Variety is seeking a Senior Art Director to join our award-winning creative team. In this role, you will shape the visual language of one of the most iconic entertainment brands in the world β across digital and print platforms. You will bring editorial stories to life through bold, sophisticated design, collaborating closely with the creative team, editors, developers, and brand leaders to produce award-winning creative work. The ideal candidate is an experienced visual storyteller who thrives in a fast-paced newsroom environment, leads with a strong point of view, and brings both conceptual thinking and high-quality execution and speed to every project. The position can be located in our Los Angeles or New York City Office.
Key Responsibilities:
Print Design
β’ Execute and spearhead print layouts for weekly feature stories and special print editions, ensuring consistent quality and adherence to production schedules
β’ Drive the visual direction of the weekly feature well and major print packages
β’ Own themed packages and develop bespoke visual language
β’ Partner with editors to shape story packaging, pacing, and visual hierarchy across the issue
β’ Mentor members of the design team and provide art direction and feedback
β’ Maintain rigorous attention to typography, grid systems, and brand standards across all print deliverables
β’ Ensure all files meet print production standards including preflight, color accuracy, and press specification
β’ Work within a fast-paced weekly production cycle with strict ship deadlines
Digital & Longform Design
β’ Contribute to select digital packages, special series, and editorial verticals that elevate Variety's storytelling across web and mobile platforms
β’ Collaborate with editorial, photo, and development teams to craft compelling visual narratives β from concept through final execution
Brand & Visual Identity
β’ Maintain and evolve Variety's visual identity across digital and print, ensuring consistency and innovation in equal measure
β’ Contribute to the ongoing development of design systems, templates, and style guidelines
Collaboration & Leadership
β’ Attend editorial planning meetings and actively contribute to layout reviews and creative ideation
β’ Provide mentorship and design direction to junior designers and freelance collaborators when needed
β’ Manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight editorial deadlines without compromising quality
Qualifications:
Required
β’ 5β8+ years of design experience, ideally in a media, publishing, or editorial environment
β’ Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)
β’ Understanding of both digital UX/UI design principles and print production workflows
β’ Strong typographic sensibility and an eye for layout, color, and visual storytelling
β’ Demonstrated experience designing longform digital editorial packages or similar immersive content
β’ Ability to work collaboratively across editorial, photo, and technology teams
β’ Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines in a high-velocity newsroom
Preferred
β’ Experience at a national entertainment, news, or lifestyle publication
β’ Familiarity with K4 or Woodwing
β’ Familiarity with HTML/CSS or basic front-end concepts
β’ Knowledge of accessibility and responsive design best practices
β’ Portfolio that includes both digital packages and print editorial work
As Variety values in-person collaboration and team cohesion, employees work onsite 4 days a week and 1 day remotely with a focus on maintaining a vibrant and inclusive culture.
A good faith estimate of the salary range is $105k - $115k upon hire. Factors that could be used to determine your actual salary may include your specific skills, years of experience and comparison to current employees already in this role. If you have more or less experience than specified on this job posting, please apply and list your salary expectations.
If hired, employee will be in an βat-will positionβ and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors).
Itβs all About Youβ¦
PMC's comprehensive benefits package is thoughtfully designed to support every aspect of your life, empowering you to thrive both personally and professionally. We offer PMC-Paid Healthcare with no employee paycheck contributions on medical, dental, and vision for you and your family. PMC also offers Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care & Commuter), an Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Short & Long Term Disability, Paid Parental Leave, and a 401(k) Retirement Plan with an Employer match. Employees are also eligible to take advantage of company discounts and perks including Pet Insurance, Home & Auto Insurance, Mortgage discounts, and a variety of other savings on wellness, lifestyle, and financial essentials. As part of PMC's dedication to consistently meet employeeβs needs, we are currently launching a new Flexible Vacation Policy.
About Variety:
Variety is the #1 entertainment news brand. Now celebrating 120 years of award-winning breaking news reporting, insightful award-season coverage, must-read feature spotlights, and intelligent analysis of the industryβs most prominent players, Variety remains the most trusted source for the business of global entertainment. Read by a highly engaged audience of industry insiders, entertainment fans, executive level professionals and decisionmakers, Varietyβs multi-platform content coverage expands across digital, mobile, social, print, podcasts, branded content, data, events and summits. Variety is a subsidiary of PME TopCo., a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge. For more information, please visit www.variety.com.
About PMC:β―
Penske Media Corporation (PMC) is a leading global media and information services company whose award-winning content attracts a passionate audience of over 300 million globally. Since 2004, PMC has been a pioneer in digital media reaching viewers on all screens across its ever-growing constellation of iconic brands, which includes Variety, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Dick Clark Productions, WWD, SHE Media, Robb Report, Deadline, TVLine, Sportico, BGR, ARTnews, Fairchild Media, Vibe, IndieWire, Artforum, Gold Derby, and Luminate, the premier data and analytics company. PMCβs journalists and content creators deliver daily the most comprehensive news and information in their industries and areas of coverage, unequaled in ambition, depth, and courage. In addition, PMC owns several vital cultural events such as SXSW, LA3C, and Latin Music Week. Headquartered in New York and Los Angeles with additional offices in 14 countries worldwide, PMC believes companies should not only be profitable but also forces for good. PMC is committed to fostering a working environment that is inclusive and responsible, where we value a company culture built on all backgrounds, voices, and experiences. For more information on the company, please visit www.PMC.com