Creative Lead, Marketing & Communications

Citymeals on Wheels; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Commutation stipend

401(k)/403(b) employer match

Job summary

Citymeals on Wheels is seeking a Creative Lead to elevate its visual identity and storytelling across digital, print, social, and video channels. The role reports to the VP of Marketing & Communications and will steer brand development to strengthen our connection with NYC's older adults.

As a hybrid, in-office three days weekly at Midtown Manhattan, you will oversee creative execution, guide editorial staff and agency partners, and drive a brand refresh for the new calendar year.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years in art direction, creative leadership, or brand design.
• Experience in agency or mission-driven organization.
• Proven ability to run campaigns from concept to execution.
• Strong portfolio of visual storytelling across channels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the evolution of Citymeals' visual identity across materials.
• Set brand guidelines reflecting mission and values.
• Act as internal creative lead for agencies and partners.
• Provide strategic creative direction for campaigns.
• Oversee multi-channel assets: social, video, OOH, print.
• Ensure assets optimized for performance and consistency.
• Design scalable templates for volunteer outreach.

Skills

Creative leadership

Brand strategy

Storytelling

Campaign management

Multichannel marketing

Communication

Collaboration

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

Canva

Job description

Location: Midtown Manhattan (Hybrid – 3 days/week in office)
Salary: $120,000 - $130,000 per year + discretionary annual bonus
Reports To: Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Supervises: Editorial Manager

About Citymeals

Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of meals and connection to older New Yorkers in need. Since our founding, we have delivered more than 72 million meals. As we enter our 45th year, we are committed to ending elder hunger in New York City by 2040.

About the Role

As we celebrate 45 years of providing meals and connection to New York City’s older adults in need, Citymeals on Wheels (Citymeals) is deepening its investment in storytelling, brand strategy, and community engagement to strengthen our position as a leading organization serving New York City’s most vulnerable population: older adults. The Creative Lead is a key role within the Citymeals Marketing and Communications team, responsible for shaping and elevating the Citymeals brand's visual identity across all channels and audiences.

This new role requires a highly creative, strategic, and systems-oriented leader who can translate ideas into compelling, high-performing creative assets across digital, print, social, and video. The Creative Lead will play a critical role in strengthening Citymeals’ presence in a highly competitive landscape through emotionally resonant, New York City-centered storytelling that connects authentically with all audiences.

Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, this individual will lead the creative execution of organizational brand and marketing campaigns, oversee creative/editorial staff and agency partnerships, and ensure that all visual assets reflect the Citymeals brand and mission. This role will also be pivotal in implementing a brand refresh in the new calendar year.

This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule, requiring a minimum of three in-person days per week at our Midtown Manhattan office.

Duties and Responsibilities

General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Lead the evolution and execution of a unified, premium Citymeals visual identity across all marketing and communications materials
• Develop and maintain brand guidelines to ensure all creative work reflects Citymeals’ mission, values, and commitment to older adults
• Serve as the internal creative lead and primary point of contact for external creative and media agency partners
• Provide strategic creative direction and actionable feedback to ensure agency deliverables align with Citymeals’ brand standards and organizational goals
• Lead creative development for brand awareness, events, and fundraising campaigns
• Oversee the creation of high-impact, multi-channel marketing assets, including social media campaigns, video storytelling, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, digital advertising, print collateral, and event branding materials
• Ensure creative assets are optimized for platform performance, audience engagement, and brand consistency
• Design scalable “grassroots” templates and tools that support individual and corporate volunteer outreach and recruitment efforts

Storytelling & Content Production

• Partner with internal teams to identify and elevate authentic stories that highlight the lives of the older adults Citymeals serves, the community partners we work with, and the need for continued support
• Translate organizational priorities and campaign goals into compelling visual narratives and creative concepts
• Oversee photography, video, and creative production efforts to ensure high-quality execution across campaigns
• Ensure all creative work demonstrates diversity and reflects the lived experiences of New York City’s older adult community
• Bring a strong understanding of New York City neighborhoods, culture, and audiences to all campaigns and storytelling efforts

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operations

• Partner closely with Direct Response Marketing, Development, Volunteer, and Programs teams to support organizational priorities through creative strategy
• Manage timelines, workflows, approvals, and creative project execution across multiple stakeholders
• Support creative direction and branding for high-profile events, campaigns, and internal communications
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of marketing systems, processes, and creative operations

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in art direction, creative leadership, or brand design roles
• Experience working within a creative agency, mission-driven organization, consumer-facing brand, or high-growth environment
• Proven experience managing creative campaigns from concept through execution across multiple platforms
• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality visual storytelling, campaign execution, and creative leadership
• Deep understanding of digital marketing trends, and audience engagement strategies
• Experience developing creative for New York City-based campaigns, including hyperlocal and multicultural audiences
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as well as internet-based solutions like Canva
• Experience collaborating with photographers, videographers, editors, and production teams
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Knowledge of nonprofit or community-centered organizations is a plus
• Thrives in a collaborative, feedback-driven, and mission-oriented environment with a sense of humor and ability to work with colleagues at all levels

A portfolio is required to be considered for the Creative Lead role. Please submit your portfolio along with your resume as part of your application. Your portfolio should include five examples of work that demonstrate your creative direction, visual storytelling, brand development, and experience bringing creative concepts to life across multiple channels and mediums. Applications submitted without a portfolio will not be considered.

Why Join Citymeals?

• Be part of a mission-first organization with a 45-year legacy of nourishing homebound older adults.
• Work with a passionate, collaborative team that brings together the best of nonprofit impact and culinary excellence.
• Take part in innovative, meaningful events that drive real change in New York City.
• Enjoy robust employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, flexible spending accounts, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, generous paid time off and holidays, commutation and communication stipends, professional development opportunities.

Citymeals on Wheels is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

100% of your donation will be used for the preparation and delivery of meals, thanks to our partnership with the City of New York, Citymeals board members and certain designated grants for administrative expenses.