Manager, Creative Strategy & Design

Pearson•Hoboken, NJ

7d•Remote

About The Position

The Creative Lead, Creative Strategy & Design is the central creative force within The Studio — guiding the vision, concepts, and strategic underpinnings of Pearson’s most important work. You will lead with a mix of conceptual excellence, editorial clarity, brand intuition, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. You shape what the work is and why it matters. As one of the leaders within The Studio, you will guide creative thinking across brand, campaigns, digital, motion, content, and events — ensuring that every idea, narrative, and design expression reflects Pearson’s values, tone, and identity. This is a role for a conceptual thinker, a systems-level designer, a storyteller, and an empathetic creative leader who thrives in an environment where collaboration is constant and the work spans many mediums. Why You’ll Love This Role Because this isn’t a sit-back-and-direct job — it’s a roll-up-your-sleeves, make-the-work-happen role. You’ll shape the ideas and help bring them to life. You’ll concept, design, write, build, iterate, and get deep into the creative craft alongside the team. You’ll have real ownership, real impact, and a central seat in defining how Pearson shows up creatively — while still doing the hands-on work that keeps your skills sharp and your ideas strong. If you want to lead and create — this role gives you both, every single day.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in creative direction, design, or creative strategy in an agency or in-house studio.
A portfolio that demonstrates strong conceptual thinking, campaign development, and editorial/design excellence.
Experience leading creative teams and guiding multi-disciplinary creative work.
Skilled at shaping narratives, briefs, concepts, messaging frameworks, and design direction.
Strong ability to communicate ideas visually and verbally, with clarity and inspiration.
Deep understanding of brand systems, storytelling, and integrated creative development.
Comfortable navigating a global matrixed organization with multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Creative Strategy & Concept Development
Elevate the overall creative standard by developing ideas that reflect agency-level quality.
Lead conceptual thinking for campaign-level, brand-defining, and high-impact Studio projects.
Translate complex ideas into clear creative strategies, narratives, and design approaches.
Shape briefs, frames, stories, and creative territories that guide the rest of The Studio.
Provide creative direction across digital, editorial, environmental, social, and motion work.
Cross-Pillar Creative Leadership
Serve as the anchor point between all creative verticals — ensuring alignment, clarity, and consistency.
Partner with Video & Media, Content & Copy, Digital Design, Brand System Management, and Operations to ensure shared understanding of creative direction.
Facilitate idea development sessions, ideation workshops, and creative alignment conversations.
Guide project teams so that all disciplines work cohesively from a unified creative foundation.
Brand Stewardship
Champion Pearson’s brand identity system and ensure conceptual work pushes the brand forward while staying grounded in its strategic foundation.
Ensure creative ideas reflect Pearson’s tone of voice, narrative priorities, and design system.
Help evolve the Pearson brand through thoughtful experimentation and creative innovation.
Creative Reviews & Quality Control
Lead creative reviews at all project stages; from concept through final delivery.
Provide constructive, inspiring feedback that helps teams refine and elevate their work.
Maintain a high bar for storytelling, clarity, craft, and visual excellence.
Collaboration with Leadership
Work closely with the Creative Director, Global Brand to establish Studio-wide creative vision, standards, and long-term direction.
Partner with the Studio Account Director and Strategic Creative Operations Manager to ensure timelines, staffing, and scopes enable great creative outcomes.
Represent the The Studio leadership forums, offering perspective on creative direction, priorities, and opportunities.
Oversee a team of Art Directors and Graphic Designers — guiding their growth, development, and creative excellence.
Provide hands-on creative direction, feedback, and coaching to help them stretch their skills and deliver their strongest work.
Ensure the Creative Strategy & Design team is operating with clarity, alignment, and shared creative standards.
Lead, Mentor & Elevate Creative Talent