Freelance Creative Strategist (Full-Time: Hybrid, on-site 2 days per week)

Complex; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a Creative Strategist to craft compelling pitch decks for innovative brand opportunities. In this dynamic role, you'll leverage cultural insights and audience data to create engaging narratives that resonate with clients and drive revenue. You'll collaborate with various teams to ensure that brand proposals are not only creative but also profitable. Join a passionate team committed to redefining the shopping experience while staying at the forefront of youth culture and digital trends. This is your chance to make a significant impact in a fast-paced environment where creativity meets strategy.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in brand/creative strategy within media or advertising.
• Strong proficiency in presentation tools and visual storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Create engaging pitch decks aligned with brand objectives.
• Own P&L for pre-sale campaigns, ensuring profitability.

Skills

Brand Strategy

Creative Strategy

Visual Storytelling

Cultural Insights

Presentation Design

Writing and Storytelling

Time Management

Tools

Keynote

PowerPoint

Google Slides

Figma

Job description

Company And Culture

Created in 2002 by Marc Eckō, Complex is a leading global youth entertainment network showcasing the evolution of major pop culture categories, including streetwear and style, music, sneakers, and sports. Complex is a juggernaut in the content and culture space, delivering unprecedented global reach.

Complex is the world’s definitive cultural commerce, content, and experiential platform. We have created an all-new operating system built for the next generation, seamlessly integrating discovery, inspiration, community, and shopping. The company represents an expansion of the original vision with a deep understanding of convergence culture and its impact on contemporary society.

Whether through video, long-form editorial, or social content, Complex tells stories that engage dynamic conversation with our communities. Our internet-breaking cover stories document the heroes of culture and take them to the next level through product collaboration and shopping.

Complex has become experts in creating immersive environments at our IRL experiences and cultural events. ComplexCon is our flagship festival bringing together the world’s most influential brands and artists for an unforgettable weekend of style, sneakers, art, design, food, music, inspiration and more.

Join us to help redefine the way people shop, while building a global marketplace that moves at the speed of culture. Complex is committed to building a high performing team that is passionate about what they do and the communities we serve.

Everyone at Complex truly believes in the company and its mission; it’s a requirement for working here. There is synergy within the teams that make Complex what it is, a well-oiled machine. Employees are at the forefront of the company's success because every one of us is given the opportunity to provide suggestions, feedback, and direction.

The Creative Strategist is a key pre-sale role within Complex’s Brand Partnerships team, responsible for crafting compelling pitch decks that showcase innovative brand opportunities for advertisers. From major tentpole events like ComplexCon to custom content programs and digital-first initiatives, this role requires a unique blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and business acumen. The Senior Creative Strategist will leverage cultural insights, audience data, and market trends to develop ideas that resonate with brands and consumers alike—while ensuring programs are positioned for profitability through detailed P&L management. This is a high-impact, client-facing role that helps drive revenue by transforming big ideas into tangible, buyable opportunities for advertisers.

Who You Are

• 5+ years of experience in brand strategy, creative strategy, or a related field within media, advertising, or entertainment.
• Strong proficiency in Keynote, PowerPoint, and/or Google Slides, with an understanding of visual storytelling. Figma proficiency a plus.
• A deep knowledge of youth culture, digital media, branded content, and emerging creative trends.
• A strategic thinker with a sharp creative sensibility and an eye for presentation design.
• A strong writer and storyteller, able to translate big ideas into concise, visually engaging narratives.
• Adept at synthesizing cultural insights, audience data, and creative concepts into compelling brand stories.
• Experienced in crafting high-budget brand proposals, campaign strategy decks, and internal vision documents.
• Highly detail-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership and pride in delivering polished, high-quality work.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment where priorities shift quickly.
• Exemplary at managing your own time and competing priorities and deadlines.
• Familiarity with the Complex brand voice and tone.

What You'll Do

• Create engaging, client-ready decks that translate brand objectives into culturally relevant creative concepts, ensuring alignment with client KPIs and Complex’s editorial voice.
• Create dynamic pitch decks that showcase new event concepts, sponsorship opportunities, and branded content programs that advertisers can buy into to reach and engage with our audience.
• Own the creation of pre-sale campaign P&Ls, ensuring profitability by tracking hard costs and margins across all experiential, content, and commerce programs.
• Stay on top of cultural, digital, and social trends—particularly within youth culture—and apply these insights to inform creative recommendations.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Production, and Editorial teams to ideate and package brand opportunities that feel authentic to Complex’s audience and relevant to clients’ goals.
• Uphold the highest standards for presentation design and narrative flow, collaborating with the Creative Director to maintain consistency and quality across all materials.

$8,000 - $10,000 a month

The Pay Range, which consists of salary and commission, for this position is listed. Actual pay will vary based on factors including, but not limited to location, experience, and performance.

We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of the job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some incumbents assigned to the job to perform a different combination of duties.

Complex participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.