Creative Director, Experiential

Block; New York (NY); Remote; USD 252,000 - 377,000; Full time

Job summary

Block is seeking a senior creative director for experiential, spatial design, and activations to shape ideas and lead them from concept through production. This hands-on IC role requires guiding briefs with strategy, managing complex projects, and maintaining high creative standards.

You will collaborate with Brand teams, agencies, and production partners to deliver distinctive experiences across Square, Cash App, Afterpay, and more, while integrating AI-driven exploration and rapid prototyping.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 8 years with a Master’s; or 5 years with a PhD; or equivalent experience.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and presenting to senior stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of experiential production, vendor capabilities, and how to realize complex work without losing creative intent.

Responsibilities

• Originate distinctive experiential, spatial design, and activation ideas across Block brands.
• Own complex projects from concept through production and execution.
• Shape briefs with strategy and cross-functional partners to align with audience needs and business goals.
• Present work to senior stakeholders and navigate feedback while preserving the creative essence.
• Collaborate with agencies as extensions of the team to develop ideas together.
• Partner with production teams and vendors to bring ideas to life and manage constraints.
• Raise creative standards through your work and constructive critique across teams.
• Develop better ways of working, including using AI for exploration and prototyping.

Skills

Portfolio leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder presentation

Creative direction

Experiential design

Education

Bachelor's degree + 12+ years

Master's degree + 8+ years

PhD + 5 years

Job description

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose: economic empowerment. We build technology that increases access and independence for sellers, individuals, and artists around the world. Working at Block means working on and across our brands - Square, Cash App, Afterpay, TIDAL, Spiral, and Proto - in roles that connect, enable, and push all of them forward faster.

We're remote-first by design and operate with intelligence at the center of everything we do. At Block, you'll be challenged by some of the brightest, most creative minds in the industry and have the tools and autonomy to do the most meaningful work of your career.

The Role

Block's in-house creative team builds the brand platforms and campaigns behind Cash App, Square, and Afterpay. We're hiring a creative director for experiential, spatial design, and activations to originate ideas that bring our brands into the world and lead them from concept through production and execution. This is a hands-on individual contributor role: you'll shape the brief alongside creative strategy, lead project teams, and set the creative standard for experiences that connect with people and culture.

You will

Originate distinctive experiential, spatial design, and activation ideas across Block brands, creating new ways for people to encounter and connect with them.

Own complex projects independently, from the first concept through production and execution. Stay hands-on and protect the idea through the details of the finished experience.

Shape briefs with creative strategy and cross-functional partners, connecting creative ambition to audience needs and business goals.

Present creative work to senior stakeholders, explain your decisions, and navigate feedback while preserving what makes the work distinctive.

Work with agencies as an extension of the team, developing ideas and shaping the work together rather than handing off a brief.

Partner closely with production teams and vendors to bring ideas to life. Make thoughtful tradeoffs, solve problems, and maintain creative quality as constraints change.

Raise the creative standard across teams through your own work, constructive critique, and shared references and learning. Lead collaborators without stepping away from making.

Build and share better ways of working, including using AI for exploration, prototyping, and reducing repetitive production. Apply your own taste and judgment to what moves forward.

You have

A portfolio of experiential, spatial design, or activation work you led from concept through execution, showing original ideas, strong creative taste, and attention to the experience people actually have.

Senior creative experience with a hands-on approach and a track record of setting direction and quality standards across a complex body of work.

Deep knowledge of experiential production, vendor capabilities, and how to get complex work made without losing the creative intent.

Experience independently leading cross-functional projects and presenting creative work to senior stakeholders.

Sound judgment in ambiguous situations, with examples of solving problems, adapting to setbacks, and moving work forward.

A collaborative, direct communication style. You challenge ideas respectfully and build trust with colleagues, agencies, production teams, and vendors.

A connection to culture that informs your work, and experience helping others produce more original, thoughtful creative work through critique and shared learning.

A minimum of 12 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 5 years experience; or equivalent experience.

EEOC Statement

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.

Zone A:
$251,600 - $377,400 USD