Creative Lead

Blakes; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Blakes in Toronto is seeking a Creative Lead for the Client Relations & Marketing department. The ideal candidate will elevate the Firm's visual identity through innovative design. This position involves strategic leadership, overseeing creative execution, managing projects, and mentoring staff.

Candidates should have 8-10 years of experience in graphic design with strong Adobe Creative Suite skills. The salary offered ranges from $100,000 to $120,000 annually, reflecting experience and market equity.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8-10 years of design experience, with 3 years in a senior role.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint).
• Agency or professional services experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide creative direction and strategic design leadership.
• Mentor and coach junior designers.
• Ensure all visuals reflect brand integrity.

Skills

Creative judgment

Problem-solving

Typography knowledge

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

Education

8-10 years experience in graphic design

Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite

Tools

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Premiere Pro

Job description

Overview

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s largest and most successful law firms, is currently looking for a Creative Lead to join the Client Relations & Marketing department in our Toronto office. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Marketing, Brand & Digital, the Creative Lead will elevate the Firm’s visual identity across every touchpoint by championing creative concepts and delivering design solutions. The successful candidate will oversee the end-to-end creative process for print, digital, video, and experiential materials, ensuring all outputs meet brand guidelines and set a benchmark for quality and impact in the professional services sector.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Creative Leadership & Brand Stewardship: Provide creative direction and strategic design leadership for campaigns, digital assets, presentations, and print materials, ensuring alignment with brand objectives and business goals.
  Translate business objectives and stakeholder input into actionable creative briefs and strategic direction for designers, external agencies and freelance partners.
  Guide and coordinate creative briefing and direction for external agencies and freelance partners while ensuring alignment with brand standards and project objectives.
  Own and evolve brand guidelines and visual identity, ensuring every asset communicates elite positioning and distinctiveness within the marketplace.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Provide creative leadership and mentorship to junior graphic designers, encouraging collaboration and best‑in‑class design practices.
  Coach designers professionally and creatively, offering clear direction, structured feedback, and guidance to help them grow their skills and deliver exceptional work.
  Mentor and coach junior designers on presentation, storytelling and creative rationale skills, helping them confidently articulate concepts and present work effectively to stakeholders.
• Creative Execution & Quality Assurance: Oversee art direction and the work of designers and creative agencies, ensuring all visuals reflect brand integrity and an “elite firm” status.
  Deliver compelling designs for a range of materials, including invitations, advertisements, booklets, handouts, RFP materials, event signage, social media and web assets, electronic communications, and videos.
  Act as the final checkpoint for design output, proactively ensuring that every deliverable meets the highest standards of quality and reflects the Firm’s elite brand image.
• Project Management & Innovation: Coordinate with external vendors for printing and production, ensuring agency deliverables align with brand standards.
  Remain at the forefront of design trends, tools, and technologies, continuously enhancing professional expertise and elevating team capabilities.
  Manage workflows, prioritize projects, and ensure timely delivery of high‑quality creative assets.

Education & Experience

Minimum of eight to ten years of progressive experience in graphic design, branding and video production, with minimum three years in a senior or lead role. Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, Acrobat, After Effects) and other design tools. Strong proficiency in MS Office (Outlook, Word and PowerPoint). Agency or professional services experience is an asset.

A digital portfolio demonstrating end‑to‑end creative concepts through to final designs, with a clear emphasis on work that shows elite‑level execution and brand elevation.

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent creative judgment and ability to give actionable feedback.
• Strong ability to synthesize stakeholder feedback and translate non‑creative business requirements into strategic creative direction.
• Strong independent problem‑solving skills, with the ability to make proactive recommendations.
• Strong understanding of typography, layout, color theory, and visual hierarchy.
• Proven experience managing and mentoring creative teams.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a passion for brand consistency.
• Ability to balance creative vision with practical execution in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong organization and production management skills.
• Familiarity with AODA accessibility standards.
• Familiarity with printing practices and production processes.

Compensation

The anticipated annual salary for the Creative Lead position is $100,000 – $120,000. Salary levels will be determined commensurate with internal equity, market equity and experience.

Other Relevant Application Information

Blakes welcomes applications from all qualified applicants. The Firm is committed to maintaining an inclusive work environment composed of people with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, identities and cultures. The Firm provides accommodation for applicants with disabilities and in respect of other protected grounds during the recruitment process in accordance with applicable laws. Please contact us to request accommodation. While our experienced team will select and interview successful candidates, Blakes may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with shortlisting, screening, and evaluating applications.