Creative Director, Design

Stagwell Global•New York, NY

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Creative Director of Design is the keeper of design excellence across Hunter's brand portfolio, guiding the creative vision for visual identity, brand design, and design systems. This role is for a design strategist and people leader who translates strategic intent into compelling visual narratives, elevates team craft through clear direction and constructive feedback, and inspires designers to deliver work that is both creatively brilliant and commercially effective. Reporting to the Executive Creative Director and working closely with the Sr. Integrated Creative Director, this position ensures design vision aligns with broader creative strategy while pushing the boundaries of what's possible through innovation, new design methodologies, and emerging technologies like AI.

Requirements

10–12 years of design leadership experience, with proven success leading design teams and elevating craft across multiple brand portfolios.
Exceptional design portfolio demonstrating extraordinary design taste, strong conceptual thinking, and excellence across brand design, visual identity, packaging, and design systems.
Deep knowledge of brand design, identity systems, typography, and the ability to build strategic, scalable design frameworks.
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute innovative design solutions that drive engagement and measurable business results.
Building on a distinguished career as an Associate Creative Director or Senior Design Director, now ready to lead design vision across key accounts or campaigns.
Track record of winning new business and expanding existing client relationships through strong design work.
Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop designers at various levels; scaling impact through others rather than individual output alone.
Strong ability to inspire and galvanize creative teams with clear, actionable design direction and constructive feedback.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills; confidence presenting design concepts to clients, stakeholders, and leadership.
Sharp collaboration skills; ability to work across Strategy, Account, and other creative disciplines to align around shared vision.
Genuine investment in growing design talent and fostering a collaborative, inclusive team culture.
Strong design vision paired with exceptional craft; ability to translate strategic briefs into compelling visual narratives with purpose and precision.
Strategic thinker who can dissect briefs, uncover consumer insights, and leverage cultural and market trends to shape design direction.
Hands-on expertise overseeing multiple complex design projects at various stages, balancing tactical design direction with strategic oversight.
Persistent and driven; comfortable pushing creative boundaries with curiosity and courage, consistently delivering outstanding design and measurable results.
Comfort working in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments; flexibility for occasional evening/weekend work as needed.
Mastery of design production processes and proficiency across print, digital, motion, and emerging design tools.
Strong understanding of design systems, scalability, and the ability to define visionary direction across complex brand frameworks.
A good understanding of working with vendors, materials costs, freelance costs, printing and pricing and the ability to reach agreements that are fair and/or favorable to the agency.
Extreme competence in Adobe Firefly and Adobe Express —expert-level proficiency in leveraging generative AI for design acceleration, image generation, and rapid prototyping.
Demonstrated ability to strategically integrate AI-assisted design tools into creative workflows without compromising craft or creative vision; clear understanding of when and how to use AI to enhance human creativity.
Knowledge of emerging technologies and design tools and the ability to leverage them strategically to enhance creative output while maintaining craft standards.
Cultural curiosity and awareness; ability to create design that resonates with diverse audiences and reflects cultural and consumer trends.

Responsibilities

Guide the creative vision across assigned brands and accounts, acting as custodian of design excellence and ensuring all output reflects the highest standards of craft and strategic intent.
Establish and uphold design standards across visual identity, brand design, packaging, environmental design, and design systems, defining what exceptional design looks like across all initiatives.
Translate complex creative strategies and briefs into clear, compelling visual narratives that inspire teams, clients, and audiences.
Provide precise, actionable creative feedback that elevates design work and strengthens craft across the team; balance creative consistency with space for innovation and evolution.
Lead design concepting, strategy sessions, and creative brainstorms that foster bold ideas and push boundaries through experimentation with new techniques, media, and design approaches.
Deliver compelling design presentations and pitch concepts, serving as a confident external-facing design leader when needed.
Ensure design execution matches creative vision; drive projects toward flawless delivery within timeline and scope.
Lead, inspire, and develop a team of Designers, setting clear expectations and providing regular coaching, feedback, and professional development support.
Take an active role in identifying and recruiting top design talent to grow and strengthen the design team.
Model strong design leadership through clear direction, decisive creative judgment, strong design taste, and empowerment of individual contributors.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive team culture where creativity thrives, designers feel engaged and challenged, and exceptional work is celebrated.
Conduct project-based performance feedback and contribute to formal performance review processes; support career pathing and skill development.
Drive innovation within the design team, fostering new design methodologies, emerging approaches, and forward-thinking solutions.
Leverage deep expertise in consumer insights, cultural trends, and market shifts to shape brand design direction and ensure alignment with future objectives.
Stay ahead of design trends and industry innovation; bring fresh thinking and evolving design approaches that keep Hunter's work competitive and culturally relevant.
Collaborate closely with Strategy and Account teams as part of the creative triumvirate, defining design vision and ensuring cohesive brand experiences grounded in clear intent.
Champion excellence in typography, conceptual design, design systems, and visual identity—building scalable, strategic design frameworks.
Guide the team through design production processes, ensuring quality control and craft excellence from concept through final execution.
Demonstrate extreme competence in Adobe Firefly and Adobe Express; leverage these tools strategically to enhance team efficiency, accelerate design iteration, and expand creative output while maintaining non-negotiable standards for human craft and creative judgment.
Train and mentor the design team on advanced Adobe Firefly and Express workflows, establishing best practices for AI-assisted design that elevates quality and speed.
Support the integration of design into broader creative workflows, ensuring seamless collaboration across ideation, content, and experiential teams.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Managing Directors and Business Units to align design initiatives with business objectives.
Lead key client relationships from a design standpoint, building trust through consistent quality, strong design POV, and collaborative partnership.
Actively listen to and interpret client feedback; collaborate with flexibility and confidence to ensure satisfaction and alignment.
Spearhead impactful case studies and award submissions, ensuring strong design work is documented and submitted competitively.
Support new business initiatives by leading design concepting and pitch presentations; represent Hunter's design capabilities with confidence.
Track team members hours/rates and OOP costs against budget and work with the ECD to manage billability and useability across the team.
Establish a clear line of communication with account teams, ECD and COO with respect to scoping and pricing models for all projects.
Work with account/HR/Finance team on all vendor agreements, ensuring competitive bids are met and costs are appropriate for the size and scale of the project.
Manage all vendor contracts, and insurance (both freelance and production vendor).