Senior Art Director, Cossette
Senior Art Director
For over 50 years, Cossette has been behind some of the biggest, most influential brands in Canadian culture. In fact, 98.5% of Canadians see our work every day. Which means, your parents too probably.
So if you want to impress your parents while doing the best work of your career, well…you know what to do.
Transparency matters to us. For this role, you can expect a salary between $85,000- $105,000 annually, depending on experience. This is for an existing vacancy.
About the Role:
Senior Art Directors are part of the backbone of our creative community — expert makers and conceptual thinkers who consistently deliver bold, original work. Whether working solo or collaborating closely with a Copywriter, they own projects from idea to execution, always pushing for big, channel-spanning ideas that leave a mark on culture. They set the bar high — pushing craft, guiding strategy, and mentoring rising talent by leading through example. As design specialists, they turn ideas into visually striking, cohesive campaigns that thrive across any medium, blending innovation with razor-sharp design instincts to create work that truly stands out.
Key Responsibilities:
- Visual Concept Development: Translate strategic briefs into compelling visual concepts and campaigns. Develop mood boards, storyboards, key visuals, and other design elements that can be adapted across digital, social, TV, OOH, and other channels. Proficiently use contemporary visual tools and software, including generative AI, to explore visual concepts, create mock-ups, and produce content variations efficiently for integrated campaigns.
- Design & Execution: Deliver top-tier design across every medium, always on-brand and on-brief. Effectively use creative tools like generative AI to streamline workflows, boost quality, and optimize for every channel.
- Craft Excellence: Maintain meticulous attention to detail, typography, imagery, and overall visual aesthetics across all channels. Ensure all deliverables are pixel-perfect and production-ready. Critically assess all visuals, including those assisted by AI, for quality, consistency, and ethical considerations, applying a vital human touch.
- Collaboration: Work closely with Copywriters to develop integrated concepts. Collaborate with Accounts, Strategy, producers, developers, and other agency partners to bring integrated ideas to life.
- Presentation: Confidently present visual concepts and design rationale to internal teams and clients, demonstrating how ideas will manifest across different channels.
- Mentorship: Begin to mentor and provide guidance to more junior Art Directors and designers, sharing knowledge and best practices, including effective use of modern creative software and tools, and thinking about how ideas scale across channels. Encourage curiosity and experimentation, pushing teams out of their comfort zone to test new ideas.
- Industry Awareness: Stay current with design trends, software, and emerging visual technologies relevant to multi-channel creative execution.
- Represent Cossette: As one on the verge of creative leadership, you lead by example and with optimism. You’re an ambassador for Cossette, both internally and externally. You celebrate our people (especially younger creatives), our successes and those of our client partners.
Skills & Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience as an Art Director in an advertising agency.
- A portfolio demonstrating strong conceptual abilities and exceptional craft with examples of ideas that have been successfully executed across multiple channels.
- Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, focused on integrated campaign delivery.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Strong understanding of strategic thinking and its application to creative work, with an ability to develop channel-agnostic solutions.
- Proficiency in relevant design software, including Adobe Creative Suite.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines for complex, integrated campaigns.
- Proficiency in using generative AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E, ChatGPT) as a creative aid to accelerate ideation and production for various channels.
- Awareness of ethical considerations and potential biases in content created with new technologies like generative AI.
What’s in it for you:
We value the ‘whole you’
- An innovative and entrepreneurial work environment that promotes ingenuity and individuality - with the best of colleagues, and the best of clients
- Hybrid work models and flexible hours, plus a work from anywhere policy for short-term stays in other regions
- Generous Vacation starting at 3 weeks + 1 extra week over the holidays
- Agency summer days (exact policy differs per campus and agency)
- Modern, open co-working spaces with coffee & snack bars, located in great city neighborhoods, close to shops and restaurants and easy access to public transport
- Dogs allowed, dedicated Play Room to support families and Private wellness room (in select offices)
- Team social events - holiday parties, seasonal gatherings, weekly happy hours, inspiring speakers and more!
We are obsessed with learning and being better humans
- In-house learning & development sessions and annual career and growth conversations’
- Access to internal network of opportunities across all agencies
- Focus on developing BIMPOC Talent via our BIMPOC Mentorship Program
- Internal EDI group(s), programs & initiatives across Plus Company and opportunities to be involved in employee resource group(s)
Check out our EDI report to learn more about our work and commitment towards equity.
We invest in your health and wellness:
- Flexible benefits to support your individual lifestyle and life stage – with access to a personal wellness spending account you can use for a wide range of wellness expenses, including gym membership fees, pet care, education expenses, and much more!
- Comprehensive mental health support including access to a virtual mental health therapy clinic providing you with personalized therapist guided iCBT programs and live therapy, access to health clinicians 24/7, and a holistic array of other health and wellness resources to support you and your family.
- Dedicated play rooms for days you need to bring the kids and health and wellness rooms when you need a place to get grounded.
- A responsible sick & personal absence days policy designed so you don't have to worry the moment a personal obligation or emergency arises.
- Maternity leave top up program.
Expiry Date Notice: This job description expires on November 30th 2026
To ensure a fair and consistent evaluation for all candidates, our interviewers are supported by an AI tool that securely takes notes during the conversation
Creating meaningful work means embracing different perspectives. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on age, colour, ability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. Not only are these provisions protected by provincial and federal law, embracing difference is what makes Cossette what it is—and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We pride ourselves on our inclusive and accessible workplace. If you need any accommodations during the interview process to make it work for you, let us know.
By joining Cossette , you become part of Plus Company, a unique partnership of forward-thinking creative agencies. As a network, we unabashedly believe anything is possible. Why? Because possibility is what powers the big dreams and limitless drive of an entrepreneur. And entrepreneurial agencies are what we’re made of. A whole network of them.
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