Creative Manager

Overall: The Creative Manager develops and champions the brand's creative vision and leads the creation of compelling, on-brand visuals and narratives across campaigns and platforms. Working under the Marketing Director and in close collaboration with the Marketing Manager and cross-functional teams (marketing, sales, product), this role drives concept development, maintains visual identity and oversees execution — from strategy and budgeting through delivery and performance review.

Essential Functions:

1. Concept development: Generate, develop and refine high-level creative concepts and campaign ideas that align with business goals and brand purpose. Lead ideation sessions and present concepts to stakeholders.
2. Visual identity: Establish, evolve and protect the brand's visual identity and creative standards. Ensure all creative outputs (digital, print, video, experiential) adhere to brand guidelines and tone.
3. Strategic planning: Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Product and other teams to translate business objectives into creative strategies that effectively communicate the brand message and drive engagement.
4. Project management: Oversee creative project planning — timelines, milestones, deliverables, resource allocation and vendor management — to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery.
5. Creative review & quality control: Conduct regular reviews of creative work, provide constructive feedback and sign off on final assets to ensure quality, consistency and strategic alignment.
6. Content oversight: Supervise content creation across channels (social, web, email, OOH, video, events) ensuring narrative, visual style and messaging are consistent with campaign goals.
7. Trends & insight: Monitor industry and cultural trends, emerging tech and platform best practices to inspire innovation and keep the brand relevant.
8. Team leadership: Lead, mentor and develop the in-house creative team and contractors. Set priorities, foster a collaborative culture and ensure alignment with project goals.
9. Audience engagement & optimization: Work with the Marketing Manager and analytics team to review audience responses and campaign performance; use insights to refine creative direction and improve outcomes.
10. Talent recruitment: Participate in recruiting, interviewing and onboarding of creative hires; evaluate external creative partners and agencies.
11. Budgeting & resource allocation: Create and manage budgets for creative projects, track spend and optimize use of financial and production resources.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

1. Technical Skills: Proficiency in multimedia software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) and other office softwares.
2. Creative Skills: Strong storytelling abilities, visual design sense, and the ability to develop engaging and innovative content.
3. Project Management Skills: Ability to plan, organize, and manage multiple projects simultaneously, adhering to deadlines and budgets. Agile, organized, and deadline-driven
4. Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills to effectively work with diverse teams and stakeholders.
5. Adaptability: A willingness to learn new technologies and adapt to the ever-evolving media landscape. 

Working relationships

1. Reports to: Marketing Director — implements the overarching creative vision set by the Marketing Director and ensures messaging/visuals meet campaign objectives.
2. Collaborates with: Marketing Manager (align on tactics, performance feedback), Product, Sales, Analytics, External Agencies and Production Vendors.
3. Guides: Designers, Copywriters, Videographers, Motion Designers, Freelancers.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Bachelor's degree in graphic design or related field, or equivalent work experience.
2. 3+ years in creative leadership roles (Creative Manager, Senior Art Director, Creative Director, or similar) with progressive responsibility.
3. Proven experience leading concept-to-execution work across multiple channels (digital, video, social, OOH, print)
4. Strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, brand work and campaign-level leadership.
5. Experience managing teams, external agencies and production vendors.
6. Budget and project-management experience.
7. Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder-management skills.

Preferred

1. Bachelor's degree in Design, Advertising, Communications, Marketing or related field (or equivalent experience)
2. Experience in (industry — e.g., consumer tech, retail, B2B, lifestyle) preferred.
3. Familiarity with creative tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma/Sketch, prototyping tools, asset management platforms) and basic understanding of production processes.
4. Data-informed creative approach — experience using analytics to shape creative decisions.

Physical Requirements:

Occasional lifting of 10lbs. or less (less than 15% of the time) generally at waist level, some above/below waist, none above shoulders. Must be able to do desk work, which includes computer work for extended periods of time. Requires standing (less than 5% of the time).