Associate Creative Director

Aquent; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquent seeks an Associate Creative Director to drive bold brand storytelling across campaigns. The ACD partners with creative directors, art directors, writers and designers to balance concepting with hands-on execution, while mentoring teams to deliver their best work.

Reports to Creative Director; location is Remote (Ideally SF Los Angeles), with a Hybrid work model (3 days in office). This role blends strategic leadership with day-to-day creation in a fast-paced agency environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years as a creative in an agency or in-house brand setting.
• 2+ years managing and leading creative teams.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience required.

Responsibilities

• Creative Execution & Strategy: Balance hands-on creative contributions with leadership responsibilities, stepping in to develop key assets or refine work as needed.
• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead and inspire a team of designers, writers, and art directors—providing clear direction, actionable feedback, and mentorship.
• Campaign & Operations Management: Ensure the successful, on-time, and within-budget delivery of all creative deliverables.

Skills

Portfolio development

Team leadership

Creative direction

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Associate Creative Director

Reports To: Creative Director

Location: Remote (Ideally San Francisco or Los Angeles)

Work Environment: Hybrid (3 days/week in office)

Job Summary

The Associate Creative Director (ACD) plays a pivotal role in driving creative excellence across campaigns and initiatives. Equal parts thinker, maker, and leader, the ACD partners with creative directors, art directors, writers, designers, and cross‑functional teams to shape brand storytelling that is bold, engaging, and effective. This role requires the ability to move seamlessly between high‑level concepting and hands‑on execution while inspiring and mentoring teams to deliver their best work.

Key Responsibilities & Time Allocation

• 50% – Creative Execution & Strategy: Balance hands‑on creative contributions with leadership responsibilities, stepping in to develop key assets or refine work as needed.
• 30% – Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead and inspire a team of designers, writers, and art directors—providing clear direction, actionable feedback, and mentorship.
• 20% – Campaign & Operations Management: Ensure the successful, on‑time, and within‑budget delivery of all creative deliverables.

Qualifications & Experience

• Industry Experience: 8+ years as a creative in an agency or in‑house brand setting.
• Management Experience: 2+ years managing and leading creative teams.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience required.

Competencies & Core

• Skills: Proven portfolio demonstrating concept development, campaign execution, and creative team leadership.
• Communication & Storytelling– Excellent presentation skills with the ability to articulate concepts clearly and influence senior leadership and business partners.
• Team Leadership– Proven success managing, mentoring, and elevating the performance of creative talent.
• Agility & Execution– Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced enterprise environment, successfully managing multiple priorities without sacrificing creative quality.
• Channel Expertise– Broad knowledge across marketing channels with a strong point of view on digital, social, and emerging media formats.