Lead Brand Artist

Description

Blizzard Entertainment, a company driven by its passion for excellence, is looking for a full-time Lead Franchise Brand Artist for Overwatch, our highly successful team-based FPS.  We want someone who can collaborate with multiple departments within Blizzard as well as third-parties, and with our Art Director to ensure brand integrity and quality across franchise elements outside of the core game (for example, eSports, marketing promotional material, and web and mobile designs).  Must be forward thinking, have a strong design sense, coupled with familiarity with core Overwatch design themes, and possess strong typography skills, a solid understanding of color theory, and excellent Photoshop skills.  The ideal candidate must also have an awareness of current trends in graphics design, marketing communication, web and mobile, and even broadcast graphics.  Strong communication skills are critical for successful partnership with support groups and the development team.

Responsibilities

• Provide high level guidance, iterative review and approval of Overwatch related materials in all franchise extensions – ranging from traditional marketing promotional material (both print and digital), to eSports stage design and broadcast graphics, with additional components of web and mobile design as well.   
• Collaborate with development team art leadership to create and iterate on style guides for franchise partners in web, mobile, marketing communications, and eSports.
• Build strong relationships with support group partners (marketing communications, eSports, web / mobile, events, broadcast, and consumer products), identify key creative leaders and instill shared creative values and goals around Overwatch projects.
• Solve complex visual problems and turn them into beautifully clear designed solutions that reinforce the brand.
• Collaborate with cross functional / cross department teams to ensure consistency and quality of brand representation.
• Manage multiple projects from start to finish with limited direct supervision while keeping multiple stakeholders both in and out of the organization appropriately informed and engaged.
• Facilitate communications, organization, and accountability across all departments and stakeholders to ensure high-level project goals are met.
• Collaborate closely with the game Art Director to maintain alignment as the franchise evolves visually and thematically.

Requirements

• Must have 3+ years working as a Senior Graphic Designer or 2+ years in creative direction roles.
• Must have a strong understanding of design fundamentals and able to apply Overwatch design values on a wide variety of media projects.
• Strong layout skills, logo design, and illustration abilities is a big plus, must have superior Photoshop skills.
• Able to work with team leads, external vendors and directors to align priorities.
• Experience tracking a complex project and providing support to clear blocking issues.
• Broadcast media art direction experience.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills for working with internal and external teams.

Pluses

• Significant graphic design production experience.
• Game development experience as an art lead.
• Submission / Portfolio requirements.
• Cover Letter is required.
• Portfolio demonstrating relevant artistic skills required.
• Only online artwork submissions will be accepted (e.g. website, blog or online album).
• Must be willing to complete a test if requested to do so.