Creative Director, Brand & Content

Smartly; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks PTO

11 company holidays

Unlimited sick days

Healthcare benefits

Mental health benefits

401K matching

Equity grants

Wellness reimbursement

Volunteer time off

Donation matching

Job summary

Smartly is seeking a Creative Director to lead Brand & Content, shaping campaigns, content, events, and digital experiences. You will guide a team of designers, translate business goals into compelling visuals, and collaborate across Brand, Content, Product Marketing, and Communications.

You will elevate Smartly's visual identity, refine processes, and stay ahead of design trends, balancing creative excellence with practical outcomes in a fast-growing tech environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading and developing creative teams.
• Strong background in graphic design and brand design.
• Experience as a conceptual Art Director with campaign thinking.
• Ability to translate strategy into engaging concepts.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of designers.
• Develop concepts and campaigns for brand.
• Provide clear direction from brief to final execution.
• Partner with stakeholders to translate business objectives.
• Elevate visual identity across channels.
• Review and approve creative work.
• Refine processes to scale impact.
• Stay current on design and cultural trends.

Skills

People management

Brand design

Visual storytelling

Campaign thinking

Typography

Layout & grids

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Job description

Smartly is looking for a Creative Director to join our Brand & Content team and help shape how our brand comes to life across campaigns, content, events, digital experiences, and marketing initiatives. Reporting to the SVP of Brand & Content, this role combines creative leadership, people management, and conceptual thinking to create work that is distinctive, effective, and aligned with our business goals.

You’ll lead a team of designers, develop strong creative concepts, and partner across the business to bring Smartly's story to life. This role is ideal for someone who began their career in design, has evolved into a conceptual art director, and enjoys helping creative teams produce their best work.

What You Will Do

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of designers, creating an environment where people can do their best work and grow their careers
• Develop creative concepts and campaigns that strengthen Smartly's brand and connect with target audiences
• Provide clear creative direction and feedback throughout the creative process, from brief through final execution
• Partner with Brand, Content, Product Marketing, Communications, and other stakeholders to translate business objectives into compelling creative solutions
• Elevate the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of Smartly's visual identity across all channels and touchpoints
• Review and approve creative work, ensuring it meets strategic objectives, brand standards, and quality expectations
• Help establish and refine creative processes, workflows, and ways of working that enable the team to scale its impact
• Stay current on design, advertising, and cultural trends, bringing fresh thinking and new approaches to the team's work

What We Are Looking For

• Experience leading and developing creative teams, including direct people management responsibilities
• Strong background in graphic design, brand design, visual communication, or a related creative discipline
• Experience as a conceptual Art Director, with a portfolio that demonstrates strong campaign thinking and creative problem-solving
• Ability to translate strategy, messaging, and business goals into engaging creative concepts and visual storytelling
• Strong design craft and a deep understanding of typography, layout, visual systems, and brand identity
• Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders and navigating feedback from multiple audiences
• Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills
• Ability to balance creative excellence with practical business outcomes
• Experience working with consumer-facing brands or B2C marketing is preferred, but not required
• Experience working in technology, SaaS, or high-growth environments is a plus

What We Offer You

Five weeks paid time off (PTO), 11 company paid holidays, unlimited sick days

Generous healthcare packages & mental health benefits

401K plus matching & equity grants for all new Smartlies

Wellness benefit & learning reimbursement opportunities

Volunteer time off days & company donation matching opportunities

And so much more…

The base pay range for this position is as mentioned below per year, plus an annual performance bonus. We take into consideration an individual’s background, expertise, and experience in determining final salary. In addition to annual salary, Smartly’s total rewards provide employees with stock options, medical/dental/vision insurances, retirement savings benefits, parental leave, 5 weeks vacation, unlimited sick days, life insurance, and disability benefits. This information is provided in accordance with applicable law. Base pay information is based on market location.

Salary in USD: 120,000-150,000

About Smartly

Smartly is the AI-powered advertising technology company transforming ad experiences for brands and their consumers. Our comprehensive advertising platform seamlessly integrates the capabilities of media, creative, and intelligence to power more than 800 billion impressions and generate more than 300 billion creatives annually, delivering tangible business outcomes for brands and advertisers.

Smartly is the only company in the industry recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Creative Advertising Technologies with PwC validating the results it delivers for brands. We manage creative and media for 700+ brands worldwide and $6B in ad spend across the largest media platforms, including Facebook, Google, Instagram, Pinterest, Snap, and TikTok. Our end-to-end technology, unmatched access to media platforms and exceptional customer service help Fortune 500 brands to reach and engage consumers and learn what performs best. Smartly is a multinational and diverse team of 750+ Smartlies from 60+ nationalities, working in 13 countries. Together, we want to create and maintain an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and heard. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion approach is at the heart of it.