Manager, CGI Art Director - Pottery Barn

The Manager, CGI Art Director role helps drive the look, feel, and execution of our photo-realistic product CGI assets in partnership with our digital photography in-studio. Proper design and art direction combined with the right content drives customer engagement with the brand. Visual content created from this role directly translates the brands business needs, ultimately driving revenue for the business. 

Responsibilities: 

Art Direct with a solid grasp of Pottery Barn’s brand aesthetic. Collaborates with VP and SVP Creative and Photo Art Directions teams, Digital and Photo Merchant partners, Post-Production team, and Product and Digital Design teams to deliver the best photorealistic for our e-commerce & digital channels and support key product initiatives for each season. Collaborate and communicate cross-functionally to ensure concepts, brand vision, and assets are compelling & on brand. 

• Provide art direction, interior design, and styling of room scenes for photorealistic rendering (architecture and interior plan, materials, composition, lighting, propping, window scenes, post-rendering effects, crops, etc.)

• Provide feedback and direction on collaborative reviews, proofing, and quality assurance (QA) with cross-functional teams

• Plan delivery schedules and milestones for creative development, modeling, and rendering teams

• Collaborate with product designers, photography, post-production, and merchant teams for final asset approvals

• Ensure assets are presented and shared in final and intended crops 

• Develop CG visual standards and room environments for lighting, composition by product category and scene(s)

• Build a CGI library (models, materials, scenes, props) and create optimized strategies for CGI asset reuse

• Research and evaluate best-in-class partners and asset standards to bring to Pottery Barn

• Refine the CGI pipeline workflow, tools, and processes.

• Attend corporate, creative meetings – maintain an understanding of business goals & creative direction

• Research & compile inspiration/references for render planning

• Research photography, styling, interior, art & design trends, talent & vendors

• Stay up to date on current best practices, creative references & competitive landscape to maximize creative output & efficiencies

• Maintain a complete understanding of style guides, shot lists, shot direction, product assortment, & scheduling 

• Support in the development & maintenance of style guides, creative tools, & strategy 

• Bring cost effective creative ideas & solutions to the table while supporting asset development & creative

• At times may require art direction with on-set photography. Collaborate & clearly communicate with Stylists, Photographers & Set team ensuring concepts, sets, lighting, styling & execution of assets are on brand & efficiently produced maintaining quality & consistency across all photography

Qualifications:

You'll need a strong understanding of photo art direction, CGI / rendering, and the ability to lead a team for product photography needs on our website and digital platforms. You have a passion for design, interiors, art, and fashion with a high taste level, discerning eye, and ability to edit. Key attributes include a love for collaboration, strong communication skills, and a sense of ownership and urgency in delivering quality in all projects. To succeed here, you'll also have a flexible personality to thrive in the fast-paced, reactive environment. Adept and agile in an evolving landscape of content creation. 

• What inspires a customer to purchase, and what visual information does a consumer need to buy? You understand the intersection of e-commerce, marketing, business, and product design, with a customer-first lens on what is required to sell a product

• Macro-to-micro vision – the ability to think big picture and understand goals for the overall Digital and E-commerce experience while contributing to the day-to-day execution of the overall creative direction

• Can balance creative with business goals and work cross-functionally while maintaining quality and consistency across photography and renders

• Experience with research for inspiration, interior design, finishes, and set design and experience with interior finishes required to execute pre-production needs and on-set creative direction

• Bachelor's degree in art/design

• 3-5+ years working on 3D photorealistic imaging; experience managing a CG creative and production team is a plus; CGI experience required

• Previous professional work experience in photography or CGI design or rendering with a portfolio emphasizing interior design, home furnishings, and architecture

• Experience in and familiarity with photorealistic rendering using CG software: Autocad, 3DS Max, Maya, and related software rendering tools (Vray, Octane, Corona, FStormRender)

• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite & Keynote, CaptureOne, Airtable, & file management systems knowledge a plus

• Ability to understand Pottery Barn photography standards and ideas for how to bring those to life in photorealistic renderings

• Portfolio showing advanced artistic sensibilities in interior design composition and furniture, with lighting, texture, color, and styling

• Demonstrated success with developing new processes within an organization

• Experience working with high-volume asset development and management a plus

• Excellent people and management skills to interact with colleagues, cross-functional teams, and third parties

• Ability to recruit, direct, and mentor third-party CG vendors and artists and proactively recognize resource/talent gaps that will affect quality and delivery

• Attention to detail in final assets

• Experience in model and material preparation for rendering, as well as all pre- and post-rendering tasks

• Experience on-set and in photo studios a plus – understanding of production & pre-production, shoot planning, prop sourcing & procurement, photography, lighting, and post-production

• Strong storytelling/narrative capability 

• A passion for inspiring others to express their style, helping people find their point of view and tell their story at home, along with excitement about the opportunity to make great things happen for the customer and our brand

• Strong organizational skills, time management, communication, interpersonal skills, and ability to multi-task 

• Ability to prioritize and problem solve, works with a sense of urgency, process and solution-oriented

• Demonstrates professionalism, maturity, self-awareness, empathy, and emotional intelligence while understanding business goals 

• Entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, creativity, and sense of purpose

• Highly collaborative and flexible with a mantra of giving and helping others, a willingness to dig in, contribute, and lead

• Ability to appreciate, inspire, and be inspired by other

• Drive for personal challenge and growth

Our Culture & Values 

We believe that taking care of our people is vital to our success and we strive to offer equitable and transparent practices for all. We prioritize connection, growth, and wellbeing. 

People First 

Putting People First means investing in overall well-being and opportunities to grow and advance within the organization. Depending on the position and location, here are a few highlights of what benefits may be available:

 

Benefits

• A generous discount on all WSI brands

• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities

• Paid vacations, holidays, and time off to volunteer

• Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits

• Tax-free commuter benefits

• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health

Continued Learning

• In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University

• Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities 

• Resources for self-development

• Advisor (Mentor) program

• Career development workshops, learning programs, and speaker series   

WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration).

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, or other applicable state or local laws and ordinances.

The expected starting pay range for this position is $110,000 - 120,000. Applicable pay ranges may differ across markets. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to competitive pay, compensation may include a variety of other components like benefits, paid time off, merit, and bonus opportunities.