Creative Director

Sea Research Foundation, Inc.; Mystic (CT); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Supplemental insurance

401(k) Qualified

Job summary

Mystic Aquarium, part of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., seeks a lead creative to shape the organization’s storytelling and drive the visual language across brand, mission, and campaigns. You will direct video and graphic design, ensuring authentic, impactful outputs across digital, print, and environmental contexts.

Collaborate with marketing, development, education, and guest-experience teams to translate goals into compelling concepts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in film/video production, design, marketing, communications, visual arts or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• Significant video production experience with professional cameras, lighting, audio, and production equipment.
• 2–3 years in leading or managing creative professionals.
• Strong portfolio showing video storytelling, direction, and multimedia work across platforms.
• Ability to move between strategic direction and hands-on production.
• Strong understanding of visual storytelling, design principles, and brand development.
• Experience creating content for social media and digital platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead Mystic Aquarium’s visual voice across marketing and communications channels.
• Translate goals and campaign objectives into clear creative concepts and storytelling.
• Maintain and evolve Mystic Aquarium’s visual brand across digital, print, and environmental uses.
• Set high creative quality standards aligned with mission and audience.
• Develop mission-driven concepts supporting attendance, membership, fundraising, and education.
• Lead video strategy and production from concept to delivery; collaborate on social content.

Skills

Creative leadership

Video production

Visual storytelling

Brand development

Adobe Creative Cloud

Premiere Pro

After Effects

Photography

Project management

Team mentorship

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Premiere Pro

After Effects

Photoshop

Illustrator

Job description

Lead Mystic Aquarium’s visual storytelling and serve as the primary creative voice across brand, mission, and campaign execution.

Responsibilities

• Act as the lead creative voice for Mystic Aquarium, setting visual direction for marketing and communications channels
• Turn organizational goals, marketing strategy, and campaign objectives into clear creative concepts and visual storytelling
• Maintain, protect, and evolve Mystic Aquarium’s visual brand across digital, print, and environmental uses
• Set and uphold high creative quality standards while keeping outputs authentic to Mystic Aquarium’s mission, audiences, and brand
• Create mission-driven concepts supporting attendance, membership, fundraising, events, education, and conservation awareness
• Stay current on creative, video, design, digital, and social trends, and recommend opportunities to refine the creative approach
• Lead Mystic Aquarium’s video strategy and production from concept development and storyboarding through filming, editing, and final delivery
• Partner with the Sr. Video Producer to produce video for social media, digital advertising, web, public relations, fundraising, internal communications, and other organizational needs
• Provide hands-on video production support including filming, directing, lighting, audio, and related production needs
• Develop storytelling that makes complex topics (animal care, research, conservation, rescue, education) accessible and engaging for broad audiences
• Capture planned and real-time content across the Aquarium, including animal stories, events, interviews, conservation initiatives, behind-the-scenes moments, and breaking media opportunities
• Ensure video is developed and optimized for different platforms, audiences, and formats
• Provide creative direction for the graphic design function
• Oversee creative asset development for advertising, social media, web, email, signage, events, exhibits, fundraising, presentations, and other needs
• Ensure consistency across visual identity elements including typography, imagery, photography, graphics, and brand assets
• Review and approve creative work and deliver constructive feedback that improves both individual projects and the overall brand
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify the strongest visual approach to shared goals rather than handling isolated requests
• Work closely with the Digital Marketing Manager to develop social and digital creative concepts
• Understand platform-specific creative requirements and audience behaviors for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging channels
• Develop social-first creative designed to attract attention, encourage engagement, and strengthen audience connection to Mystic Aquarium
• Identify opportunities to test new formats and storytelling techniques while maintaining brand integrity
• Build and reinforce a strong, recognizable visual identity across digital channels
• Lead, mentor, and develop video and graphic design professionals; set expectations, priorities, and creative standards
• Assign projects based on organizational priorities, team capacity, and individual strengths
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities
• Foster a collaborative creative culture focused on curiosity, experimentation, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Ensure the team understands both what is being produced and the strategic purpose behind it
• Manage the creative process end-to-end: brief and concept development, production, review, approval, and delivery
• Create processes to help the creative team prioritize requests and focus resources on the highest-impact needs
• Manage multiple projects at once, balancing planned campaigns with time-sensitive and unexpected opportunities
• Develop and maintain production schedules to keep projects on time and to standard
• Manage video and photography equipment, creative assets, file organization, and digital asset libraries
• Coordinate external photographers, videographers, freelancers, agencies, and other vendors as needed
• Assist with managing creative production budgets and equipment investments
• Partner with internal teams including Animal Care, Research, Conservation, Education, Development, Guest Experience, Membership, and others to identify compelling ways to tell stories
• Collaborate with subject matter experts to support engaging storytelling while maintaining scientific and organizational accuracy
• Support earned media storytelling by helping develop and capture visual assets
• Represent Marketing and Mystic Aquarium professionally with internal and external partners

Requirements

• 5–7+ years of professional experience in creative production, video production, multimedia, marketing, advertising, communications, or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree in film/video production, design, marketing, communications, visual arts, or related field preferred; equivalent experience and a demonstrated portfolio will be considered
• Significant professional video production experience, including work with professional video cameras, lighting, audio, and production equipment
• Minimum 2–3 years of experience leading, supervising, or managing creative professionals
• Strong portfolio showing video storytelling, creative direction, and multimedia work across multiple platforms and audiences
• Demonstrated ability to move between strategic creative direction and hands-on production
• Strong understanding of visual storytelling, composition, brand development, and contemporary design principles
• Experience developing creative for social media and digital platforms
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud, especially Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator (or comparable tools)
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including constructive creative feedback and collaboration across disciplines to translate complex information into visual stories

Technologies

• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Premiere Pro
• After Effects
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Supplemental insurance
• 401(k) Qualified

Salary range

$100,000-$120,000 per year based on experience and expertise.

Physical demands

• Time split between a typical office environment and active production work throughout Mystic Aquarium’s campus
• Office work: sit for extended periods, use computer equipment for detailed editing and design work, participate in meetings and phone calls
• Production work: stand, walk, kneel, crouch, and move for extended periods; navigate stairs, uneven terrain, and potentially wet or slick surfaces near marine habitats; hold cameras or other equipment steady for sustained periods
• Lifting/carrying: set up video, lighting, audio, and event equipment up to 40 pounds; transport equipment across campus and to off-site locations
• May involve working around animals, animal habitats, behind-the-scenes areas, events, and active guest spaces while following safety and animal welfare protocols
• Some assignments include outdoor work in heat, cold, rain, and humidity; may involve travel, conservation or animal rescue activities, and other nontraditional production environments
• Flexibility to capture stories and events outside traditional office hours, including occasional evenings, weekends, and early mornings

Preferred experience

• Developing content for mission-driven, nonprofit, cultural, educational, science, conservation, tourism, or visitor-attraction organizations
• Producing content in dynamic environments where opportunities may be unpredictable or time-sensitive
• Managing freelancers, agencies, production vendors, or creative budgets
• Photography, motion graphics, animation, and/or other multimedia production
• Understanding of digital marketing, audience engagement, and how creative contributes to organizational and revenue goals

Key competencies

• Creative Vision: fresh ideas and a strong creative point of view aligned to broader organizational strategy
• Storytelling: identifies compelling stories and builds emotional connections
• Leadership: inspires, develops, and provides clear direction while maintaining standards and accountability
• Brand Stewardship: protects, strengthens, and evolves a cohesive brand across applications
• Strategic Thinking: connects creative projects to marketing, audience, revenue, and mission objectives
• Collaboration: builds productive relationships across departments and balances stakeholder needs with brand priorities
• Adaptability: shifts between long-term campaigns, day-to-day production, and unexpected opportunities
• Hands-On Mentality: comfortable leading the creative function and participating in production when needed

Location: Mystic, CT (onsite)