Senior Art Director & Creative Lead

Job Description

Branding | Digital Advertising | E-Commerce | Marine & Lifestyle

James Ross Advertising — Pompano Beach, Florida

Full-Time | In-Office Position

James Ross Advertising is an established, independent boutique advertising agency with more than 30 years of experience developing brands and marketing campaigns for clients across marine, yachting, luxury, lifestyle, consumer products and e-commerce.

We're looking for a talented Senior Art Director & Creative Lead who combines exceptional graphic design skills with strong conceptual thinking, advertising experience, modern content development capabilities and the ability to help lead a creative team.

We're not looking for someone who simply oversees the creative process. We want someone who enjoys developing ideas, writing compelling headlines, designing impactful campaigns and bringing creative concepts to life.

This is an opportunity for an experienced creative professional who wants more ownership, greater creative influence and the opportunity to grow within an established boutique agency.

Creative Concepts & Strategy

• Develop original advertising concepts, campaign themes, headlines and visual direction.
• Translate client marketing objectives into compelling creative solutions.
• Collaborate with account management, digital marketing and agency leadership to develop integrated campaigns.
• Understand how creative influences brand awareness, engagement, lead generation and sales.

Hands-On Graphic Design & Art Direction

• Personally design and execute creative across digital advertising, social media, websites, email, print and branding.
• Develop creative for e-commerce websites, product campaigns, digital advertising and promotional initiatives.
• Produce compelling visual communications with strong typography, layout and messaging.
• Maintain a high standard of design quality and brand consistency.

Creative Leadership

• Provide art direction, feedback and guidance to designers, writers and other creative resources.
• Help manage creative priorities, deadlines and production workflows.
• Collaborate with writers, strategists and account teams to develop cohesive campaigns.
• Present creative ideas and explain the thinking behind the work.

Digital & E-Commerce Creative

• Develop creative for paid social, Google advertising, email marketing and digital campaigns.
• Understand e-commerce merchandising, product presentation and conversion-focused design.
• Collaborate on Shopify and other website projects to improve visual communication and customer experience.
• Understand how design, messaging and user experience contribute to customer engagement and conversion.

AI-Assisted Content & Copy Development

• Use AI tools to research, conceptualize and develop engaging, brand-appropriate content for websites, blogs, digital advertising, email marketing and social media.
• Develop compelling headlines, campaign messaging and persuasive copy that connects with target audiences and supports marketing objectives.
• Understand how to use AI to improve content development efficiency while maintaining originality, accuracy and a consistent brand voice.
• Collaborate with SEO/AEO and digital marketing teams to develop content that supports search visibility, AI-driven discovery and audience engagement.
• Apply human judgment to fact-check, edit and refine AI-generated content into polished, authentic and effective marketing communications.

• 5–10+ years of professional graphic design, art direction or advertising agency experience.
• An exceptional portfolio demonstrating original concepts and personally executed design.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.
• Strong conceptual thinking, headline development and advertising design skills.
• Experience developing creative for digital marketing and e-commerce.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude or similar platforms for creative research, copy development and content optimization.
• Ability to transform AI-assisted drafts into compelling, human-centered brand communications.
• Ability to manage multiple clients, brands and deadlines.
• Experience directing or mentoring other creative professionals.
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative approach.
• Familiarity with Figma, Shopify, video, motion graphics and emerging creative technologies is a plus.

Marine, yachting, luxury, lifestyle or premium consumer-brand experience is highly desirable.

We're a boutique agency by design.

That means you'll work closely with agency leadership, have direct influence on creative strategy and play a meaningful role in developing campaigns for a diverse client portfolio.

We value creative professionals who can think strategically, work collaboratively and take pride in executing outstanding creative.

If you're a Senior Art Director, experienced designer or creative lead looking for greater responsibility without losing the opportunity to do the work you love, we'd like to hear from you.

Starting at $85,000 annually, with competitive compensation based on experience, creative expertise, and leadership capabilities. Exceptional candidates will be considered at higher salary levels.

This is a full-time, in-office position in Pompano Beach, Florida. Candidates must reside in South Florida and be able to commute daily. Remote and hybrid arrangements are not available.

Please send your resume and a link to your portfolio to:

View email address on ziprecruiter.com

Your portfolio should demonstrate both conceptual creative thinking and hands-on design execution.

James Ross Advertising is an equal opportunity employer.