Associate Director - Creative

Careem; United Arab Emirates; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Careem seeks an Associate Director of Creative to lead its in-house Creative Studio. This role involves overseeing a team of 15 creatives, shaping the visual identity of the brand, and driving innovative campaigns. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in art direction and design, with a strong portfolio to showcase their work. Join Careem to make a significant impact in one of the region's leading tech brands.

Benefits

Unlimited vacation

Healthcare benefits

Fitness reimbursements

Remote options for 30 days/year

Qualifications

• 10+ years in design and art direction, with at least 3 years in a senior creative leadership role.
• Strong portfolio showcasing world-class design and storytelling.
• Experience leading and scaling creative teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and elevate Careem's visual identity and design systems.
• Develop insight-driven creative campaigns.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team.

Skills

Art direction

Design

Visual storytelling

Creative leadership

Team management

Conceptual thinking

Collaboration

AI tools

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Figma

After Effects

Midjourney

Runway

Adobe Firefly

Job description

About the Company

Careem is building the Everything App for the greater Middle East, making it easier than ever to move around, order food and groceries, manage payments, and more. Careem is led by a powerful purpose to simplify and improve the lives of people and build an organization that inspires. Since 2012, Careem has created earnings for over 2.5 million Captains, simplified the lives of over 70 million customers, and built a platform for the region's best talent to thrive and for entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. Careem operates in over 70 cities across 10 countries, from Morocco to Pakistan.

About The Role

Careem is looking for a visionary Associate Director of Creative to lead the visual direction of our brand across all platforms and services. This role is at the heart of Careem's in-house Creative Studio, overseeing a multi-disciplinary team of 15 creatives in design, brand, film, and motion.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on creative leader with expertise in art direction and design, a keen eye for visual storytelling, and a track record of impactful brand expressions. Responsibilities include shaping the visual identity of Careem's masterbrand, our individual services, and championing high-impact branding work such as the Careem Foundation and Captain branding, ensuring coherence, originality, and emotional resonance across all touchpoints.

This role offers a unique opportunity to drive creativity, design, and innovation at one of the region's most beloved tech brands, including pioneering the use of AI tools for scalable, high-quality content generation.

What You'll Do

1. Creative Leadership: Define and elevate Careem's visual identity and design systems across all brands and services.
2. Conceptual Thinking: Develop insight- and data-driven creative campaigns that deliver strong business results and stand alongside the best work globally.
3. Team Management: Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of designers, art directors, motion artists, and content creators.
4. Art Direction: Guide the look and feel of campaigns and content across all platforms, online and offline, setting high standards for executional excellence.
5. Design Oversight: Ensure all visual content aligns with Careem's brand principles, from campaign visuals to UI design and motion graphics.
6. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with product, marketing, communications, and growth teams to bring strategic initiatives to life through creative work.
7. AI Innovation: Champion the use of generative AI tools (e.g., image generation, video scripting, layout automation) to enhance productivity and creativity.
8. Quality Control: Be the final review on all creative outputs, ensuring quality, consistency, and impact across channels.
9. Brand Stewardship: Maintain and evolve the Careem brand to be both globally consistent and locally relevant.

What You'll Need

1. 10+ years in design and art direction, with at least 3 years in a senior creative leadership role.
2. Strong portfolio showcasing world-class design, 360 campaigns, and storytelling across brand, digital, and film.
3. Experience leading and scaling creative teams, ideally within an in-house studio or top-tier agency.
4. Deep understanding of visual systems, typography, color theory, layout, and motion principles.
5. Proficiency in tools like Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, After Effects, and emerging AI platforms (e.g., Midjourney, Runway, Adobe Firefly).
6. Impeccable taste, attention to detail, and ability to balance craft with scalability.
7. Strong communication skills and strategic thinking, comfortable presenting to senior stakeholders.
8. Passion for building meaningful brands and a belief in creativity's power to influence culture and business growth.

Why Join Us

Creative Studio at Careem

Join our Careem Creative Studio, a full-service in-house agency home to some of the strongest creative talent in the region. We combine the culture, ambition, and craft of a top agency with the inside track access and business proximity of an in-house team. This setup allows us to produce work that not only looks great but also gets made, moves fast, and makes an impact. From brand launches to campaigns, content, and experiences, we shape the visual identity and storytelling of one of the region's most iconic tech brands.

Our achievements include top honors such as:

• Dubai Lynx Grand Prix, Gold, Silver, Bronze 2025
• Dubai Lynx Silver 2024
• Transform Awards Grand Prix, Gold, Silver 2024

If you're passionate about bold creativity, smart design, and making a real impact, this is the place to advance your career.

What We'll Provide You

As a full-time Careem team member, you will have opportunities to:

• Work and learn from inspiring colleagues.
• Contribute to a purposeful organization creating regional impact.
• Explore opportunities for growth and development daily.
• Work 4 days in the office & 1 day from home, with remote options for 30 days/year, plus unlimited vacation.
• Access healthcare benefits and fitness reimbursements for health activities.