As the Manager, Generative Art Director, you will lead the creative and technical development of Generative AI workflows across the production pipeline. Reporting to the Sr Manager – GenAI & VFX, you will be the studio’s primary practitioner and thought leader for AI-assisted image and design production – concepting and executing high-impact visual campaigns, building the node architectures and prompt frameworks that underpin them, and establishing the standards, systems, and team knowledge that keep our client at the forefront of AI- powered creative work.
The ideal candidate is a rare hybrid: a classically grounded creative director with deep knowledge of art direction, photography, graphic design, and retouching, who also operates at an advanced level in Generative AI tooling – building node architectures, engineering precise prompts, and developing automation workflows that eliminate the generic “AI aesthetic” in favor of photorealistic, brand-right, emotionally resonant imagery. You are technically curious, creatively rigorous, and energized by the challenge of building scalable systems that let a lean team produce at enterprise volume without sacrificing craft.
- PLEASE NOTE: This role is 5 days onsite in Playa Vista ***
Key Outcomes
Visual Direction & GenAI Execution
- Concept, direct, and establish high-fidelity, photorealistic visual campaigns – defining the creative direction for AI-generated imagery that bypasses the generic “AI aesthetic” in favor of believable, human-centered storytelling grounded in authentic lighting, composition, depth-of-field, and color.
- Translate creative briefs into complete visual worlds across product, lifestyle, social, digital, e-commerce, and in-store touchpoints – establishing a clear visual language that can be executed consistently by multiple artists while maintaining premium craft standards and brand fidelity across every format and channel.
- Apply deep knowledge of photography, camera mechanics, lighting logic, lensing, and framing to art-direct AI-generated imagery with the same rigor brought to a live-action or studio shoot.
- Take an active role in early look development and experimentation – working alongside Senior Generative AI Artists to establish visual benchmarks, test creative approaches, and define the foundations of a campaign before scaling into production.
- Maintain a strong understanding of image compositing and post-production retouching – ensuring AI- generated outputs integrate effectively with real product photography, graphic elements, and brand assets to create polished, commercially ready artwork.
- Manage creative projects from brief to delivery with precision – anticipating feedback, keeping workstreams on track, and maintaining the critical thinking discipline to stay on-brief under production pressure.
Creative Direction & Team Leadership
- Direct and support Senior Generative AI Artists throughout production – providing clear creative direction, reviewing work, and ensuring individual executions remain connected to the broader campaign idea and visual language.
- Establish and protect the creative vision as campaigns scale – ensuring large volumes of imagery produced across multiple artists maintain a cohesive photographic language, visual quality, product accuracy, and our clients brand identity.
- Remain actively engaged with the creative process – comfortable working alongside artists during look development, experimentation, and workflow discussions while empowering Senior Generative AI Artists to own detailed technical execution.
- Apply a solution-driven mindset to creative and production challenges – working with artists to identify alternative models, tools, workflows, or production approaches when established methods are not achieving the desired creative result.
- Understand the capabilities and limitations of current Generative AI technologies sufficiently to make informed creative decisions, challenge approaches, and help the team determine the most effective path from creative intent to final imagery.
GenAI Workflow & Pipeline Development
- Maintain a strong working knowledge of node-based generative workflows – including ComfyUI, Weavy, Figma Weave, and equivalent tools – enabling informed creative direction and meaningful collaboration with Senior Generative AI Artists developing high-resolution generation, upscaling, control, and consistency workflows.
- Guide the development of prompt strategies, LoRA frameworks, reference libraries, and control methods that ensure brand accuracy, product fidelity, and visual consistency across AI-generated outputs at scale.
- Translate campaign requirements into scalable creative systems – working with artists and technical teams to develop reusable pipeline components and workflow templates that allow the studio to move from brief to high-volume output without sacrificing quality or brand alignment.
- Understand and identify opportunities for LLMs, AI-assisted scripting, automation, and lightweight tooling to improve creative production workflows – collaborating with artists, VFX, and technical teams to develop appropriate solutions.
- Continuously evaluate emerging GenAI tools, model updates, and workflow innovations – understanding their creative potential, practical limitations, and where they can meaningfully improve the Studio’s production capabilities.
AI Thought Leadership & Team Development
- Serve as a senior GenAI creative voice for our client – helping establish how emerging AI technologies can be applied practically and creatively across large-scale commercial production.
- Develop the creative capabilities of Generative AI Artists and wider creative teams through active coaching, knowledge sharing, documentation, and hands-on guidance.
- Contribute to brand strategy for AI-generated imagery – helping shape a distinctly visual language in the generative space that is elevated, authentic, and free of the clichés that make AI imagery feel generic.
- Stay current on cultural, design, and technology trends – bringing informed perspective to creative decisions and ensuring AI-assisted output remains relevant, resonant, and competitive.
Post-Production & Cross-Disciplinary Integration
- Work closely with VFX, production, and creative teams to ensure AI-generated design integrates effectively into post-production workflows – including asset preparation, renders, passes, and compositing handoffs for
- Flame, CG, and motion design pipelines.
- Understand where Generative AI is the appropriate production solution and where established photography, design, VFX, CG, retouching, or compositing approaches provide a stronger path to the desired creative result.
- Operate fluidly across production-driven and campaign-based environments – adapting creative approach, technology, and production strategy to the specific demands of each project without losing creative quality or
- pipeline discipline.
- Collaborate across departments – design, VFX, production, engineering, and marketing – championing a cross-disciplinary approach that yields stronger, more integrated creative and technical outcomes.
Qualifications
- 4–6 years of hands-on professional experience working directly with Generative AI engines, pipeline architectures, and image generation tools – at a commercial post facility, VFX studio, advertising agency, or in-house creative studio.
- Proven creative background in Art Direction, Graphic Design, Brand Design, Retouching, or Compositing – with a portfolio demonstrating the ability to produce real, believable, and brand-right AI-generated imagery without AI artifacts.
- Deep foundational knowledge of photography, lighting logic, lensing, framing, color grading, and visual storytelling – sufficient to art-direct generative outputs with the same rigor as a live-action shoot.
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite [Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign] – with mastery-level image compositing, multi-layer asset manipulation, and retouching as a strict requirement.
- Advanced-level experience with node-based generative workflow tools – ComfyUI, Weavy, Figma Weave, or equivalent – including custom node architecture, ControlNet integration, upscaling pipelines, and LoRA/model management.
- Advanced LLM user proficiency [ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini] for prompt engineering, concept development, brief analysis, and creative ideation.
- Proficiency in Figma and Figma Weave for layout, collaborative design systems, and AI-assisted asset management workflows.
- Strong understanding of retail visual strategy, customer psychology, and omni-channel campaign design [digital, e-commerce, in-store, social, OOH].
- Strong attention to detail in product accuracy, packaging fidelity, and brand consistency across all AI- generated outputs.
- Minimum 7 years in design or creative roles, with both agency and in-house brand experience strongly preferred.
Preferred Qualifications
- Practical experience with AI-assisted scripting or “VibeCoding” – using LLMs to write automation scripts, build light prototypes, or extend studio tooling without requiring dedicated engineering support.
- Experience building design systems, automation pipelines, or reusable generative workflow libraries.
- Foundational understanding of VFX pipeline and compositing workflows as they relate to integrating AI- generated assets with live-action or CG production.
Reporting & Expectations
- Reports to Sr Manager – AI & VFX
- Collaborates with Creative Directors, Art Directors, Designers, Production, and Retouchers.
- Coaches and mentors designers on art direction.
- In office 5 days per week
U.S. version
The target hiring compensation range for this role is ____$65_____ to ____$72_______. Compensation is based on several factors including, but not limited to education, relevant work experience, relevant certifications, and location.
About Aquent Talent
Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands.
Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. More information on our awesome benefits!
Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We’re about creating an inclusive environment—one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.