Assistant Art Director (Lifestyle Media / Editorial Design)

Richmond, VA | Full-Time | On-Site

About the Role

A regional lifestyle magazine covering food, culture, people, destinations, homes, gardens, and more is hiring an Assistant Art Director to help shape visual identity across print and digital platforms. This hands-on role supports the design process for award-winning features and departments, spanning conceptual layouts, photography and illustration direction, typography, and marketing materials.

The assistant art director works closely with the art director, publisher, and editorial team, contributing to story development from concept through production. The role includes directing photo shoots, assigning and managing freelance photographers and illustrators, and designing layouts that carry the brand across print and digital.

What the Role Covers

Contributing to story ideation and vetting ideas for relevance and past coverageCollaborating with the art director to select photographers, illustrators, and stylists for each storyAssigning freelance artists and negotiating feesLocating photoshoot locations, supervising shoots, and assisting with art direction for maximum qualityDesigning and producing front-of-book stories, department layouts, and feature layouts, including image gathering and color correctionAdvancing layouts through the production cycle with publishing and editorial departmentsPreparing and organizing purchase orders, resolving budget discrepancies, and managing artist onboarding paperworkBuilding relationships with editorial subjects and the broader creative communityManaging art internsMaintaining workflow organization and updating comp lists for each issue

Qualifications

BA in graphic design or a related field1 to 3 years of design experience at a magazine, ad agency, or communications organizationStrong design and art direction skills with the ability to explain creative rationaleExperience working with photographers, illustrators, and stylists, as well as sourcing archival material and scouting locationsStrong understanding of typography, photography, and illustrationProficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, Photoshop, and IllustratorComfortable in a Mac environment with familiarity with Google WorkspaceKnowledge of branding, marketing, and adapting print layouts for digitalKnowledge of offset printing and willingness to learn preflight and press check tasksStrong project management and organizational skillsFamiliarity with Virginia is a plusHours are 8:30 to 5:30, Monday through Friday, with additional time as needed. Benefits include two weeks paid vacation and eight paid holidays per year.

To Apply

Visit Mediabistro for full details and application instructions.