Key Art Designer

About ZEALOT

ZEALOT is a global creative agency with offices in London, New York, and Los Angeles, specialising in the film and television industry. We craft trailers, TV spots, social/digital campaigns, promos, and print materials for some of the biggest names in entertainment.

We are looking for a talented and passionate Senior-Level Key Art Designer to join our growing print studio. If you live and breathe design, thrive in a fast-paced creative environment, and have a strong portfolio of key art work, we’d love to hear from you.

About the Role

Reporting to our Senior Art Director (Key Art), you’ll play a key role in shaping the visual identities of major film and TV campaigns. This is an exciting opportunity to lead on major campaigns, set creative direction, handle senior client interaction and develop the skills of the team and the potential for new business opportunities. You’ll work on high-profile projects, collaborate with industry-leading professionals, and push creative boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Lead concept development and consistent execution of high-quality key art for a variety of clients and projects.
• Develop original creative concepts that respond to client briefs with strong strategic and visual thinking.
• Design every aspect of poster creation, including typography, layout, color grading, artworking and photo compositing.
• Create static assets such as title treatments, pitch decks, social media assets, and out-of-home (OOH) campaigns.
• Curate and refine marketing materials (unit photography, special shoots) into compelling design assets.
• Ensure technical accuracy, including image formatting, resolution, and color profiles for both print and digital outputs.
• Understand and respond to creative briefs, solving design challenges with strong problem-solving skills.
• Collaborate effectively with Art Directors, Creative Directors, and Producers to refine and elevate the creative process.
• Stay on top of design trends, continuously developing new skills and techniques.
• Mentor and support junior and mid-level designers, sharing expertise and fostering a culture of learning.
• Maintain project organisation, ensuring assets are properly archived and meet ZEALOT’s standards.
• Handle final artwork preparation, ensuring deliverables meet client and industry specifications.
• Ensure accurate crediting on all finished projects.
• Experience and confidence within client-facing environments, including briefing and feedback calls, as well as experience in presenting concepts & explaining creative choices in client meetings. 
• Experience in photoshoot concepting, working from moodboard / reference stage into sketching and development of concepting for shooting, as well as hands-on experience in attending shoots as art director, or support alongside Senior Art Director.

The Ideal Candidate

• 4 - 6+ years' experience within an entertainment, advertising or creative agency environment
• A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional key art design across film, television and/or entertainment brands.
• Deep passion for design, especially film and TV poster design, with a strong, curated portfolio.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. (After Effects and Cinema 4D knowledge is a plus.)
• High-level conceptual thinking and technical craft, with excellent typography, composition, photo-retouching and compositing skills.
• A strong creative voice with the confidence to present and execute ideas effectively, whilst providing feedback on concepts within the studio and guiding creative direction for junior & mid-level members of the team.
• Strong time management, able to juggle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment and offer suggestions for internal workflow to ensure a streamlined and fulfilling creative process. 
• Strategic thinker, capable of interpreting client briefs with a clear vision for tone and genre.
• Collaborative and communicative, working well within a team and fostering positive relationships, creating a supportive dynamic that nurtures creative output and ambition.
• Adaptable and flexible, thriving in a reactive, deadline-driven industry.
• Highly organised, with an exceptional eye for detail and quality control.
• Strong understanding of print production, artwork preparation and technical delivery across print and digital formats.
• Work closely with senior creative and production leadership to identify new opportunities, develop passion pitches and support new-business creative, helping to create enthusiasm for this side of design within the general daily print workflow. 

What We Offer

Salary: £50,000 - £60,000
(To be discussed depending on experience)

Benefits include:

• Home working (up to 2 days remote per week after the initial onboarding and training period)
• Regular training opportunities for career growth 
• Access to Headspace for meditation and mindfulness 
• Confidential mental health support via Solas Mind 
• Monthly team socials
• Regular training opportunities for career growth
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Friday lunches provided

Typical working hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30am till 6:30pm (including a 1-hour unpaid lunch break) and for the occasional late working there is a fair lieu day policy in place.

How to Apply

As part of your application, please provide the following by Friday 14th August:

• Your CV
• A short cover letter written in your own words
• A link to your showreel and/or a selected portfolio of your motion design work

Please note that candidates must submit all three items to be considered for this role.

We know AI tools can be useful, but for this application we’re really interested in hearing your own voice, ideas and perspective. Please make sure your cover letter feels personal to you, rather than submitting AI-generated answers.

If you are selected to progress to the next stage, you may be asked to complete a short task as part of the interview process.

Please note, this role requires a minimum of 3 days a week onsite, so candidates must be able to commute to our Soho office and be legally able to work in the UK.

ZEALOT UK is an Equal Opportunities Employer, committed to diversity, inclusion, and equality. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

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