CREATIVE DIRECTOR – THEMED ENTERTAINMENT ADIRONDACK STUDIOS – CA, NY, FL

Adirondack Scenic, Inc.; California (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid personal/sick time

401K Retirement Plan after length of (

Job summary

Adirondack Studios invites a seasoned Creative Director to shape the visual language of our themed environments across parks, casinos, museums, and live shows. You will lead cross-functional teams, turn client briefs into powerful, story-driven concepts, and ensure on-time, on-budget delivery.

You will mentor Creative Design teams across multiple locations, develop processes, and collaborate with design firms, vendors, and production partners to sustain ADKS’s creative excellence and market

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in fine art or related field.
• 15+ years in Creative Director or similar leadership role.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite and 3D modeling tools (Rhino, SKP, 3ds Max).
• Strong communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to lead cross-location Creative Design teams and mentor staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide creative design authority across the company’s creative vision and standards.
• Lead direction for themed environments from concept to installation.
• Translate client goals into compelling, feasible creative solutions.
• Oversee deliverables across design phases (art, renderings, models).
• Collaborate with partners, clients, vendors, and production teams.
• Develop processes and budgets for design projects.

Skills

Creative leadership

Ideation

Portfolio

Design principles

Team leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Collaboration

Industry reputation

Teaching/mentoring

Partner with firms

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Fine Art / related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

AutoCAD

Rhino

SketchUp

3ds Max

MS Office

Job description

CREATIVE DIRECTOR – THEMED ENTERTAINMENT

Adirondack Studios (ADKS) is hiring a Creative Director!

ADKS designs, builds, and installs scenic and themed environments for venues ranging from theme parks to casinos, museums, live shows, retail, and public art. We have been in business since 1975, and our work is seen around the world. This is rewarding work with a company that is recognized as a leading force in the Themed Entertainment industry.

As ADKS Creative Director, you will bring big, transformative ideas to the table and motivate cross-functional teams to realize grand visions. You will examine all aspects of client briefs to create thoughtful, viable, and unexpected creative solutions. ADKS is looking for an experienced creative leader who blends visionary strategic thinking and art direction. Your work is to inspire game-changing ideas in collaboration with our team of experts and articulate them into clear and powerful concepts. The ideal candidate will provide creative and design authority as well as ensure extraordinary designs are produced on time and on budget. ADKS collaborates with design firms, subcontractors, business development personnel, technical and production departments, clients, and vendors to produce quality and engaging designs.

Ideal Candidate:

• Established and highly respected professional with a distinguished pedigree in Themed Entertainment
• Exceptional ideation and conceptual thinking skills, with the ability to generate and develop original, valuable ideas
• Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence across multiple art and design disciplines.
• Deep understanding of visual communication and design principles, including graphic design, illustration, color theory, 3D modeling, show set, architectural development, and presentation design
• Proven ability to lead creative teams, facilitate charrettes, build on ideas, and guide teams toward shared artistic and project goals
• Strong mentor and communicator with the ability to listen, adapt, collaborate, and encourage experimentation
• Demonstrated ability to quickly understand and respond to creative prompts with accuracy and insight
• Strong creative and artistic aesthetic as well as a commitment to design excellence
• Recognized industry reputation, relationships, or accomplishments that enhance ADKS’s market presence and credibility
• Proven ability to teach, mentor, and elevate creative talent
• Ability to support and partner with renowned Creative Design firms

Key Responsibilities

• Provide creative design authority across company-wide decisions, establishing and maintaining ADKS’s creative vision, quality standards, narrative, guest experience, and thematic integrity
• Lead creative direction for themed environments, graphics, show sets, and related design disciplines from concept through production, fabrication, installation, and closeout.
• Translate client goals and project requirements into compelling, story-driven, feasible, and budget-conscious creative solutions
• Oversee creative deliverables across all design phases, including but not limited to key art, renderings, models, maquettes, presentations, and graphics
• Collaborate with design partners, clients, project teams, vendors, department heads, and production partners to align creative objectives, scope, schedules, budgets, and deliverables
• Serve as creative quality control, ensuring all work meets ADKS and client standards while maintaining consistency across projects and deliverables
• Lead, mentor, hire, and develop collaborative Creative Design teams across multiple locations, fostering collaboration, unity, creativity, and continuous improvement
• Establish and improve creative processes, systems, and standards that strengthen design operations and project delivery
• Develop, manage, and track creative design budgets, schedules, staffing, scopes, and subcontractors in partnership with project management and design leadership.
• Support project planning, proposals, scope development, cost estimating, and successful delivery of creative design services
• Build and maintain strong client relationships while representing client interests and ADKS’s creative capabilities, quality, and reputation
• Support business development through client presentations, new market opportunities, design approaches, proposals, and project pursuits
• Represent the Creative Design Department in cross-functional collaboration and company-wide strategic planning
• Identify solutions to creative and project challenges while ensuring successful handoff of design packages to design partners, clients, production, fabrication, and installation teams
• Maintain proficiency with relevant design tools, including Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Rhino, SketchUp, Microsoft Office, and visual communication/sketching
• Travel as needed for client meetings, design reviews, business development, sales support, and project requirements
• Demonstrate strategic thinking, strong communication, adaptability, accountability, relationship-building skills, and a collaborative, team-oriented approach

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in fine art, Theater arts, Architecture, Experience Design, Industrial Design or similar design field, or equivalent professional experience
• 15+ years of experience as a Creative Director, Art Director, or similar creative leadership role
• Working knowledge of relevant design software including Adobe Creative Suite as well as familiarity utilizing digital 3d modelling programs (i.e. Rhino, SKP, and/3dsmax etc.)
• Familiarity with the MS Office suite, including Word and Excel
• Ability to communicate visually via hand sketching or similar is preferred
• Strong organizational, planning, and interpersonal skills
• Strong creative vision with the ability to implement
• Ability to work in a collaborative manner with clients as well as ADKS management and staff

Benefits include:

• Paid Personal/Sick time immediately upon hire
• 401K Retirement Plan after length of service milestone
• Year-end bonus eligibility based upon company performance
• No-cost Long-Term Disability insurance after length of service milestone
• Three options for Medical insurance as well as Dental and Vision insurance after length of service milestone
• Paid Vacation time immediately after hire
• Paid Holidays

The salary for this position is dependent upon the market rate of the geographic location and will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Range of rates: Argyle/Albany, NY: $120K – $165K | Orlando, FL: $135K – $195K | Pasadena/Los Angeles, CA: $160K – $225K

Adirondack Studios is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for this full-time, salaried position without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.

We are sure you will find Adirondack Studios an amazing place to work and look forward to hearing from you.

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