---
title: 'Senior Art Director/ Brand Designer - 3 Month Contract at AIP Connect'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-art-director-brand-designer-3-month-contract-aip-connect-toronto-xbk0t6pngxz3'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-16'
---

# Senior Art Director/ Brand Designer - 3 Month Contract at AIP Connect

- **Company:** AIP Connect
- **Location:** Toronto, Canada
- **Compensation:** $75–$100/hr
- **Employment:** contract
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-09-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/aipconnect/d6215d1f-1b85-48a2-9470-72b97f941ca6

## Job description

Our client is a fast-paced, nimble independent agency that gives team members the chance to make an immediate impact, touch major national brands, and see their work go live in-market in a matter of months.

We are looking for a versatile, highly conceptual Senior Art Director/ Brand Designer to join our client's creative team on a 3 month contract. You will serve as the brand design keeper and lead visual storytelling across digital, print, motion, and physical brand environments. Your core focus will be bringing fresh creative eyes to a major, long-standing client account, including leading an upcoming capital campaign, brand refresh, video spots, and interactive digital executions. This role is heavily client-facing and reports directly to Creative Director.

Key Responsibilities:

- Brand Identity & Capital Campaigns: Lead comprehensive brand refreshes, develop cohesive visual systems (logos, typography guidelines, brand books), and conceptualize high-impact capital campaigns.
- Print & Environmental Design (~70% of execution): Design physical marketing materials, collateral, event themes, stage signage, scaffolding graphics, and campus activation materials.
- Digital & Motion Design (~30% of execution): Concept and adapt print assets into dynamic social media campaigns, web pages, display ads, and video spots. Collaborate with 3D vendors for interactive campus/rendering tools.
- Conceptual Strategy & Pitching: Think big-picture to concept innovative multi-channel campaigns from initial idea to launch. Act as a primary client-facing representative to present and pitch concepts.
- Production & Network Collaboration: Work closely with our internal production studio and peer designers. Leverage an existing network of industry partners (photographers, video production teams, 3D renders) to bring ideas to life.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

- Experience: 5+ years of professional graphic design or art direction experience in-house or agency side. Prior experience working with clients in education or alumni/capital fundraising is a major bonus.
- Software Mastery: Expert command of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects).
- UI/UX & Prototyping: Proficiency in Figma or Adobe XD for digital layouts, prototyping, and digital campaign extensions.
- Conceptual Thinking: Strong ability to bridge high-level campaign concepts with executional design detail, particularly adapting print campaigns into engaging social and motion assets.
- Communication & Presentation: High comfort level pitching ideas directly to clients and presenting creative work.
- Portfolio: A diverse portfolio showcasing strong brand systems, environmental concepts, digital design, and print collateral.

AIP Connect believes in equal opportunity. Our recruitment consultants are committed to inclusive recruitment and selection practices and will not discriminate based on age, colour, ability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

Accessibility:  If you need any accommodations during the interview process, please let us know.

Posted Salary: Actual compensation within this range will be determined based on job-related skills, relevant experience, education, and training. This range reflects base salary only and does not include eligibility for bonus program or other benefits.

For the most accurate and up-to-date details on this role, please refer directly to AIP Connect’s careers page, as third-party sites may not reflect current information.

## About AIP Connect

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: AIP Connect is a boutique recruitment and staffing agency that connects companies with top talent through a human-centric, high-touch approach.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Founded and bootstrapped by its CEO)
- **Headquarters**: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- **Founded**: 2006
- **Founders**: Nicol Kalman

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Staffing and Recruiting
- **Target customers**: B2B — primarily mid-to-large enterprises and agencies in sectors like technology, marketing, media, and professional services
- **Mission/purpose statement**: To connect the right people to the right employers with a refreshingly different approach — prioritizing authenticity, transparency, and long-term fit over volume.

## Products & Services
- **Executive Search / Permanent Recruitment**: Full-service headhunting for senior-level and specialized roles across account management, operations, data & analytics, human resources, and media.
- **Temporary Staffing**: Short-term and contract placements for roles needing immediate support, managed by a dedicated AIP Staffing Inc. division under Managing Director Leslie Barrow.
- **Freelance & Contracts**: A curated pipeline for companies needing flexible, project-based talent, ranging from creative to technical fields.
- **General Application & Pipeline**: An open channel for candidates to register interest even when no specific role is listed, allowing AIP to proactively match them to future opportunities.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly available (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total headcount of ~29 employees (Year-over-Year growth: +15.4%, adding ~6 people); LinkedIn following of 8,192 (Yearly growth: +8.6%)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Bootstrapped — no external investors; key executives include Nicol Kalman (Founder/CEO), Kristine Sanderson (Partner, CHRL MHRM), Sarah Glynn (Snr. Recruitment Manager), and Leslie Barrow (Managing Director, AIP Staffing).
- **Growth Signals**: Active hiring across multiple geographies (Canada and US); 8 office locations; recent job postings for internal roles like Operations Systems Administrator signal internal scaling.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Truly human-centric**: Rejects algorithms and automated matching in favor of in-person briefings and deep conversations — a strong differentiator against large, tech-driven competitors.
- **Full transparency**: Communicates directly about salary, skill gaps, and role realities for both candidates and clients, building trust and reducing mis-hires.
- **Candidate-first philosophy**: Explicitly treats candidates as long-term partners, not commodities, focusing on fair compensation, career progression, and cultural fit.
- **Strong leadership team**: Led by an experienced founder and a team with deep industry knowledge and HR credentials (CHRL).

## Strategic Focus
- **Growth as a "connector" brand**: Emphasizing its role as a community builder that brings like-minded people together, rather than just a transaction facilitator.
- **Operational expansion**: Investing in internal systems and talent (e.g., Operations Systems Administrator) to support scaling across North America while maintaining its high-touch model.
- **AI as a support tool, not a replacement**: Leveraging AI to assist in resume review and candidate assessment, but explicitly keeping final decisions human — a balanced approach to technology.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described internally and externally as "refreshingly different" — values high integrity, openness, and a genuine commitment to people. The team is described as "born connectors."
- **Work environment**: Offers hybrid, remote, and on-site roles depending on the position and location. Geographies include Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Halifax, Richmond (VA), and New York City.
- **Notable perks/engineering culture**: While the company is not a tech product firm, its internal use of AI in the hiring process shows a forward-looking, pragmatic attitude toward technology. The culture prioritizes low-ego, high-trust collaboration. Candidates are respected and never treated as commodities.
- **Alumni network**: Alumni have gone on to reputable firms like Wealthsimple, PwC Canada, Bell Media, and Spencer Stuart, reflecting a strong talent development environment.

## Sources
1. [aipconnect.com/about-us](https://aipconnect.com/about-us/)
2. [jobs.lever.co/aipconnect](https://jobs.lever.co/aipconnect)
3. [linkedin.com/company/anithing-is-possible-recruiting](https://linkedin.com/company/anithing-is-possible-recruiting)
4. [aipconnect.com/team/](https://aipconnect.com/team/)
5. [aipconnect.com/current-roles/](https://aipconnect.com/current-roles/)

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