Senior Art Director, Pharma

HYBRID position in Edison, NJ. Please only apply if you can work in our Edison, NJ office 3 days/week

Salary: $95,000–$130,000

About the Role

At Ascender Studios, we’re a New Jersey-based healthcare marketing agency made up of designers, developers, thinkers, and tinkerers, and we’re looking for a Senior Art Director to help lead our creative work. In this role, you’ll own the visual direction of campaigns from first concept to final delivery across websites, emails, banners, social, and beyond. You’ll partner closely with copy, strategy, and account teams, mentor our designers, and bring big ideas to life for healthcare brands that genuinely resonate with patients, providers, and everyday consumers.

If you’re a creative leader who loves both shaping the idea and making sure it’s executed beautifully, and you’re excited about meaningful work in the healthcare space, we’d love to hear from you. Come build something great with us.

Responsibilities

• Lead concept development for integrated digital and social campaigns, from initial ideas through final execution
• Set and maintain the visual direction across websites, email campaigns, display banners, and social media content
• Partner with copywriters to develop cohesive, compelling campaign concepts
• Present creative work to clients and internal stakeholders, clearly articulating the thinking behind it
• Mentor, guide, and give constructive feedback to Art Directors and designers, keeping work on-brand and on-schedule
• Oversee design and prototyping of user-facing experiences in Figma
• Stay hands-on, producing polished work
• Art direct photography, illustration, and motion assets as needed
• Navigate healthcare regulatory and medical/legal/review (MLR) processes, incorporating feedback without losing the strength of the idea
• Champion best practices in accessibility, file organization, and brand guideline adherence

Qualifications

• 6+ years of design experience, including 2+ years in an Art Director role, ideally in an agency environment
• Proven track record of concepting and leading digital-first campaigns from start to finish
• Expert-level proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite
• Deep understanding of digital and social media creative formats and best practices
• Exceptional eye for typography, layout, color, and visual storytelling
• Strong presentation and communication skills, with experience presenting directly to clients
• Experience mentoring or managing designers
• Experience with pharma, biotech, or medical device brands
• Portfolio demonstrating concept-driven, digital-first creative work (websites, emails, banners, social)

Nice to Have

• Experience with HTML/CSS basics
• Motion or animation skills in After Effects or similar