Art Director, Defend

The Art Director, Defend leads the development, execution, and delivery of visual and graphic content across the Defend by Tactacam brand portfolio. This person owns the entire design production process from the first idea through final delivery and ensures the work reflects the brand, serves business goals, and reaches a consistently high creative standard. This role sits at the intersection of creative leadership and design operations.

Success in This Role:

• The refreshed Defend by Tactacam visual identity takes root, successfully transitioning the narrative to a benefit-first, storytelling brand.
• Design and creative campaigns launch consistently and predictably.
• Creative output strengthens the brand and raises the quality bar.
• Design and art direction become a strategic capability rather than a reactive service.
• Resources are planned effectively and teams spend more time creating and less time coordinating.
• The organization gains confidence that ambitious ideas can move from concept to execution without unnecessary complexity.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the charge on a refreshed visual identity for Defend by Tactacam, acting as the primary visionary to shift the brand narrative from product-focused to storytelling.
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of graphic designers while creating clear expectations and a culture of ownership.
• Lead the creative vision for design and visual content across campaigns, product launches, brand storytelling, retail assets, social media, evergreen initiatives, and emerging opportunities.
• Partner closely with the Senior Creative Director, Brand Director, and Director of Production to shape strategies and bring ideas to life.
• Translate business objectives and brand strategy into visual concepts and compelling narratives that connect with audiences.
• Guide concept development, storyboarding, creative reviews, and final approvals.
• Build design briefs, schedules, timelines, documentation, and internal processes that support efficient execution.
• Make decisions that balance creative ambition, production realities, timing, and budget.
• Proactively identify future needs across internal teams, contractors, and external partners.
• Coordinate design efforts across stakeholders to maximize content opportunities and eliminate inefficiencies.
• Own relationships with creative agencies, freelance designers, illustrators, production houses, and specialty creative partners.
• Create an environment where creativity, accountability, craftsmanship, and operational excellence can coexist.

Requirements:

• At least three years of experience in art direction or design leadership.
• Demonstrated success leading design executions and visual identity projects from concept through completion.
• Strong experience managing project schedules, budgets, agencies, vendors, and external partners.
• Deep understanding of design operations and creative workflows across multiple content formats and channels.
• Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Experience building scalable content systems and supporting multiple priorities simultaneously.