Associate Creative Director (Design)

Day One Agency; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care

Paid Time Off

Summer Fridays

401K

Lifestyle Spending Account

Parental Leave

Commuter Benefits

New Business Referral Bonus

Employee Referral Bonus

Job summary

Day One Agency in Los Angeles is seeking an Associate Creative Director (Art) to lead by example, mentor a cross-disciplinary team of designers, copywriters and strategists, and hands‑on contribute to bold creative work.

You will shape cohesive narratives and elevate brand vision for our clients, partnering with the Creative Director to drive growth. This full‑time role offers a hybrid schedule in Los Angeles and a fast paced, culture‑driven environment.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of art direction and/or design experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple creative projects.
• Able to lead a diverse team and mentor staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead by example and hands-on with design work while overseeing the team.
• Motivate and elevate the internal design team and collaborate with Creative Director.
• Develop concepts that connect with culture and be a leader of big ideas.
• Mentor staff and evolve the team as the agency grows.
• Execute creative and brand vision for clients and the Day One brand.
• Shape cohesive narratives and maximize output quality.
• Set an example through ideation and breakthrough concepts.
• Coordinate with leadership to plan staffing and project briefs.

Skills

Art direction

Design

Cross-disciplinary

Project management

Team leadership

Ideation

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Description

Day One Agency is hiring.

Day One is a creative agency committed to bringing fresh thinking to our work. Every. Single. Day. For us, every day is day one, a new opportunity to start from the beginning, find a new angle, and let our creativity and curiosity lead us to earn the unexpected.

We’ve built a reputation as a creative partner tuned for navigating culture today; helping brands build legacy through relevance. We’re looking to expand our team with a new Associate Creative Director (Art). You’ll become part of an award winning collective of cultural insiders* and industry outsiders**, all of whom are storytellers at heart.

Below you’ll find some specifics about the role. At Day One, the job description is truly just the start. Our best team members are enthusiasts who opt-in and bring something to the party.

Ready to join a team that's been on Fast Company's Most Innovative list for three years running, made the Ad-Age A-List and been named Agency to Watch 2025, and took home Campaign AOY in 2025 and PR Week Midsize AOY 4 years in row (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026)?

Department: Design / Art Direction

Location: Los Angeles

This position is full-time, requires a hybrid work schedule, and is only available in Los Angeles.

* TREND FORECASTERS, WRITERS, DESIGNERS, PRODUCERS, PEOPLE PERSONS, DIGITAL NATIVES, CULTURE HEADS, INTERNET ARCHAEOLOGISTS, MEME HISTORIANS

** ORGANIZERS, GLOBETROTTERS, DROPOUTS, SKATE SHOP ALUMNI, FORMER BARISTAS, SELF-TAUGHT DEVS, INDIE PUBLISHERS, FINE ARTISTS, SMALL-TOWN ESCAPEES

Responsibilities

• Lead by example and get hands on with the work. Enjoying being in the weeds of all things design and visual communication, with attention to detail.
• Motivate our internal design team to think differently and constantly look to elevate their work, inspire a team of art directors, designers, copywriters, creative strategists, and storytellers.
• Come from a place of earning it, developing concepts designed to connect with culture. Be a leader and champion of big ideas.
• Help to mentor our existing staff and collaborate with the Creative Director to inform where we need to evolve as we grow.
• Execute creative and brand vision for our clients and the Day One brand.
• Shape and develop cohesive narratives, maximizing the quality of our output.
• Be comfortable executing, personally ideating and developing breakthrough concepts and setting an example for the team.
• Consistently manage up to Creative Director and agency leadership. Over communicate when necessary and bring a solution oriented approach to every challenge.
• Get into the details. Review and refine briefs, project plans and staffing across projects. Get into the work but also think about how to set the team up for success.

Requirements

• 7+ years of art direction and/or design experience
• Comfort working cross discipline
• Demonstrated expertise in managing and juggling multiple creative projects
• Ability to project manage deliverables and organize resources
• Comfortable with complex assignments and leading a diverse team
• Visually led skill set, but able to oversee ideation and presentations
• An entrepreneurial spirit and a style that inspires
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university or equivalent professional experience

Preferred Skills:

• Are driven by the creative landscape of social media
• Know where to find alt TikTok
• Bored with traditional design
• Had enough of the millennial aesthetic

Characteristics of our ideal candidate:

• Passionate and Dedicated
• Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Agile
• Inspiring
• A true mentor & manager
• A team player who’s willing to take on any creative task, big or small

Compensation + Benefits

• Health Care (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Paid Time Off and Company Paid Holidays
• Summer Fridays
• 401K Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• Paid Parental Leave
• Commuter Benefits
• New Business Referral Bonus
• Employee Referral Bonus

The Company is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The base compensation range for this role is $125,000-$150,000 and this position is eligible for benefits that include medical insurance (health, dental, and vision), retirement plan, paid time off, paid parental leave, new business and employee referral bonuses, etc. Please note that the compensation information provided is a good faith estimate for Los Angeles based hires only and is provided pursuant to the applicable law. Final compensation for this role will be determined by various factors such as candidates' relevant work experience, skills, qualifications, and location.