Creative Director

Shake Shack; New York (NY); On-site; USD 170,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay + bonuses

Meal discounts

Corporate discounts

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Employer Paid Life and Disability

401k Plan with Company Match

Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Flexible Spending Accounts

Development opportunities

Job summary

Shake Shack is seeking a Creative Director to lead the evolution of its internal Creative Studio into an industry-leading powerhouse. The Creative Director will shape the brand’s next chapter across campaigns and experiences, building teams, elevating craft, and partnering with cross-functional marketing to deliver bold, meaningful work that grows the business.

Based in New York with onsite collaboration three days a week, you will carry concepts from brief through production, mentor designers

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of professional creative experience, incl. 3–5 years leading creative teams.
• Portfolio with at least one campaign from concept to execution.
• Agency and in-house experience preferred in food, beverage, hospitality, or consumer categories.
• Strong conceptual development, copywriting, and art direction with production know‑how.
• Excellent leadership, communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Balance creative ambition with business objectives and constraints.
• Maintain creative standards in a high‑volume, fast‑paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Crack the creative idea: translate briefs into concepts with a POV and present to senior stakeholders.
• Lead integrated campaign development across channels with a consistent brand experience.
• Advance Shake Shack’s identity; shape tone, craft standards and assets.
• Own the visual standard: art direct photography and video from casting to post.
• Manage internal and external creative resources; guide designers, copywriters, agencies and production partners.
• Lead, inspire and develop the creative team with clear feedback and mentorship.

Skills

Creative leadership

Integrated campaigns

Concept development

Copywriting

Art direction

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Job description

Our secret to leading the way in hospitality? We put our people first!

At Shake Shack, our mission is to Stand For Something Good in all that we do. From our teams to our neighborhoods, we're committed to always doing the right thing. As one of the fastest-growing hospitality brands, we're all about crafting unforgettable experiences for our guests. We offer endless learning opportunities and the chance to make a lasting impact on our business, restaurants, and communities. As a member of the #ShackFam, you’ll have access to hands‑on mentorship, training, and growth potential, all in a fun and inclusive environment.

Join us and Be a Part of Something Good.

Job Summary

Shake Shack is looking for a Creative Director to lead the evolution of its internal creative studio into an industry-leading creative powerhouse. The Creative Director will be responsible for the ideas that define how the brand shows up across campaigns and experiences and will have the opportunity to shape the brand’s next chapter as a cultural institution. We’re looking for someone as driven to build teams and internal capabilities as they are to land groundbreaking creative work — this person will embody Enlightened Hospitality by bringing their humility, talent, care and craft to a leadership team that readily embraces the power of bold, meaningful creativity in growing the business.

This newly defined role calls for a leader who can carry a concept from brief through production without losing what made it special and get the very most from their team and the wider cross‑functional marketing group in landing successful solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Crack the creative idea Translate business and brand briefs into concepts with a defined point of view. Own the articulation of each idea and the case for it with senior stakeholders.
• Lead integrated campaign development Bring a strong understanding of contemporary culture, social behavior and platform-native storytelling with the ability to develop ideas that translate naturally across channels, ensuring a consistent brand experience at every touchpoint.
• Advance the brand’s identity in market Lead the creative expression of Shake Shack's evolving identity, including tone, craft standards, and the distinctive assets the brand builds equity in over time.
• Own the visual standard Art direct photography and video from casting through post, maintaining creative excellence and consistency across every visual touchpoint.
• Manage internal and external creative resources Partner across internal and external creative resources. Guide the creative output of designers, copywriters, agencies and production partners. Collaborate with the Director of Creative Studio on resource planning, partner selection, scopes, budgets and production models, bringing in external expertise where scale or specialty warrants.
• Lead, inspire and develop the creative team Set a compelling creative vision that energizes the team and inspires ambitious thinking. Direct, mentor and grow designers and copywriters, creating an environment where people feel supported in taking thoughtful creative risks. Establish clear feedback standards and foster a collaborative creative culture that attracts, develops and retains exceptional talent.

Required Qualifications

• 8 to 10 years of professional creative experience, including 3 to 5 years leading creative teams
• Demonstrated ability to create integrated campaigns with measurable cultural and business impact. Portfolio should include at least one campaign led from concept through execution
• Combination of agency and in‑house experience preferred, ideally within food, beverage, hospitality, or another high‑frequency consumer category
• Excellent conceptual development, copywriting, and art direction skills with production know‑how
• Strong leadership, communication, presentation, and organizational skills
• Proven ability to balance creative ambition with business objectives and operational constraints.
• Ability to maintain creative standards in a high-volume, fast‑paced environment

Reporting and Location

Reports to the VP of Marketing. The position sits within Shake Shack's internal Creative Studio, with cross-functional partnership across Brand Marketing, Culinary, Operations, and Digital.

Based in New York, 3 days per week onsite.

Benefits At Shake Shack

A work environment where you can come as you are, share your ideas, have fun, and work collaboratively:

• Weekly Pay and Performance bonuses
• Shake Shack Meal Discounts
• Exclusive corporate discounts for travel, electronics, wellness, leisure activities and more

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Employer Paid Life and Disability Insurance

401k Plan with Company Match

Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts

• Development and Growth Opportunities
• Eligibility criteria applies

Pay Range - $170,487.50 - $228,362.50

About Us

Beginning as a hot dog cart in New York City’s Madison Square Park, Shake Shack was created by Danny Meyer, Founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and best‑selling author of Setting the Table. Shack Fans lined up daily, making the cart a resounding success, and donating all proceeds back to the park beautification efforts. A permanent stand was eventually built… and the rest is Shack history! With our roots in fine dining and giving back to the community, we are committed to high quality food served with a high level of hospitality. Our team members enjoy a positive work environment that is deeply committed to the philosophy that we “Stand for Something Good.”

Shake Shack is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability (mental and physical), sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, medical condition, genetic information, marital, military and veteran status.