Associate Director, Creative Strategy (Paid)

Darkroom•New York, NY

2d•$100,000 - $120,000•Remote

About The Position

Darkroom is seeking a creative leader to develop and direct performance-focused advertising for paid media clients. The role sits within the Performance Creative service, which helps clients improve creative strategy, create ads that sell, diversify formats, and increase ad volume. The position combines visual storytelling, AI-enabled creative production, and data-informed testing across the customer journey. The Associate Director will lead Designers and Editors creating high-volume paid media assets, including static ads, short-form videos, motion graphics, and UGC content. The role is hands-on and requires the ability to provide tactical feedback on design and video, work in Figma, and produce or refine ads when needed. The successful candidate will turn client goals and performance data into concepts, briefs, testing frameworks, and iterative creative improvements. The position reports to the Director of Creative. It is fully remote, operates in the EST time zone, and all business is conducted in English. Darkroom describes its work environment as fast-moving, collaborative, and performance-oriented, with autonomy and accountability.

Requirements

At least 5 years of creative strategy experience on performance ad programs, with a specific focus on short-form video and static ads.
Experience developing performance creative for Meta; Meta performance creative experience is a hard requirement.
A digital portfolio demonstrating performance ad work in short-form video, motion, and static formats, with performance context and examples of impact on metrics such as hold rate or CTR.
Evidence of creative diversity, including both highly designed and low-fidelity creative.
Ability to storyboard, cut, and ship ads; strategy-only experience is not a fit.
Ability to use Figma, including Auto Layout, Components, and handoff, and strong skills in Adobe Creative Suite.
Comfort with Figma and Frame.io and the ability to identify issues with design or hooks and provide actionable feedback.
Working knowledge of performance metrics such as thumb-stop rate, 3-second hold, hook retention, CTR, and CPA, and ability to use them to determine tests and iterations.
Experience using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, Perplexity, Icon, Runway, or similar to increase creative speed and volume, including shipping ads with AI-assisted elements.
Excellent written and verbal communication, including client presentations, salesmanship, and the ability to navigate client pushback.
Ability to turn vague goals into testable concepts, track results, and determine next iterations independently.
Experience collaborating closely with designers and editors and understanding the requirements of executable creative briefs.

Responsibilities

Lead creative strategy and direction for full-funnel paid ad programs, primarily on Meta and TikTok, as well as YouTube, Amazon, and display platforms.
Design testing roadmaps that define what to test, the testing sequence, hypotheses, and criteria for success before media spend begins.
Own ad copy for US-based clients, adapting tone of voice to the funnel stage and improving copy as needed.
Develop concepts, directions, and briefs for short-form video ads that sell products and services.
Translate client marketing strategies and performance data, including thumb-stop rate, hold rate, and clickthrough rate, into ad concepts and creative decisions.
Brief and collaborate with Designers and Editors on static ads, animations, mobile-first videos, and short-form video storyboards.
Use Figma to refine designs and create or improve ads when needed; provide clear, actionable feedback on design and video.
Present creative work to clients and stakeholders with confidence, clarity, and strategic rationale.
Monitor performance data with the marketing team and use results to guide creative iterations and improve performance.
Lead the management of Designers and Editors executing paid media assets across multiple formats.