Dagger is a full-service creative agency leading the way in Atlanta. Driving clients’ business outcomes with a nimble, media-company mindset, we innovate new ways to capture attention by distributing valuable content across media.

We’re a close-knit group of deeply driven, passionate, innovative thinkers, makers, and doers. We’re looking for another stellar addition to our team to help us cultivate ideas that strengthen our client offerings, win more awards, and achieve our goal of being the most compelling Atlanta-born agency the industry has ever seen.

Dagger’s creative department is on the lookout for a conceptual Art Director who's got the vision and craft to take big ideas and shape them into fully realized campaigns across all formats, and most importantly, who loves doing the work, selling the work, and seeing it come to life. We’re searching for an ace who’s passionate about making waves with disruptive, culture-shaping work. As an essential part of our creative team, you’ll take projects from concept through post-production, working across everything from large-scale campaigns to digital, social, video, and beyond.

You’ll collaborate closely with Senior Art Directors, ACDs, and CDs, honing your skills while contributing to top-tier creative. You are a conceptual thinker, a visual storyteller, and have an insatiable hunger to create work to create work that’s beautiful, impactful, and innovative.

You’re incredibly strategic, self-motivated, a clear communicator, and know how to execute from start to finish. With a sharp eye for design, you’ll craft bold, standout work that’s impossible to ignore. You bring expertise in color, composition, typography, motion, set styling, photography, lighting, and more. Your passion for visuals shows in everything you touch, from moodboards and pre-pro to social and deck design, your final deliverables are second to none.

You're always expanding your knowledge base, embracing feedback, and keeping up with the latest technology / trends. You embrace the “never stop learning” mindset and keep your finger on the pulse of ai-generated visuals, platform innovations, and best practices. And you bring a level of polish to every presentation, ensuring that the work doesn’t just meet expectations but blows them away.

If you’re ready to dive in, push boundaries, and bring energy and creativity to every project, we want you on our team.

This role is based in Atlanta, GA (we're a hybrid workplace).

How do you know if this role is right for you?

If you’re really good at...

• Creating across channels: At Dagger, we develop it all—from TV spots and documentaries to print, digital, and beyond. You’ll infuse your artistry and vision into big ideas and bold visuals across every platform you can imagine.
• Crafting concept decks: You’ll present your ideas in a way that excites, with visually impactful assets like storyboards, key visuals, and social posts. While collaboration with copywriters is common, we love someone who can develop compelling ideas solo too.
• Taking pride in your work: You’re an artist and you take pride in your creative output. You’re comfortable asking questions with genuine curiosity and openness. We consider this kind of vulnerability a strength.
• Presenting your vision: You’ll make sure everything aligns with the brand and brief, presenting concepts and copy that hit the mark in terms of voice, tone, and strategy.
• Nailing creative reviews: Show up ready with polished decks and completed work that reflects your best. You receive feedback from your leaders and peers 
• Growth mindset: You embody the proactive attitude and approach to your growth and personal development expected of all Dags. You receive feedback well, both from peers and leadership. You have an insatiable appetite for learning and improving, as well as a willingness to advocate for and participate in your own professional and personal growth, and meeting challenging situations / uncomfortable conversations with empathy and candor. 
• Inspiring with insights: Your exploration will help uncover fresh ideas that push the creative boundaries.
• Collaborating across all levels: Whether it’s for video, social, digital, or anything else, you’ll work alongside team members at all levels to turn concepts into standout deliverables.
• Hitting milestones and deadlines: Staying on top of your projects, communicating progress, and meeting deadlines is part of the game. Designing with purpose: From Adobe Suite to ai tools, you’ll craft visual directions with guidance from the creative team. Knowledge of ai creation and animation is a huge plus, but whatever tool you’re using, your passion for the craft will be evident.
• Juggling multiple projects: You’ll be working across several brands and campaigns, maintaining consistency in everything you touch.
• Keeping things organized: Your file management, organization, and asset cohesion will ensure everything is on-brand, easily accessible, and strategically aligned with the brief. 
• Presenting like a pro: Whether it’s virtual or in person, to internal teams or clients, you’ll continually refine your public speaking and presentation skills.
• Staying ahead of the curve: You’ll constantly research and experiment to keep your work fresh and informed by the latest trends, ai innovations, and best practices.
• Managing your time like a boss: With multiple deadlines in play, effective time management is a must.
• Keeping up with the digital landscape: You’ll stay plugged into ai, internet culture, and emerging trends to ensure your work feels fresh and forward-thinking.

If you’re ready to bring bold ideas, sharp visuals, and a collaborative spirit, we can’t wait to see what you’ve got!

And you have...

• A book that speaks for itself: A portfolio that doesn’t just impress—it’s a testament to your strong creative thinking, problem-solving, and undeniable passion for the craft.
• Mastery of the tools: You’re an expert in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Google Suite, and a range of ai tools (like MidJourney, DALL·E, and Runway, to name a few), bringing a tech-forward edge to your craft.
• Eye for detail, hunger for creativity: You have a keen eye for detail and craftsmanship, paired with an insatiable drive to push creative boundaries and deliver work that stands out from the crowd.
• Collaborative spirit: You thrive in a team environment, working seamlessly with creatives, strategists, and everyone in between to bring ideas to life.
• Growth mindset: You’re always striving to produce the best work of your career, with a hunger to learn, grow, and keep raising the bar.
• Strong communicator: Whether it’s verbal or written, you know how to articulate your ideas clearly and persuasively, keeping everyone aligned and inspired.
• Proven experience: With 2-5 years at a creative agency or a similarly fast-paced environment, your portfolio showcases your ability to think creatively and solve problems. But more than just experience, you’re ready to join a team of smart, kind, and driven people who love to brainstorm, collaborate, and produce culturally impactful work they can be proud of.
• The right mindset: An excitement to be part of a team of kind, smart, driven individuals who love brainstorming, collaborating, and creating culturally relevant, impactful work they’re proud of.

...we’d love to meet you. Apply today!

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every qualification. At Dagger, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Benefits

Join an award-winning team named 2022 Ad Age Small Agency of the Year (Gold, Southeast), 2020 Ad Age Small Agency of the Year (Silver, Southeast), Ad Age’s 2021 Best Places to Work, and consecutively listed in Adweek’s 100 fastest-growing agencies (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022)

• Paid Parental and Adoption/Caregiver Leave
• Employee Incentive Program that promotes wellbeing and ongoing development
• Continuing Education stipend
• On-site cafe in addition to complimentary snacks and beverages
• Dog-friendly office in Old Fourth Ward with direct access to the BeltLine
• Company-wide social events (Happy Hours and more!)