Variety: Senior Art Director

California
- Los Angeles Office;
New York
- New York City Office

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 — 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.

• Execute and spearhead print layouts for weekly feature stories and special print editions, ensuring consistent quality and adherence to production schedules
• Drive the visual direction of the weekly feature well and major print packages
• Own themed packages and develop bespoke visual language
• Partner with editors to shape story packaging, pacing, and visual hierarchy across the issue
• Mentor members of the design team and provide art direction and feedback
• Maintain rigorous attention to typography, grid systems, and brand standards across all print deliverables
• Ensure all files meet print production standards including preflight, color accuracy, and press specification
• Work within a fast‑paced weekly production cycle with strict ship deadlines

• Contribute to select digital packages, special series, and editorial verticals that elevate Variety’s storytelling across web and mobile platforms
• Collaborate with editorial, photo, and development teams to craft compelling visual narratives — from concept through final execution

• Maintain and evolve Variety’s visual identity across digital and print, ensuring consistency and innovation in equal measure
• Contribute to the ongoing development of design systems, templates, and style guidelines
• Attend editorial planning meetings and actively contribute to layout reviews and creative ideation
• Provide mentorship and design direction to junior designers and freelance collaborators when needed
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight editorial deadlines without compromising quality

• 5–8+ years of design experience, ideally in a media, publishing, or editorial environment
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)
• Understanding of both digital UX/UI design principles and print production workflows
• Strong typographic sensibility and an eye for layout, color, and visual storytelling
• Demonstrated experience designing longform digital editorial packages or similar immersive content
• Ability to work collaboratively across editorial, photo, and technology teams
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines in a high‑velocity newsroom

• Experience at a national entertainment, news, or lifestyle publication
• Familiarity with K4 or Woodwing
• Familiarity with HTML/CSS or basic front‑end concepts
• Knowledge of accessibility and responsive design best practices
• 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 “at‑will position” 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…