Group Creative Director, Art and Design

VML • Newport Beach, CA

5d • $125,000 - $295,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Passport Brand Design, a VML company within the WPP network, is seeking a Group Creative Director of Art & Design to lead a large, multidisciplinary team of art directors, designers, and copywriters. This senior creative leadership role drives conceptual vision and execution across packaging, print, out-of-home (OOH), direct mail, and related work for a premium brand agency.

The role champions craft and ensures design work is grounded in strong strategic ideas. It operates in a structured, production-forward environment built around annual calendars, long-term timelines, and established workflows. The position also emphasizes team development, collaboration, and translating creative and technological capabilities into meaningful outcomes. The work primarily supports tobacco-industry accounts, and occasional travel is required. The role follows a hybrid approach, with teams working in the office an average of four days per week.

The posted base salary range is $125,000–$295,000 USD. Individual compensation depends on factors including location, business needs, responsibilities, experience, and qualifications. The posting refers to a competitive benefits package but does not enumerate specific benefits.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Group Creative Director in an agency environment, including the ability to orchestrate and manage creative workflows.
• Deep expertise and a strong portfolio in packaging design, with extensive experience across print, OOH, and direct mail.
• A track record of success in a structured, production-heavy environment with long-term schedules and established workflows.
• Exceptional presentation skills and the ability to explain strategic context, craft rationale, and case studies to internal and external stakeholders.
• Comfort and willingness to work on tobacco-industry accounts.
• Willingness and ability to accommodate occasional required travel.
• Strategic, curious problem-solving ability, including distilling complex category rules into compelling design systems.
• Empathetic leadership that builds trust, supports collaboration, and creates an inclusive environment for creatives.
• Ability to advance bold, high-impact ideas and work effectively with ambiguity, including in regulated spaces.

Responsibilities

• Manage, mentor, and empower a multidisciplinary team of art directors, designers, and copywriters, fostering creative excellence, continuous growth, and stronger agency production capabilities.
• Oversee conceptualization and execution of packaging design, print, OOH, and direct-mail work, ensuring deliverables are strategically grounded and meet client objectives.
• Lead creative work within a production-forward environment, managing long production timelines and annual calendars to deliver on time and on brief across accounts.
• Build and deliver portfolio and case-study presentations that communicate creative rationale and strategic context to internal leadership and key stakeholders.
• Travel periodically to collaborate with stakeholders across locations and support creative integration and alignment on priorities.

What This Job Offers

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