Senior Creative Director / Co-Creative Director

ICF • Washington, DC

1d • $143,756 - $244,385 • Hybrid

About The Position

ICF Next is seeking an experienced Senior Creative Director / Co-Creative Director to lead the creative strategy, concept development, and execution of integrated public health communication campaigns for a major federal health client. This role is responsible for establishing the creative vision for large-scale behavior change campaigns, translating formative research and audience insights into compelling creative concepts, and guiding multidisciplinary creative teams to deliver high-impact communications across paid, earned, owned, and digital channels. The Senior Creative Director / Co-Creative Director will oversee creative development from initial strategy and concept generation through production across television, video, digital, social media, print, radio, web, and out-of-home channels. This individual will collaborate closely with strategists, researchers, writers, designers, producers, media specialists, and client leadership to develop integrated creative solutions that inspire action, improve public health outcomes, and meet federal communications requirements.

Requirements

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• U.S. Citizenship required (required by the federal government for this position).
• Bachelor's degree in advertising, graphic design, communications, marketing, fine arts, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of professional creative experience developing integrated advertising, branding, or communications campaigns.
• 7+ years leading multidisciplinary creative teams on large, complex communications or marketing programs.
• Exceptional creative leadership with the ability to inspire multidisciplinary teams and cultivate innovative thinking.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to connect audience insights, behavioral science, and campaign objectives to compelling creative solutions.
• Excellent presentation, storytelling, facilitation, and client communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead collaborative creative development across strategy, research, account management, media, production, and digital disciplines.
• Ability to balance creativity with business objectives, schedules, budgets, and federal compliance requirements.
• Experience mentoring creative professionals and building high-performing integrated creative teams.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality work that advances meaningful public health outcomes while maintaining the highest standards of creative excellence.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in communications, design, marketing, public health, or a related field.
• Experience supporting HHS, CDC, FDA, NIH, or other federal health agencies.
• Experience developing national public health, health education, social marketing, or behavior change campaigns.
• Demonstrated experience leading creative strategy from concept development through production across multiple communication channels.
• Experience leading integrated campaigns across television, video, digital, social media, print, radio, web, and out-of-home communications.
• Experience working within highly regulated or complex client environments requiring extensive stakeholder review and approval.
• Familiarity with federal branding standards, accessibility (Section 508), and plain language requirements.
• Prior award-winning creative work is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creative vision, strategy, and execution of integrated public health communication and behavior change campaigns across multiple media channels.
• Translate formative research, audience insights, behavioral science, and communication strategy into compelling creative concepts that motivate action.
• Lead development of audience profiles, creative briefs, messaging frameworks, and integrated campaign concepts aligned with campaign objectives.
• Partner with strategists, researchers, account teams, media specialists, and clients to transform research findings into innovative creative approaches.
• Oversee the development of campaign messaging, storyboards, scripts, visual concepts, production deliverables, and creative presentations.
• Direct creative development across television, radio, digital, social media, print, video, web, and out-of-home communications.
• Guide multidisciplinary creative teams, including art directors, copywriters, designers, producers, editors, photographers, and external production partners.
• Provide creative leadership through concept development, testing, refinement, production, and campaign launch.
• Lead creative reviews, workshops, and presentations with client stakeholders, incorporating feedback while maintaining strategic and creative integrity.
• Collaborate with production teams during photo shoots, video production, post-production, and asset development to ensure creative excellence across all campaign materials.
• Partner with digital, social media, and paid media teams to ensure integrated campaign execution across all communication channels.
• Ensure creative products comply with federal branding standards, accessibility requirements, plain language guidance, and Section 508 requirements.
• Evaluate campaign performance and apply testing results, audience feedback, emerging trends, and best practices to continuously strengthen creative effectiveness.
• Mentor creative professionals and foster a collaborative, innovative, and high-performing creative culture.

Benefits

• ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we’re not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.
• We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer.
• Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals.
• Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process.
• Read more about workplace discrimination rights or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act.

What This Job Offers

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