Design Director (Temp)

| Greater NYC Area | Hybrid
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WHO WE ARE 

Kinship is here to help everyone pet parent like a pro. We’re a data-driven collective, building the future of pet care with interconnected solutions that reimagine every experience across the pet parent journey. We combine insights, products, and services to help people be the best pet parents they can be, and ultimately create a better world for pets. That includes our world-leading  WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the award-winning WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker and health monitor, Pet Insight Project, our ground-breaking science team that uses AI to turn billions of data points into actionable insights, and our partnerships like the LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator that supports innovators and start-ups, allowing Kinship to bring new solutions to pet parents.

Kinship is a business division of Mars Petcare, the global leader in pet health, nutrition, and services, and dedicated to one purpose: A Better World for Pets. Learn more at www.kinship.co.

OUR TEAM 

Kinship’s Growth team is composed of super-savvy marketing professionals from a variety of backgrounds. From PR and social pros, entrepreneurs, published authors, marketing gurus, award winners, skincare enthusiasts, wellness wunderkind, and so much more! Our diverse set of experiences allow us to collaborate with open minds, puppy-like curiosity, and infectious excitement for being a pivotal team in truly shaping a better world for pets and pet parents. And, we are FUN! By joining our team you’re guaranteed to LOL IRL, easily make work BFFs, and enjoy your fill of cute pet videos and hilarious virtual happy hours.

HOW YOU’LL HELP EVERYONE PET PARENT LIKE A PRO

Reporting in to our Creative Director, oversee and care for all Kinship portfolio brands from a visual design perspective, so our brands look outstandingly good and connect impactfully and meaningfully with our target audiences. Help us define what the next wave of Millennial pet care brands looks like, and execute and maintain those brands through beautifully designed comms and experiences. Specifically:

  • Guide and coach more junior designers on how to execute our visual design systems, and help them troubleshoot design-specific issues. Check and provide visual design feedback on project work on a daily basis.
  • Lead and guide the creation of a wide range of creative touchpoints, including digital (mobile, web), email, social, video, online editorial, print, physical merch/swag. And lead art direction when needed for things like campaigns and photo shoots.
  • Work with writers and use design to create effective, harmonious communications that land our brand messages and achieve our audience engagement goals (and coach your design juniors on how to do the same).
  • Work with product teams to ensure our visual identity systems translate well into product environments. Use your design expertise to help them solve issues.
  • Spearhead visual design development projects on specific brands - e.g. develop and evolve an existing visual identity. Or source and recommend a new illustration style to complement an existing visual system. Or evolve an outdated logo.
  • Interact and collaborate with design agencies, illustrators, and other outside consultants as needed, representing and caring for the design and visual branding needs of Kinship and our brands. Consolidate and deliver actionable feedback to these partners.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with visual specialists (e.g. illustrators) and create easy flows for commissioning and turning around assets as needed within given budgets.
  • Working with our Creative Director, lead the creation of visual identities from scratch - either using our internal team to create, or briefing and collaborating with external agencies.
  • Conduct visual audits of our own brands and competitor brands to assess needs for updates, further differentiation, or development.
  • Stay across the latest design trends, techniques, brand launches etc (in pet care and beyond) and share with the creative and wider Growth teams to inspire and encourage the highest creative design standards.


THE PRO WE’RE LOOKING FOR 

As Kinship people, we have three pillars that set out how we aim to be--in our everyday work, and in how we approach each other. We call these our Cultural Pillars. In all of the roles that we hire for, we look for people who are Optimistic, Purposefully Inquisitive, and Open to All. And for this role, you’ll need these skills to knock it out of the dog park:


LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:

  • Courage: A positive outlook with the courage to act and address difficult issues or great opportunities. Takes full ownership and engages others to follow.
  • Values Differences: Recognizes the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization, and so proactively seeks this in projects, building teams, and solving business issues.
  • Learns at Pace: Drives work with real pace, actively learning through this with experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.


TECHNICAL SKILLS:

  • 7+  years' design experience creating brand design systems and on-brand multi-media executions
  • At least 2 years leading and coaching more junior team members and running projects with multiple contributing designers
  • Working knowledge of and experience designing for digital (mobile, web), email, social, video, online editorial, print, physical merch/swag (okay if stronger in some more than others). Ability to lead art direction for things like campaigns and photo shoots. Experience with motion design a plus.
  • Pro expertise in graphic design, typography, color theory, photography and illustration direction, and the common elements of visual design systems is an absolute must.
  • Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills. Comfortable presenting to very senior stakeholders and defending work or decisions made. A warm, inspiring, and collaborative teacher to your more junior designers.
  • A strong desire, willingness, and excitement to create awesome things that don’t yet exist, or radically improve things that do.

JOIN OUR PROS!

  • Unique opportunities for a customizable career within pet care
  • A super collaborative, flat work environment with direct access to our senior leadership team
  • Work from the hottest cities across the world
  • Dog-friendly workplaces 
  • Medical, dental, vision, 401k match, and pet benefits for you and your family
  • Unlimited paid time off 
  • Flexible work opportunities 
  • Parental leave for the birth or adoption of your new human child (and fur baby)
  • Discounts on pet products, services, nutrition and veterinary wellness plans
  • Welcome kits with pet merch & Kinship swag
  • An extensive onboarding program with a chance to meet all of our leaders across Kinship
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Location

Our New York City office is conveniently located right off the 28th street 6 train station bustling with fantastic cafes, restaurants, and bars. A few blocks away is gorgeous Madison Square Park where you can pick up SweetGreen nearby and have lunch with a view.

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