Job Description:

Join the hundreds of talented and innovative team members who are making an impact every day at one of the most iconic media brands in the nation. Whether you love to tell compelling stories or want to drive our award-winning powerhouse in new directions, the Los Angeles Times team is the place to be.

Job Description Summary

Los Angeles is one of the most creative cities in the world, and we’re ready to make the West Coast’s largest newspaper a true reflection of that unique energy. We are looking for a design director to work closely with our creative director to create a powerful, consistent visual brand across our digital and print publishing platforms. 

Our design department is venturing into exciting new territory, transitioning from a team that mainly handled print to one that will set the editorial visual style and tone for latimes.com and the rest of our digital products. If you’re excited about leading and inspiring a large design team through a critical transition while setting the standard for visual excellence across our organization, we want to hear from you.

Job Description

This role will require a complete overhaul of existing workflows. We need to establish new processes in order to set the team up for success, particularly when it comes to work across digital platforms. You’ll be responsible for creating a culture where people can learn, experiment and excel.

The most exciting part of this job is that we’re still in the process of creating our brand’s visual voice and style guide, and we are waiting for you to help us shape the brand. Think typography, colors, illustration styles, photo art direction and more. Coming up with our design language will be a collaborative effort among the creative leaders and managers, and you will play a key role in its creation and execution.

In this position, you will: 

• Lead and manage the design team of 20+ people responsible for the presentation of editorial publishing on digital and print platforms (this includes managing deputy design directors, senior art directors and designers)




• Create and implement a brand style guide, under the direction of the creative director




• Enforce a strict visual language and brand coherence across every product and project we work on




• Overhaul workflows and processes in need of major updates to be able to support digital design efforts




• Collaborate with senior editors across the newsroom to tell stories with impact




• Collaborate constantly with photo, video and graphics teams Identify and recruit exceptional talent Pitch and develop visual-forward digital products




• Identify and recruit exceptional talent




• Pitch and develop visual-forward digital products

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in editorial design, art direction, typography or illustration and five years of management experience




• Impeccable journalistic instincts and an unimpeachable commitment to ethics




• Demonstrated understanding of the power behind a brand’s visual language, which must be present in your online portfolio




• A track record of fostering teamwork across visual disciplines (photo, video, graphics)




• Strong writing, storytelling, communication and presentation skills




• Familiarity and a passion for newsgathering and journalistic forms (investigative, narrative, explanatory, breaking news)




• Demonstrated ability to think strategically as well as creatively 




• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite (including PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro and/or After Effects) and related software 




• Expertise or knowledge in JavaScript, HTML and CSS 




• Experience collaborating with product and tech teams, as well as marketing and advertising




• Sophisticated typographic skills and color use that translate across multiple digital products




• Experience in a fast-paced, deadline-driven workplace environment




• Strong working knowledge of digital analytics




• Awareness of industry best practices and innovations




• A competitive spirit and proactive work style

The L.A. Times is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Times staff is currently working remotely, but when we return to the newsroom the position will be based in El Segundo, Calif.

Qualified candidates should submit a resume, cover letter and applicable work samples or portfolio link to Managing Editor Kimi Yoshino.

Please note, the opportunity to attach additional documents appears on the third screen and is labeled “Upload.”

Thank you for your interest in joining our team at the Los Angeles Times!  We look forward to reviewing your application.

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