direction and constructive feedback to other designers.
• Present creative work and clearly explain the decisions behind it.
• Create occasional light motion graphics in After Effects, such as animated typography and simple transitions.
• Manage multiple projects through reviews, revisions and delivery, ensuring final files are accurate and production-ready.
• Communicate project status, workload and timeline concerns proactively.

What we’re looking for

• 7+ years of experience in graphic design, brand design or art direction within an agency, studio or in-house creative team.
• Excellent typography and layout skills, including a strong command of hierarchy, spacing, composition, color and detail.
• A versatile portfolio demonstrating a range of project types, visual styles and thoughtful design solutions across digital and print.
• Strong conceptual thinking and the ability to carry a creative idea across multiple formats and deliverables.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Strong proficiency in Figma, including auto layout, reusable components and production-ready design.
• Working knowledge of After Effects sufficient for light animation and motion graphics.
• Understanding of print production and digital design requirements, including responsive layouts and channel-specific specifications.
• Experience guiding other designers and presenting work to creative leadership and cross-functional partners.
• Strong organization, communication and follow-through, with the ability to manage shifting priorities and maintain a high standard of craft.

Portfolio required

Please share a range of work demonstrating strong typography, layout and conceptual thinking across digital, print, social and light motion. We’re especially interested in how you extend a campaign’s visual identity across different channels and deliverables.

Guaranteed Rate is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes and encourages all applicants to apply regardless of age, race, sex, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or parental status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy or other reason protected by law.

The company offers a comprehensive benefits program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; critical care insurance; personal accidental insurance; commuter benefits; pet insurance; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program); and other supplemental benefits (e.g. legal planning assistance; identity theft protection; pet insurance; wellness resources). Please click this link to learn more about our benefit offerings for Washington State:

Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis, until position is filled.