Manager, CGI Art Director - Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen

About the role:

The Manager, CGI/AI Art Director role drives the look, feel, and execution of photorealistic product imagery across CGI, AI, and in-studio digital photography. This role translates business needs into compelling visual content that enhances customer engagement and drives revenue.

You will lead high-volume Photo-AI-driven image production while contributing to CGI and digital photography initiatives. Success requires a highly organized, process and detail-oriented creative leader who thrives in structured workflows, maintains accuracy at speed, and operates within defined brand production standards.

Working cross-functionally, you will translate creative direction into consistent, on-brand photorealistic imagery across ecommerce and digital channels. This includes prompt development, image refinement, scene direction, asset management, quality assurance, and workflow optimization. A strong foundation in interiors, architecture, photography, lighting, composition, decorating, and emerging AI-driven creative tools is essential.

Responsibilities:

Photo Art Direction & Visual Execution:

Provide art direction, interior design, and styling of room scenes for photorealistic photo, CGI/rendering, and AI image outputs (architecture; interior/exterior environments; materials; composition; lighting; propping; window scenes; crops; post-production; color temperature; retouching direction; etc.)Translate art direction into structured AI prompts to produce consistent, on-brand imagery for high-volume single- and multi-SKU needs

Generate, review, refine, version, and QA AI, CGI, and photographic imagery with extreme attention to detail

Ensure assets are presented and shared in final and intended crops

Maintain full ownership and responsibility for assets produced on-set and digitally, contributing to end-to-end planning, execution, and post-production

Coordinate prop and product pairings with Art Direction and Styling teams; edit, make shot direction calls, approve selects, oversee lighting and retouching notes

Provide feedback and direction during collaborative reviews, proofing, and QA processes

Ensure strict adherence to brand standards, style guides, and visual guidelines

Develop and maintain Photo / CGI / AI visual standards for lighting, composition, and room environments by product category AI & Production Workflow Support:

Support high-volume AI image production within structured workflows

Maintain highly organized file structures, naming conventions, tracking documents, and asset libraries

Build and contribute to Photo / CGI / AI libraries (models, materials, scenes, props) and optimize asset reuse strategies

Identify inconsistencies or production challenges and proactively recommend solutions

Refine Photo / CGI / AI pipeline workflows, tools, and processes

Support documentation and continuous improvement of processes as efficiencies and learnings are identified

Manage time effectively to meet high-volume production deadlines

Demonstrate strong attention to detail in final outputs

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Collaborate with Creative Operations, Art Direction, Site & Photo Merchant partners, Post-Production, Product Design, and Digital Design teams

Communicate clearly cross-functionally to ensure assets are compelling, on-brand, on-deadline, and efficiently project-managed

Project manage delivery schedules and milestones for creative development, modeling/rendering, image outputs, and production timelines

Collaborate with product designers, photography, post-production, and merchant teams for asset approvals

Attend corporate creative meetings to maintain alignment with business goals and creative direction

Recruit, direct, and/or mentor third-party CGI/AI vendors and artists as needed

Proactively identify talent or resource gaps that may affect quality or delivery

Research & Creative Development:

Research and compile inspiration/references for Photo, CGI, Render, and AI creative planning

Research photography, styling, interiors, art/design trends, talent, vendors, and best-in-class partners

Stay current on emerging AI tools, creative technologies, and competitive landscape

Bring cost-effective creative ideas and solutions while supporting asset development and brand growth

Contribute to the development and maintenance of style guides, creative tools, and visual strategy

Demonstrate strong storytelling and narrative capability in visual execution

Criteria:

Bachelor’s degree in Art / Design2–5+ years working in 3D photorealistic imaging;…