Creative Director

Aquent (United States); New York (NY); On-site; USD 96,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquent is seeking a freelance creative leader to transform client briefs into groundbreaking experiential events. You will shape strategic and creative vision for major brand campaigns, guiding attendee journeys and immersive environments from concept to pitch.

Collaborate with a world-class team to win new business, design mood boards and visual identities, and supervise external partners to ensure consistent brand storytelling across deliverables.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years in experiential marketing or event creative direction, in a related agency environment.
• Proven ability to independently develop original experiential concepts from brief through pitch and execution.
• Strong portfolio showing storytelling and live event production.
• Experience managing budgets within defined limits and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead creative ideation and concept development for high-profile client RFPs and programs.
• Develop cohesive event themes, narratives, and attendee journey strategies.
• Collaborate with production leads to map meaningful engagement moments from arrival to departure.
• Identify opportunities for storytelling, tech integration, immersive environments, and interactivity.
• Establish creative direction and visual identities, mood boards, and branding concepts.
• Provide art direction to designers and external partners to ensure brand consistency.
• Lead client-facing proposals and pitch presentations, translating ideas into compelling narratives.
• Partner with sales, production, and content teams to ensure concepts are viable and timely.

Skills

Experiential marketing

Brand experience design

Storytelling

Pitch & presentation

Independent concept development

Portfolio of work

Job description

Are you a visionary storyteller who can turn a blank canvas into an unforgettable, immersive brand experience? Partnering with Aquent, a premier global business travel and event services organization is seeking a dynamic freelance creative force to lead the charge in transforming client briefs into groundbreaking experiential events. In this highly collaborative role, you will have the unique opportunity to shape the strategic and creative vision for major brand campaigns, designing meaningful attendee journeys that captivate audiences and drive real business impact.

The Opportunity

In this freelance engagement, you will partner with a world-class creative and production team to bring fresh, innovative ideas to life. This is not just about executing someone else’s vision—it is about defining it. You will dive deep into client RFPs, developing overarching event themes, visual identities, and interactive touchpoints that elevate the entire attendee experience. From initial concept to final pitch, your strategic thinking and artistic direction will play a pivotal role in winning new business and delivering exceptional live events.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead creative ideation and concept development for high-profile client RFPs, proposals, and confirmed programs, translating business objectives into original experiential concepts.
• Develop cohesive event themes, creative narratives, and strategies that seamlessly connect across the entire attendee journey.
• Collaborate closely with production leads to map out meaningful moments of engagement from arrival to departure.
• Identify innovative opportunities for storytelling, personalization, technology integration, immersive environments, and interactive experiences.
• Establish creative direction and event visual identities, including mood boards, branding concepts, environmental design, and experiential touchpoints.
• Provide art direction and guidance to graphic designers, creative freelancers, and external partners to ensure brand consistency across all deliverables.
• Lead the creative development of client-facing proposals and pitch presentations, translating complex ideas into compelling visual and written narratives.
• Partner with sales, production, and content teams to ensure concepts are strategically relevant, financially viable, and operationally achievable.
• Present and articulate creative concepts confidently to internal stakeholders and clients, explaining the strategic thinking behind your recommendations.

Required Skills & Experience

• 7 to 10+ years of experience in experiential marketing, event creative direction, brand experiences, or a related creative agency environment.
• Proven ability to independently develop original experiential concepts from initial client brief through creative pitch and execution.
• Deep understanding of experiential strategy, attendee journey mapping, branding, environmental design, and live event production.
• Experience developing creative concepts within defined budgets while collaborating with multidisciplinary production and design teams.
• Exceptional storytelling, presentation, and communication skills, with a strong portfolio demonstrating original creative thinking and executed experiences.
• A portfolio that showcases your individual role in developing concepts, illustrating the creative journey from brief to final execution.