Creative Director, Certificates

MasterClass; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 114,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in company

Comprehensive benefits package

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

MasterClass is seeking a Creative Director to shape creative strategy and lead execution for MasterClass Certificates. You will guide a nimble team of editors, designers, and writers, aligning with senior stakeholders and cross-functional partners to deliver compelling courses and campaigns.

This hybrid role combines strategy with hands-on making, ensuring brand voice remains consistent across trailers, promos, and lifecycle marketing while leveraging AI to accelerate ideation and production.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in creative roles.
• Portfolio showing strategic range and hands-on craft.
• Track record of establishing brand voice and tone.
• Experience presenting creative strategy directly to senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable leading through matrixed or project-based team structures.
• Working fluency with AI creative tools in an active production workflow.
• Versatility across copy, visual and art direction, video/trailer direction, and executive presentation materials.

Responsibilities

• Shape creative strategy and lead execution for MasterClass Certificates.
• Lead creative direction on trailers, from concepting to final edit.
• Write scripts and copy, shape rough layouts, and stay close to the work.
• Set and maintain the creative bar for MasterClass Certificates marketing.
• Partner across Content, Social, and Product teams to reflect real user needs.
• Lead video, design, and copy to produce standout work across launches.
• Use AI to speed ideation and production without sacrificing brand voice.
• Present creative strategy and rationale to senior leadership.

Skills

Creative leadership

Brand voice

Executive presenting

AI tools

Copy and visual direction

Video/trailer direction

Cross-functional work

Job description

MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world's best come together so anyone, anywhere, can access and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. We put you in the room with the creators, thinkers, makers, and leaders who have changed the world so you can change yours.

Who We Are

MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world's best come together so anyone, anywhere, can access and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. We put you in the room with the creators, thinkers, makers, and leaders who have changed the world so you can change yours.

Members get unprecedented access to 200+ instructors and classes across various fields, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Leadership, Writing, and more. Step into Issa Rae’s writing session and Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. Go behind the big screen with James Cameron. Start your career with Martha Stewart.

About the Role

We're looking for a Creative Director to shape creative strategy and lead execution for MasterClass Certificates, with the range to bring new courses to market in fresh, creative ways. While supporting updates to the core brand as needed. You'll be a creative lead on the marketing team, working directly with our Executive Creative Director to shape how MasterClass Certificates show up in the world. You'll work alongside a small, close-knit team assembled around each project. This is a hybrid role: part strategist, part maker. You'll help position and launch one of MasterClass’ newest products by getting close to the work and leading a nimble team made up of editors, designers and writers.

You'll have creative authority, a seat with senior stakeholders, and the trust to make calls fast, often with incomplete information. Success here comes from building alignment across teams and earning trust through strong campaigns, concepts and execution. At its core, this role is about finding the strongest idea and helping it become something people can't ignore.

What You'll Do

• Shape creative strategy and lead execution for MasterClass Certificates, working closely with our GTM lead to align on strategy and briefs. Concept and oversee the work across trailers, course promos, statics, social, lifecycle marketing, and executive presentations.
• Lead creative direction on trailers, from concepting on-set capture needs through final edit. Dream up video content that pulls audiences toward a course, even outside of the traditional trailer.
• Roll up your sleeves when it counts. Write scripts and copy, shape a rough layout or edit, build your own decks, and stay close to the work, not just directing it.
• Sets and holds the creative bar for MasterClass Certificates marketing. That means clear direction on tone, message, and craft across every course launch.
• Partner across Content, Social, and Product. Work with the team that shoots the classes, the social team on organic content, and the product team to make sure creative reflects real user needs, not just a marketing brief.
• Lead video, design, and copy creative to produce work that stands out. Keep visual identity and brand consistent across every course launch and platform update.
• AI is already part of how you create. Use it to speed up ideation and production without losing brand voice or craft.
• Present with authority. Pitch creative strategy and rationale to senior leadership and hold the room.

You Are

• A natural leader who rallies teams around a creative direction without formal authority over them
• Skilled at translating strategy into a clear creative point of view
• A creative with strong taste and original thinking that still sells
• Comfortable directing editors, designers, and writers
• Able to turn a product pitch into a story someone actually wants to hear
• Fluent in using AI as part of your process, not as a separate step
• Confident making calls with 80% of the information
• Fast without sacrificing judgment
• Energized by cross-functional work and able to turn multiple perspectives into focused action
• Direct and discerning, raising the work without deflating the people making it

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in creative roles, ideally including both agency and in-house environments.
• A portfolio that shows both strategic range and hands‑on craft, not just direction of others’ work.
• Track record of developing and enforcing brand voice and tone standards.
• Experience presenting creative strategy directly to senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable leading through matrixed or project‑based team structures rather than direct reports.
• Working fluency with AI creative tools in an active production workflow.
• Versatility across copy, visual and art direction, video/trailer direction, and executive presentation materials.

At MasterClass, we believe we put our best work forward when our employees bring together ideas that are diverse in thought. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law. In addition, MasterClass will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or special need, we would like to know how we can better accommodate you.

The salary range listed is for NYC/CA/WA. As a company, we have a location based strategy, which means the disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for any applicable geographic differential associated with the location where the position may be filled.MasterClass’s salary ranges are based on paying competitively for our size and industry. In addition to salary, we also offer equity and comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, flexible PTO, and more). The range listed is for the expectations as laid out in the job description, however we are often open to a wide variety of profiles, and recognize that the person we hire may be less experienced (or more senior) than this job description as posted. If that ends up being the case, the updated salary range will be communicated with you as a candidate.

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Salary Range: $165,000 USD - $190,000 USD