Creative Director, EMEA

The Trade Desk, Inc.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global advertising technology firm is seeking a Creative Director to lead strategic and hands-on creative work across the EMEA region. You will manage an emerging team, driving event branding and adapting global campaigns for local relevance. The ideal candidate has extensive experience, a strong visual identity skill set, and excels in a collaborative, matrixed environment. Responsibilities include overseeing creative direction and ensuring brand consistency across diverse touchpoints. This role offers an opportunity to shape the creative vision and work with global teams.

Benefits

Flexible work environment

Inclusive company culture

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in art direction and design.
• At least 2 years in a Creative Director role.
• Proven ability in leading creative projects across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead creative strategy and vision for the brand across EMEA.
• Art direct and design high-quality creative work.
• Manage freelance creative talent and vendor relationships.

Skills

Art direction

Visual brand identity

Storytelling for video

Collaboration with copywriters

Event branding

Digital design

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in design or related field

Tools

Figma

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

The Trade Desk is changing the way global brands and their agencies advertise to audiences around the world. How? With a media buying platform that helps brands deliver a more insightful and relevant ad experience for consumers –– and sets a new standard for global reach, accuracy, and transparency. We are proud of the culture we have built. We value the unique experiences and perspectives that each person brings to The Trade Desk, and we are committed to fostering inclusive spaces where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work every day.

So, if you are talented, driven, creative, and eager to join a dynamic, globally-connected team, then we want to talk!

What we do:

We are a global creative team of around 30 designers, copywriters, and creative professionals working across NAMER, EMEA, and APAC.

Our work spans a wide range of creative outputs, including event branding for activations, keynote presentations, and executive gatherings, as well as the adaptation and localization of global campaigns to resonate with audiences across London, Hamburg, Paris, Madrid, Portugal, and MENA.

The team works in a highly collaborative environment, partnering across regions to deliver creative excellence while contributing to and shaping global initiatives.

What you'll do:

We’re looking for a Creative Director to lead and elevate our creative work across the EMEA region. Reporting to the Global Creative Director in New York.

This is a player/coach role for someone who wants to be both strategic and hands‑on. You’ll lead the creative vision for EMEA while still rolling up your sleeves to art direct, design, and bring ideas to life. You’ll manage a small but mighty team — a senior copywriter and freelancers based in London — and oversee vendor relationships across the region.

The work? It’s diverse and dynamic. You’ll lead event branding for activations, keynote presentations, and intimate executive gatherings. You’ll adapt and localize global campaigns to resonate with audiences across London, Hamburg, Paris, Madrid, Portugal, and MENA. And you’ll collaborate closely with our global brand team — not just executing their vision, but helping refine and elevate it for the region.

Creative Leadership & Execution

• Lead creative strategy and vision for The Trade Desk's brand across EMEA, ensuring consistency and impact across all touchpoints

• Art direct and design high-quality creative work across event branding, keynote presentations, case studies, and sales enablement materials

• Collaborate with and provide creative direction to a senior copywriter—reviewing, refining, and elevating messaging to ensure copy and design work seamlessly together

• Manage freelance creative talent across the region, coordinating both design and copy resources as needed

• Balance strategic oversight with hands‑on execution—you'll be expected to contribute directly to projects while guiding your team

Localization & Regional Strategy

• Adapt and transcreate global campaigns for EMEA markets, ensuring cultural relevance and regional resonance

• Develop region‑specific creative solutions that align with global brand guidelines while reflecting local market nuances

• Navigate cultural differences across London, Hamburg, Paris, Madrid, Portugal, and MENA with sensitivity and strategic awareness

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Partner closely with the Global Creative Director and global creative team to ensure alignment on brand vision and execution

• Act as a trusted creative partner to the EMEA General Manager and Marketing leadership, providing strategic creative counsel and ensuring work aligns with regional business objectives

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including Product Marketing, Events, Digital, and regional sales teams, maintaining professional relationships with business leads across the region

• Manage vendor relationships and external creative partners across EMEA

• Contribute creative ideas and perspectives to global campaigns and initiatives

Event & Brand Experience

• Lead creative development for regional events, including activations, keynote presentations, panel discussions, and intimate executive gatherings

• Design compelling visual systems for event branding, stage presentations, and experiential touchpoints

• Ensure brand consistency across all EMEA event experiences

Who you are:

• 12+ years of progressive experience in art direction and design, with at least 2 years in a Creative Director role (agency, in‑house, or brand‑side)

• Bachelor's degree in design, visual communications, or related field

• Versatile creative skillset with strong foundation in visual brand identity, storytelling for video, keynote/stage presentations, event branding, and digital design. While you're primarily a visual thinker, you understand how great copy and design work together—and can effectively collaborate with and direct copywriters

• Player/coach mentality: You're equally comfortable leading strategy and getting into the details of execution. You can art direct a keynote presentation in the morning, review copy with your writer in the afternoon, and provide strategic feedback to your team before end of day

• Global mindset with regional expertise: Experience working with global brand systems and adapting creative work for regional markets. Deep understanding of EMEA cultural nuances is a plus

• Proactive and organized: You thrive in a matrixed organization, take initiative, and manage multiple projects across time zones with ease

• Collaborative spirit: You're excited to work with a global creative team, not in isolation. You see feedback as an opportunity to elevate work, not a critique

• Strong communicator: You can articulate creative rationale to stakeholders, present to leadership, and provide clear, constructive feedback to your team

• Professional presence: You're comfortable working with senior business leaders including the GM and marketing leadership. You bring the polish and business acumen needed to build trust with stakeholders at all levels

• Passionate about branding: You're genuinely excited about bringing brands to life across diverse touchpoints and audiences

• Familiarity with tools like Figma, Adobe Creative Suite

Nice to have’s:

• Experience working in the advertising/technology space or B2B marketing

• Familiarity project management platforms like Asana, motion design or video production experience

• Experience managing vendor relationships and external creative partners

Please provide a portfolio of relevant work demonstrating the ability to think conceptually and bring ideas to life in creative, inventive ways. You will not be considered without a portfolio website.

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

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