E-Commerce and Packaging Art Director

John Lewis Partnership; London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job description

About the role

John Lewis, the UK’s leading department store and biggest general omnichannel business, is searching for an exceptionally talented individual with a strong background in E-com Art Direction across fashion, home and beauty. The successful candidates will join our busy in-house creative department and play a key role in creating and delivering all e-commerce and packaging imagery across the business.

Our E-commerce and Packaging Art Director is responsible for creating compelling imagery to best showcase our product online and in stores. Accountable for all e-com imagery including fashion, beauty, home and all packaging imagery. This role covers a large remit directly responsible for a premium customer experience. While this role has no direct line reports you will be responsible for mentoring and leading a large team of external talent across AD, styling, hair and make-up, and photography. You will develop and maintain brand guidelines for key packaging categories as well as evolving seasonal updates for fashion and home e-com imagery. You will work closely with a team of producers to discover new creative talent and models, keeping an up to date document of our roster.

This role is adaptable in the approach and maintains a high level of standards in model imagery, home sets, and still life. They can make the most simple item appealing through strong imagery while showing it in an accurate way; clearly articulating to a team how to achieve the desired outcome. Providing leadership and guidance to multiple sets within a day, being able to multi-task and remain calm under pressure is essential. They will need to update the Art Direction Lead and Creative Director weekly with an overview of the E-com studios output as well as any packaging projects that have been completed.

• Expected salary - £45,000 - £65,000 (dependent on experience)

• Contract type - This position is a Permanent contract.

• Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team aims for around 4 days a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings. Please note, 3 days out of the 4 will be based at our Creative Studios, in Origin Park (London, NW1)

• Location - This role is based at our Creative Studios in London (NW1) and our Head Office campus in Pimlico. Please note, any cost incurred as a result of travel to the office is the responsibility of the successful candidate. There is no travel allowance for this role.

Key responsibilities

• Working with the Art Direction Lead to set the direction for E-com imagery and packaging

• Lead and inspire a wide team of stylists, photographers, and set designers to maintain a high level of imagery that fulfils the brands guidelines

• Responsible for maintaining and updating all E-com and Packaging guidelines

• Cover all categories of the business across fashion and home

• Working with the Art Direction Manager to ensure seasonal E-com updates are on track and external talent is booked in where necessary

• Create an upbeat and positive work environment while maintaining pace of shoots

• Weekly review of contact sheets across stills and fashion sharing feedback with the wider team

• Manage multiple projects and live photography sets at the same time

• Accountable for maintaining a consistent brand image across all touch points, building a cohesive premium customer journey

• Flagging imagery on site that falls outside of brand guidelines to the relevant people

• Research, conceptualise and execute assigned brand initiatives

• Supporting on other campaigns or digital projects when required

• Develop and maintain relationships with creative talent and research new talent

• Work with the production team on castings and finding new talent

• Arrange and oversee testing shoots for new e-com and packaging direction when needed

• Keep up to date on trends within the e-com imagery industry and regularly do competitor research across e-com imagery and packaging

• Oversees and approves all retouching for both packaging and e-commerce imagery, collaborating with the internal retouch team to ensure high-quality output.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Experience as an Art Director within fashion or home (ideally both) within a fast paced e-com studio environment

• Have a strong portfolio of Art Direction ideally across fashion and home

• Extremely knowledgeable in retouch processes, grade and colour work

• Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat, Bridge

• Google Slides, Sheets, Docs or equivalent

• Understanding of e-com imagery ratios and spec requirements

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Managing of an e-com studio

• On model or still life styling