Senior Art Director (12-month FTC) at Financialtimes33

About Us The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide. At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing. Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT. Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups. The Role The Senior Art Director role sits within FT Creative, the FT’s in-house creative team, and reports to the Head of Design, Consumer Services. The team provides brand creative leadership and design excellence across the FT Group portfolio, acting as brand guardians for the FT and its sub-brands across all touchpoints. FT Creative is part of the Communications and Marketing Group (CMG), which drives the FT’s brand reputation and works across the organisation to ensure the FT is positioned as an industry leader in quality digital subscriptions. As a Senior Art Director, you will work across a wide range of briefs spanning products, services, brand campaigns and experiential activations. You will bring creative vision and narrative to every project, translating ideas into compelling visual expressions that connect creativity and strategy. You will play a key role in ensuring all art direction reflects and advances the FT’s brand premiumisation strategy, elevating visual standards and reinforcing the FT’s position as a trusted, premium brand. You will collaborate closely with the Head of Design, Creative Director and collaborators to understand business goals and brand positioning, shaping creative solutions that deliver against strategic objectives. Confident in presenting ideas and championing new approaches, you will help drive creative excellence across the FT. You will also support and mentor junior team members to maintain a culture of collaboration, creativity and high-quality work. Success in this role requires an innovative mentality, strong brand understanding and exceptional attention to detail. Key Responsibilities • Lead conceptual thinking, art direction and design execution across integrated brand campaigns including experiential, OOH, video, social, print and display. • Maintain and evolve the FT’s premium brand standards across all creative touchpoints, safeguarding visual integrity and consistency. • Art direct external agency output to uphold brand alignment and creative quality. • Build relationships with external creative talent and partners, handling production processes and timelines when required. • Champion new creative approaches and workflows that enhance both efficiency and creative standards. • Stay informed on emerging design trends, tools and technologies, bringing fresh inspiration and innovation to the FT’s creative output. • Mentor and guide designers, offering creative inspiration and constructive feedback to elevate the team’s collective output. Required Skills & Experience • Shown experience as a Senior Art Director, with a strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, visual storytelling and art direction across integrated brand campaigns, identity systems and experiential activations. • Demonstrated ability to connect creative ideas to strategic objectives and business goals. • Strong communicator, confident in presenting ideas and influencing partners at all levels. • Keen interest in visual culture and emerging trends, with the ability to recognize innovation and premium build. • Experience leading and contributing to shoots and production processes, ensuring visual consistency and alignment with brand standards. • Experience collaborating with external agencies to maintain the FT’s tone of voice and brand standards. • Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), Figma and collaborative design workflows. • Ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously. • A recognised design qualification, such as BA/BFA or equivalent experience Desirable Skills • Experience working with premium, editorial, or global brands. • Familiarity with motion design, animation, or video production (After Effects or similar). • Basic knowledge of HTML/CSS What’s in it for You? Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here. We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible. Accessibility We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email [Upgrade to PRO to see contact] and a member of our team will be happy to help. Further informationAt the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications.Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact [Upgrade to PRO to see contact]. Interested in the FT but don’t see the right role yet? Join our Talent Community to receive exclusive updates, featured jobs, and insights into working at the FT.