Director, Creative Services

NeighborWorks America • Washington, DC

2d • $119,000 - $124,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Creative Services leads the development and execution of creative strategies that advance NeighborWorks America’s brand, communications, and organizational priorities. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Communications & Marketing, this hands-on creative leader serves as a player-coach: directing a small unit and external creative contributors while personally creating, designing, photographing, filming, editing, and producing high-impact creative assets. The Director works with colleagues across the organization to translate business objectives into compelling creative solutions, ensure consistent brand application, and deliver work on time to strengthen brand visibility, audience engagement, and organizational impact.

The role leads brand strategy, identity, governance, and enterprise creative direction across communications and marketing channels. It oversees creative projects from planning through delivery, including print, digital, video, photography, multimedia, exhibits, campaigns, publications, and major corporate communications such as the Annual Report. The Director also manages creative vendors, resources, assets, technology, workflows, quality assurance, and the Creative Services budget; supervises a direct report; and identifies ways to improve creative services and support strategic initiatives.

The position is hybrid and reports to the office two days per week. Travel of up to 15% is required, sometimes on short notice. Occasional work outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends, may be required. The role involves extensive computer use, standing for extended periods, and safely lifting and transporting approximately 40 pounds of production equipment, as well as loading, unloading, and setting up and breaking down audiovisual equipment at indoor and outdoor locations. The listed salary range is $119,000–$124,000.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent years of work experience, in graphic design, brand management, and production services.
• At least 8–10 years of progressive professional creative design experience in an in-house creative services department or agency, leading integrated creative solutions across digital, print, and broadcast media.
• Prior supervisory experience.
• Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and related creative production tools, with the ability to personally design, produce, edit, and deliver professional-quality creative assets across print, digital, photography, videography, and multimedia platforms.
• Ability to make on-camera subjects comfortable and foster authentic, engaging interviews with individuals at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated expertise in corporate photography and videography, including planning, directing, and producing visual content.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and adhere to strict deadlines.
• Exceptional customer service and client relations skills.
• Strong ability to conceptualize, design, produce, and execute integrated creative solutions.
• Extensive background in asset storage management and versioning.
• Sensitivity to racial, gender, sexual orientation, and cultural differences.
• Effective, respectful, and timely communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to listen effectively and seek and accept feedback.
• Analytic, thoughtful, and strategic thinking.
• Ability to consider NeighborWorks’ mission, objectives, and goals and understand the organizational impact of decisions and behavior.
• Ability to travel as needed, sometimes with short notice.
• Ability to safely lift and transport approximately 40 pounds of production equipment, load and unload equipment from vehicles, and set up and break down audiovisual equipment at indoor and outdoor locations.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• Experience or knowledge of affordable housing or community revitalization issues.
• Corporate photography and videography expertise.

Responsibilities

• Develop, refine, and implement organizational brand strategy with the Senior Vice President, translating business and communications objectives into brand positioning, creative direction, and audience engagement approaches.
• Lead the creative department and shape the direction, tone, and expression of the NeighborWorks America brand across communications and marketing channels.
• Manage visual identity standards, brand implementation guidelines, and creative frameworks, and support consistent use of approved brand standards and assets across the organization and network.
• Create visual concepts, brand assets, design solutions, templates, photography, and other materials that support organizational communications.
• Lead enterprise creative strategy and establish creative vision for campaigns, publications, multimedia initiatives, and major organizational projects across visual, written, video, photography, and multimedia content.
• Consult with internal stakeholders to understand objectives, define creative requirements, and recommend strategic creative approaches.
• Make decisions about creative execution, visual storytelling, design solutions, and production methods within approved brand standards and strategic direction.
• Develop, evaluate, and refine creative concepts and deliverables, and provide direction and feedback to staff, vendors, and freelancers.
• Personally create concepts and design assets, capture photography and video, and execute multimedia projects when business needs, timelines, or project complexity require it.
• Oversee end-to-end creative project management across print, digital, video, photography, multimedia, exhibits, campaigns, publications, and other communications and marketing materials.
• Determine project requirements and scope, establish production schedules, and coordinate creative activities across the organization.
• Oversee creative development, design, production planning, and execution of major corporate publications, including the Annual Report.
• Personally create, design, photograph, film, edit, and produce communications and marketing materials across multiple media formats; step into projects to resolve production challenges and ensure timely delivery of high-quality work.
• Maintain accountability for production workflows, quality assurance, timelines, deliverables, and regular project updates to internal clients and stakeholders.
• Recruit, assign, and manage freelance designers, illustrators, photographers, videographers, printers, and other creative vendors in accordance with corporate contracting procedures.
• Monitor vendor performance and production quality for consistency, value, and alignment with organizational standards.
• Oversee creative assets and the technology, tools, and digital asset management practices used to develop, store, organize, and distribute creative content.
• Manage the Creative Services budget and identify operational efficiencies and cost-effective approaches while maintaining quality standards.
• Supervise, coach, and support the professional development of a direct report; manage workload allocation, performance expectations, and work plans for the employee and contracted resources.
• Evaluate creative initiatives, production processes, and service delivery, and recommend and implement improvements.
• Identify opportunities for creative services to support strategic initiatives, improve audience engagement, and enhance the NeighborWorks America brand.
• Manage budget utilization, review and approve project expenditures, invoices, and vendor costs under corporate policies, and provide expertise on production budgets, vendor selection, and cost estimates.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 401(k) match of up to 12%.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Generous leave, including 40 hours of paid volunteer time.
• Industry-leading benefits designed to support staff holistically.
• Staff Training and Education Program (STEP) to support continued learning and professional development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director