Creative Director [SK-14559]

Skill; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plans with match

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Skill connects top talent with major brands across marketing, IT, and admin. We seek a Creative Director to shape creative vision for a diverse client portfolio and lead a growing team of creatives.

The role blends strategy, hands-on creative work, and client leadership in a dynamic, growth-focused agency environment. You will influence strategy, mentor teams, and partner with cross-functional leaders to deliver high-impact campaigns while driving growth and ensuring quality.

Qualifications

• 7-8 years of digital marketing/creative experience.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience managing a team.
• 5+ years of experience across creative disciplines (copywriting, design, production, strategy).
• A robust portfolio demonstrating campaigns across channels at scale.
• Executive-level presentation skills and ability to advise senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of creative professionals, including hiring and onboarding.
• Develop and mentor team members, fostering growth and psychological safety.
• Provide performance feedback and drive raises/promotions decisions.
• Oversee capacity planning to align with client needs.
• Facilitate ongoing training on industry trends and tools.
• Meet with clients to articulate strategy and channel nuances.
• Provide hands-on execution and support on high-priority accounts.
• Act as escalation point for client concerns.
• Strengthen client retention through strong creative solutions and expansion opportunities.
• Address churn risks within the book of business.
• Ensure high product quality through QA processes.
• Lead creative product development and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with service leads to stay ahead of trends.
• Maintain knowledge of internal systems and evolving processes.
• Employ AI technologies to enhance processes and drive results.
• Expand and evolve creative services within the division.

Skills

Creative leadership

Team leadership

Executive communication

Strategic thinking

Client relationship management

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Our client is a multi-vertical agency and they are seeking a Creative Director in the following spaces: Lifestyle, CPG and B2B

Aquent is partnering with a leading tech-enabled growth firm that stands at the intersection of marketing, consulting, and data intelligence. This innovative firm is dedicated to igniting revenue and brand recognition for leading and emerging companies globally. With a people-first approach, they champion diversity and believe their culture is paramount to their success, striving to be recognized as the most valued and respected private growth marketing firm in the world. They are driven by a mission to redefine what's possible through a team of growth-obsessed experts who demand innovation and results, all powered by integrity, autonomy, and grit. This is a unique opportunity to join a team that manages billions in media, challenging traditional planning and measurement through meticulous testing and data science across every milestone of the customer journey.

Are you a visionary creative leader (specifically within consumer brands/lifestyles) ready to make an indelible impact on both a dynamic team and a diverse portfolio of clients? This exciting role offers the chance to shape the creative vision for a book of business, driving both the quality of work and the growth of your team. You'll be a player-coach, leading from the front, influencing strategy, and directly contributing to high-priority accounts. This position is a stepping stone to further leadership, allowing you to cultivate people leadership and product judgment while staying deeply connected to the craft. Your leadership will directly translate into exceptional client outcomes and the continuous evolution of creative services, truly redefining what's possible.

What You'll Do

• Lead and manage a team of creative professionals, overseeing hiring, onboarding, and day-to-day operations.
• Develop and mentor team members, fostering growth paths, positive sentiment, and psychological safety.
• Drive performance management, provide direct feedback, and make recommendations for raises and promotions.
• Oversee capacity planning and staffing to align with evolving client needs.
• Facilitate ongoing training and knowledge-sharing on industry trends and tools.
• Meet directly with clients to articulate strategy, performance, and channel nuances.
• Provide hands-on execution and exemplary support on complex or high-priority client accounts.
• Act as the primary escalation point for creative client concerns.
• Strengthen client retention through strong creative solutions and identification of expansion opportunities.
• Proactively address client churn risks within your book of business.
• Ensure exceptional product quality through consistent and accountable QA processes.
• Lead creative product development, structured innovation, knowledge-sharing, and brainstorms.
• Collaborate with service leads and platform partners to remain at the forefront of creative trends.
• Maintain full working knowledge of internal systems and adapt to evolving processes.
• Employ AI technologies to enhance and optimize business processes and drive results.
• Demonstrate a genuine interest in expanding and evolving creative services within your industry division.

Must-Have Qualifications

• 7-8 years of digital marketing/creative experience, with 5+ years in an agency setting.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on, expert-level experience across creative disciplines (copywriting, design, production, strategy, and/or post-production).
• 5+ years of experience managing a team, including performance management and development planning.
• A robust portfolio showcasing a track record of conceptualizing, developing, and delivering creative campaigns across multiple channels at scale.
• Demonstrated judgment and credibility that has earned the trust of creative specialists.
• Expert knowledge of how creative functions within the broader marketing funnel and business strategy.
• Executive-level presentation and communication skills, with the ability to advise senior client stakeholders and internal leadership.
• A visionary leader with a track record of building culture, inspiring teams, and pushing creative boundaries while delivering measurable business results.

About Skill

Skill connects the best professional, IT, engineering, financial and administrative talent with the world's biggest brands. Our eligible talent get access to benefits such as health benefit contributions, retirement plans with match and flexible spending accounts.

Skill is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.