Associate Design Director (On-Site)

Who are we?

MATTE is a 360° creative studio at the convergence of hype, storytelling and design. We bring people together to inspire new ways of engaging, to provoke long term progress, and to entertain audiences around the world, while helping forward-thinking brands and institutions nimbly and truly do the same. Our studio capabilities range from strategic ideation and insights, creative development, branding and identity, experiential, web design and development, campaigns and content creation, all the way through full-scale production and execution.

About this role:

MATTE is seeking an Associate Design Director who is a highly conceptual creative leader with exceptional design craft and a strong point of view. This role is for someone who can originate and lead big ideas—particularly across branding and campaigns—while remaining deeply hands-on in execution. You will play a critical role in shaping creative direction, elevating the work, and helping define MATTE’s visual and cultural voice across clients and platforms.

The Associate Design Director operates as a senior creative partner to Creative Directors, Strategy, and Production, owning portions of the work from concept through delivery. You’ll lead visual systems, push creative ambition, mentor designers, and ensure the highest level of craft across all outputs. This is a leadership role for a culturally fluent, taste-driven designer who can confidently present, direct, and execute at the highest level.

This role reports into the Design Director and is responsible for:

• Own and lead creative concepting for brand identities, integrated campaigns, content, and experiential work.

• Define and drive visual direction across projects, setting a clear creative bar and ensuring consistency and excellence.

• Design and oversee high-level work across digital, print, motion, and spatial environments.

• Translate strategic insights into bold, culturally resonant creative ideas.

• Act as a senior creative voice in internal reviews and client presentations, clearly articulating creative rationale and vision.

• Partner closely with Creatives to push ambition and evolve the work.

• Provide hands-on creative leadership to designers—reviewing work, mentoring talent, and elevating craft and thinking.

• Collaborate with production teams and be present on set to direct visual execution and maintain creative integrity.

• Stay ahead of cultural shifts, design innovation, and emerging technologies, bringing new thinking into the work.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• 8–9+ years of experience in design and art direction within creative agencies, studios, or production environments.

• A portfolio that demonstrates exceptional branding and campaign work, with clear evidence of concept leadership and refined execution.

• Strong ability to develop and scale visual systems across multiple touchpoints.

• Deep cultural fluency and a sharp design POV, with an instinct for what’s relevant now—and what’s next.

• Experience leading projects, mentoring designers, and collaborating cross-functionally at a senior level.

• On-set experience working with directors, photographers, and production teams.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite; motion, 3D, or emerging-tech fluency is a plus.

• Confident, collaborative, and decisive—able to lead creatively while remaining flexible and solutions-oriented in a fast-paced environment.

• Fluent in Figma and Cinema4D

• This job is located in New York, and is in office Monday-Thursday, Fridays work remote.

Salary Range: $145,000-165,000/year based on experience

Benefits include:

• Full Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage

• 401k with a 4% company contribution max match

• Fully covered yearly Citibike membership

• Talkspace membership

• Competitive PTO package

• End of Year Recharge paid time off

• Sabbatical Program option after three years of employment with us

• Parental Leave for all new parents

Everyone is welcome at MATTE - we’re passionate about building a team that reflects the diversity of our community and creating an environment where our differences are celebrated. MATTE provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, MATTE will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.