Creative Director, Lifestyle

As the Creative Director, you are the leader of your pod, a hybrid of senior individual contributor, people manager, and product leader for Creative within the division. Reporting to the Managing Director, you own two things above all else: the people on your pod, and the quality of the creative work that pod produces. This is a player-coach role. You are the best generalist on your pod, earning the team's trust through judgment and craft, not title, and you lead from the front: explaining creative strategy directly to clients, and stepping into concepting, design, or production coverage at an exemplary standard on select high-priority accounts, and for escalations and pitches when needed. You protect your pod from unreasonable client pressure while holding a high, non-negotiable creative bar, and you own the full creative vision for your book of business, from strategy through post-production. Beyond delivery, you push the creative product itself forward, partnering with the R&D team to pilot new tools, formats, and approaches, then translating those innovations into practical gains for your division. This role is on the roadmap to Managing Director, building the people leadership and product judgment that role demands while staying closer to the craft.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage a pod of creative professionals (Strategists, Designers, Editors, ACDs), owning hiring, onboarding, and day-to-day leadership; Build development plans, coaching cadences, and mentorship for each team member; Own team retention through trust, positive sentiment, psychological safety, and clear growth paths; Drive performance management using the ARC framework; deliver direct feedback and raise/promotion recommendations; Oversee capacity planning and staffing alignment as client books shift; Facilitate ongoing training and knowledge-sharing on industry trends and tools; Meet directly with clients and explain strategy, performance, and channel nuance; Get hands-on with coverage, stepping into day-to-day execution on the channel at an exemplary standard; Provide executive-level oversight for pod accounts, with hands-on support on the most complex or highest-priority clients; Act as primary escalation point for client concerns within Creative; Strengthen retention by delivering strong creative solutions and identifying expansion opportunities; Track client churn trends within the pod's book and intervene early on risk signals; Own product quality through consistent, accountable QA, ensuring no revenue-impacting errors; Lead creative product development through structured innovation, knowledge-sharing, and brainstorms; centralize learnings from betas and tests; Collaborate with the Service Lead and platform partners to stay ahead of creative trends; Maintain full working knowledge of the Power Circuit and nova ecosystem; adapt to evolving processes; Employ AI technologies to enhance and optimize business processes and drive results; Has a genuine interest in how your service can expand and evolve, specifically for your division industry; Other applicable or related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Legally eligible to work in the U.S.; 7–8 years of digital marketing/creative experience, with 5+ years in an agency setting; Minimum 5 years of hands-on, expert-level experience across creative disciplines (copywriting, design, production, strategy, and/or post-production); 5+ years of experience managing a team, including performance management and development planning; A portfolio demonstrating a track record of conceptualizing, developing, and delivering creative campaigns across multiple channels at scale; Demonstrated judgment and credibility that has earned the trust of a team of creative specialists; Expert knowledge of how creative functions within the broader marketing funnel and business strategy; Executive-level presentation and communication skills, with the ability to advise senior client stakeholders and internal leadership; A visionary leader with a track record of building culture, inspiring teams, and pushing creative boundaries while delivering measurable business results

Benefits

Base salary + commission opportunities; Robust Medical, Dental, Vision insurance plans with up to 100% employer contribution towards employee monthly premium; 401(k) plan - 4% employer contribution matching; Unlimited Time Off available on day one; Up to 4 hours per quarter for paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) towards philanthropic endeavors; Fully flex work environment: full-remote, in-office, or hybrid; A one time $100 USD Work From Home (WFH) stipend automatically added to your first paycheck; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); 12 observed United States national holidays + 2 mental health recharge days per year; Unlimited opportunities for growth & leadership within a rapidly growing firm; Ongoing employee development programs for personal and professional growth (Hedgehog and Vital 5s); Quarterly awards including prize money and recognition for outstanding performance; Opportunities to be involved in company DEI initiatives