Creative Director - Art

TheLab•New York, NY

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

thelab is an agency of makers with deep expertise in solving creative, production, and technology challenges. Our focus is on making better work to help brands work better, and our production roots ensure that every great idea gets delivered right. From brand campaigns and shoot production to social, experiential, and retail, thelab mixes inspiration and hard work to produce results that mean business. We're looking for a Creative Director with exquisite design sensibility and the strategic thinking to back it up. This is a net-new leadership role dedicated to one of thelab's most prestigious accounts, a luxury brand operating across a fully integrated marketing ecosystem where the creative bar is high and the opportunity is significant. You'll report to the ECD team and work alongside a cross-capability group that includes paid social strategists, organic social strategists, brand strategists, and a Director of Project Management. You'll be in the room with the client regularly, so presence, a clear point of view, and the ability to articulate creative decisions with confidence are essential.

Requirements

10-12 years of design and art direction experience, with significant time at an agency working on integrated brand campaigns
A portfolio that demonstrates exquisite design taste, elevated, considered, and channel-fluent
Deep experience across TV/CTV, paid social, organic social, experiential, and retail
Proven experience with luxury brands and a clear understanding of the visual language, restraint, and standard of craft that luxury demands
Strong shoot production experience; comfortable on set and skilled at getting the most out of a production
A history of thinking strategically at the account level, not just executional excellence
Experience managing, inspiring, and developing a team of creatives
Exceptional client-facing skills; confident, compelling, and collaborative in the room
Comfort working within a cross-capability team and a clear understanding of how design functions within a fully integrated program

Nice To Haves

Experience with luxury appliance, home goods, or premium lifestyle categories
Familiarity with trade marketing as an audience (designers, architects, specifiers)

Responsibilities

Own the full creative direction vision across all channels and touchpoints, including art direction, design, and copy, ensuring a cohesive and elevated brand aesthetic
Concept, develop, and oversee creative across TV/CTV, paid social, organic social, experiential, retail, and trade environments
Work with and provide clear, confident direction to copywriters as a true creative partner
Maintain a high standard of craft at every stage, from early concepting through final execution
Lead and mentor a small but growing team of designers and copywriters (3-5 direct reports), fostering a culture of ambition, collaboration, and creative rigor
Think at the account level, with a clear understanding of business objectives, audience dynamics, and how creative drives results across the full marketing ecosystem
Collaborate closely with paid and organic social strategists, brand strategy, and the ECD team to ensure creative is integrated and purposeful across every channel
Bring a point of view to briefs, not just an execution, and push thinking upstream when the work calls for it
Serve as a primary creative voice in client presentations and ongoing creative reviews, building trust and credibility with the client team
Articulate creative decisions clearly and confidently, and navigate feedback with both openness and conviction
Help grow the relationship through the quality of the work and the strength of the partnership
Lead and oversee shoot production for campaign and content work, with a strong eye for casting, set design, photography, and film direction
Partner with production and project management to deliver ambitious creative on time and on budget