Creative Director

Red Carrot; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Healthcare

401(k) Plan

Profit Sharing

Paid time off

Job summary

Red Carrot is seeking a hands-on Creative Director to lead our graphics, video production, and social media creative. This role is a player-coach who will set the direction and do the work, designing, editing, and producing alongside the team.

The ideal candidate has a 10+ year track record across design, video, audio, and social/digital, with a strong portfolio and proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud. This on-site position offers opportunities to shape federal-focused branding and content

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communications, film, marketing, or related field.
• 10+ years of creative experience across design, video, audio, and social/digital.
• A strong portfolio showing design, video, and social media work (required with application).
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects).
• Strong presentation and communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage deadlines and multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Responsibilities

• Translate creative briefs into creative direction across client campaigns and deliverables
• Personally design graphics, layouts, and visual assets, and lead video production from concept through final edit
• Oversee social media creative, including visual standards and platform-specific content
• Present and defend creative concepts with confidence in client and internal meetings
• Manage creative timelines, priorities, and production budgets across multiple projects
• Ensure all work complies with client brand and style guides, plain language guidance, and Section 508 accessibility requirements
• Identify and manage outside production partners (videographers, photographers, freelancers) as needed
• Support business development with proposal graphics and creative samples
• Guide and give feedback to designers, editors, and contractors

Skills

Creative leadership

Adobe CC proficiency

Video production

Graphic design

Communication

Presentation skills

Project management

Deadline management

Client facing

Public sector/clearance potential

Education

Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, film, marketing, or related field

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

Premiere Pro

After Effects

Figma

Job description

The Role

We're looking for a hands-on Creative Director to lead our graphics, video production, and social media creative. This is a player-coach role who will set the creative direction and do the work: designing, editing, and producing alongside the team.

The Role

We're looking for a hands-on Creative Director to lead our graphics, video production, and social media creative. This is a player-coach role who will set the creative direction and do the work: designing, editing, and producing alongside the team.

What You'll Do

• Translate creative briefs into creative direction across client campaigns and deliverables
• Personally design graphics, layouts, and visual assets, and lead video production from concept through final edit
• Oversee social media creative, including visual standards and platform-specific content
• Present and defend creative concepts with confidence in client and internal meetings
• Manage creative timelines, priorities, and production budgets across multiple projects
• Ensure all work complies with client brand and style guides, plain language guidance, and Section 508 accessibility requirements
• Identify and manage outside production partners (videographers, photographers, freelancers) as needed
• Support business development with proposal graphics and creative samples
• Guide and give feedback to designers, editors, and contractors

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, film, marketing, or a related field
• 10+ years of creative experience across design, video, audio, and social/digital
• A strong portfolio showing design, video, and social media work (required with application)
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects); Figma a plus
• Strong presentation and communication skills
• Proven ability to manage deadlines and multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance

Nice to Have

• Experience supporting federal government clients
• Familiarity with federal branding standards, Section 508, and plain language requirements
• Award-winning creative work

Additional Details

• Up to 10% travel, as needed

Benefits at Red Carrot

We attract and develop talent from all backgrounds because we believe there's strength in diversity, offering different perspectives and skills. Together, we can solve our client’s biggest challenges. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package.

• Training and Development - Tuition reimbursement and professional trainings for eligible employees.
• Healthcare - Top-tier medical, dental, vision, life insurance and long-term disability coverage.
• 401(k) Plan - 401(k)-retirement and Roth plan with company matching and no vesting period.
• Profit Sharing - Discretionary profit-sharing plan to all eligible employees after one year of employment.
• Paid Time Off - Provides flexible work hours, paid time off, and 11 federal holidays.

About Us

Red Carrot is an award-winning, woman-owned small business built for the complexity of federal government work. We partner with clients to advance their goals - powered by a team fueled by passion, backed by intelligence, and grounded in expertise.

From day one, we've applied industrial engineering principles and data analytics to solve complex problems with precision. Our approach is research-centric, data-informed, and audience-oriented - and it's how we deliver work that actually moves the needle.

We exist to strengthen the organizations and communities we serve through trusted, purposeful communication. That's not a tagline - it's the standard we hold ourselves to on every engagement.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, with a strong and growing presence in Washington, D.C., our team works with clients across the country. Distance doesn't dilute our service. We build capacity where our clients need it, delivering Strategic Communications, Customer Experience, Management Consulting, and Human Capital Solutions that fit their mission - and their moment.

We're the partner organizations turn to when communication challenges are real, the stakes are high, and the work has to matter.