Creative Director, Visual Storytelling

Abbott • Chicago, IL

2d • $149,300 - $298,700

About The Position

Lead Abbott's internal visual storytelling team across video, motion graphics, and photography, owning the creative quality of its work. The Creative Director establishes storytelling and visual standards, personally directs priority productions, and develops the team and systems needed to deliver agency-level work at internal speed. The role focuses on telling honest, well-crafted stories about real people and technologies that change their lives across the platforms where audiences watch.

The position provides creative leadership across Abbott, directs and shoots priority productions, and guides work from treatment through editing, color, sound, and motion design. It leads motion graphics and photography teams in establishing a consistent visual language, develops platform-native storytelling approaches, and partners with social and digital teams. The Creative Director also mentors the team, establishes efficient workflows, manages budgets and production resources, and evaluates AI production tools where they can improve quality or speed.

Requirements

• Experience running an in-house video studio for a major healthcare brand, leading a team, setting standards, and delivering high volume across business lines; portfolio required.
• 15+ years as a working director and cinematographer.
• Experience founding and running a production company for national brands.
• Deep documentary craft, including interviewing real people, finding authentic moments, and building emotion without a script.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary creative teams, including editors, motion designers, and photographers.
• Experience making platform-specific edits and working with social teams on content built for the feed.
• Comfort working within regulated healthcare review.
• Strong presentation skills and ability to sell creative work to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own the creative vision and storytelling standards for video, motion, and photography produced by the team.
• Review treatments, edits, and final work, maintaining the quality standard for all deliverables.
• Serve as the senior creative voice on visual storytelling across Abbott and advise brand teams on the appropriate use of film, motion, and photography.
• Direct and shoot priority productions, including patient stories, brand films, and executive content.
• Lead productions and model documentary interviewing and cinematography craft for the team.
• Guide post-production through editing, color, sound, and motion design.
• Lead motion graphics and photography teams and establish a consistent visual language across film, motion, and still photography.
• Develop editors, animators, and photographers through hands-on coaching.
• Design platform-specific edits at the treatment stage rather than adapting them after production.
• Set craft standards for vertical and sound-off viewing, including opening stories effectively in the first two seconds.
• Develop lighter and faster production models for social content alongside flagship films.
• Partner with social and digital teams that own the channels, using performance to inform how stories are produced.
• Mentor and develop the team through hands-on coaching and creative feedback.
• Build workflows and intake processes that help a small team manage high volume without sacrificing quality.
• Manage budgets, freelancers, vendors, and gear; scale crews for large productions while maintaining a small, unobtrusive documentary footprint.
• Adopt AI production tools when they meaningfully improve quality or speed.

Benefits

• Free medical coverage for employees via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO.
• Retirement savings plan with high employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Freedom 2 Save student debt program.
• FreeU education benefit providing an affordable and convenient path to a bachelor's degree.
• Career development with an international company.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed