Art Director

The Hut Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global ecommerce company in Manchester is seeking an Art Director for a 1-year fixed term contract. The selected individual will be responsible for the day-to-day art direction at THG Studios, ensuring imagery aligns with Disney guidelines. Key qualifications include proven eCommerce art direction experience, strong communication skills, and expertise in Adobe Creative Suite. This role demands a collaborative mindset and ability to work in a high-paced environment, leading creative decisions and directing models on set.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in eCommerce or brand storytelling environments.
• Comfortable working full-time onsite, 5 days a week.
• Demonstrated experience directing child models.

Responsibilities

• Act as liaison with the Disney Creative Lead during production.
• Lead creative decision-making on set.
• Execute briefs and ensure alignment with creative direction.

Skills

On-set art direction experience

Client-facing communication skills

Directing models

Understanding of shoot fundamentals

Attention to detail and QC

Collaboration skills

Core Adobe Creative Suite skills

Strong awareness of Disney characters

Tools

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Overview

We are THG, a global ecommerce group on a mission to be the global online leader in beauty and sports nutrition.

Our portfolio of leading retailers and brands such as LOOKFANTASTIC, Myprotein, ESPA, Perricone MD, and Cult Beauty form our two core businesses: THG Beauty and THG Nutrition.

From Manchester to New York, we’re powered by a team of over 2500 people who work together, lead by example, and think BIG.

With us, you’ll go further, faster. What are you waiting for?

Role: Art Director - 1-year Fixed Term Contract

Role Summary

Responsible for the day-to-day art direction, on-set leadership, and quality control of Disney photography (and support on video execution where required) at THG Studios. This role is a key brand guardian, partnering closely with the Creative Lead and THG crews to deliver globally consistent, seasonal, and channel-ready imagery that meets strict Disney guidelines. You will be the day-to-day person on set and report in to the Head of Art Direction.

Responsibilities

• Act as the direct day-to-day liaison with the Disney Creative Lead on set and through pre and post production.
• Serve as a brand guardian within THG Studios, ensuring all imagery adheres to Disney guidelines and pre-agreed creative direction.
• Lead clear, confident creative decision-making on set while maintaining a collaborative working environment.

Briefing, planning & pre-production alignment

• Execute briefs in collaboration with Creative Lead, Producer, Photographer, and crew to ensure all creative requirements are captured on-set, including:
• lighting approach and references
• propping and set build requirements
• styling
• shot list priorities and spec requirements (formats, crops, etc)
• Partner with creative lead to support seasonal campaign concepting where required.
• Direct and QC daily photography for the lifestyle workstream, ensuring consistent execution and alignment to agreed briefs.
• Direct models confidently on shoots in studio and on location ensuring performance, posing, and brand tone are appropriate.
• Demonstrate expertise in directing child models, creating a safe, supportive environment while achieving required expressions, gestures, and storytelling.
• Be a core part of the QC process on PDP photography (acting as a brand guardian for the style guides), ensuring imagery is on-brand and commercially effective, and adapting/growing the style guides when necessary.

Collaboration with photographers & crew

• Work seamlessly with photographers, producers, styling, and studio crew to deliver high-quality output at pace.
• Maintain strong on-set communication, ensuring clarity on priorities, changes, and speed of delivery.
• Participate in and support test days on set, contributing to visual brand evolution.
• Regularly take part in photography wash-ups with the Creative Lead to drive alignment, improve quality, and demonstrate best practices across shoots.
• Identify any issues on-set (brief clarity, set build, styling, lighting, workflow) and propose practical fixes.
• Constantly seek innovation and newness in photography execution, within Disney brand guidelines.

Cross-team consistency (Lifestyle and PDP)

• Ensure on-brand execution across both photography streams when applicable, partnering with shoot and post teams to maintain product accuracy with Disney guidelines.

Required skills and experience

• Proven on-set art direction experience within eCommerce, retail, or brand storytelling environments.
• Strong client-facing communication skills and confident liaising with other creative team members.
• Demonstrated experience directing models, including strong experience directing child models.
• Excellent understanding of shoot fundamentals: lighting, composition, styling, set build, and on-set production at speed without compromise in quality.
• High attention to detail with the ability to QC and make shot selects at pace.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively with photographers and production crews.
• Comfortable working longer shoot days when needed and adapting quickly to changes on set.
• Ability to work full-time onsite, 5 days per week at THG Studios.
• Core Adobe Creative Suite skills: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop.
• Strong awareness of Disney films, characters, and references (historic and current).

Nice to have

• Experience supporting seasonal campaign concepting.
• Working knowledge of video shoot process.

Ways of working

• Brand-first mindset with calm, decisive leadership on set.
• Highly organised - clear priorities, fast problem-solving.
• Collaborative and respectful - builds trust with client creative and crew.
• Resilient under pressure - thrives in fast-paced, high-volume environments.

DEI notice THG is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. If you are invited to interview, please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to the recruitment process that will enable you to perform to the best of your ability.

THG is committed to creating a diverse & inclusive environment and hence welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

THG is committed to reviewing applications in a timely manner and to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience.