Global Creative Director, GQ

Condé Nast; New York (NY); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Condé Nast's GQ seeks a Global Creative Director to guide the visual identity across print, digital, video, and live events. Based in New York, you will lead the photography and design teams for GQ U.S.

and mentor visuals teams of international editions. Reporting to the Global Editorial Director, you will drive aesthetic consistency and ambitious creative across all platforms, collaborating with editors, fashion editors, and agents worldwide.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a creative role.
• Strong management experience; inclusive leadership.
• Strong portfolio across print, editorial, video, social and brand work.
• Ability to lead multiple projects under tight deadlines.
• Diplomacy and collaboration between the creative and editorial teams.
• Proactive approach to representing the brand and including all team members.

Responsibilities

• Oversee global creative direction and elevate GQ’s visual presence on all platforms.
• Express a cohesive brand aesthetic across print, digital, video, social, and brand extensions.
• Direct a global team of visuals editors, designers, producers, and photo researchers.
• Lead collaboration with editors, social, and video to turn ideas into compelling visual narratives across channels.
• Maintain relationships with photographers, directors, fashion editors, agents, and producers worldwide.
• Collaborate with editors and writers to showcase GQ’s journalism across platforms.
• Oversee cover shoots and talent-related stories and videos.
• Help establish innovative design standards for the magazine including covers and features.
• Coordinate with the Global Design Director to define graphics, typography, and photo layouts.

Skills

Creative leadership

Portfolio management

Executive collaboration

Team mentoring

Deadline-driven

Job description

Since 1957, GQ has inspired its readers with unparalleled coverage of style, fashion, culture, news, politics, and more. From award-winning journalism and feature writing to unforgettable photography, videos and live events, GQ creates cultural conversations around the world.

Job Description

Location:

New York, NY

Global Creative Director, GQ

Location: NYC

Reporting to: Global Editorial Director Adam Baidawi

Overview

GQ is a global authority on style, culture, and modern masculinity, reaching millions of readers across print, digital, video, social, and emerging platforms. As part of Condé Nast’s global network, GQ covers culture through a distinctive lens—one that blends authority, curiosity, style, wit, and a deep understanding of the conversations shaping modern life. GQ is seeking a Global Creative Director to guide the visual identity of the brand across all platforms. Reporting to the Global Editorial Director, this role will oversee the photography and design teams for GQ U.S., and provide guidance to the visuals teams of GQ’s international editions. This role will work closely with the Global Editorial Director to drive aesthetic consistency and ambitious creative across print, digital, social, video, live events, and everywhere else that GQ lives.

The ideal candidate is a creative omnivore who keeps a finger on the pulse of cultural and aesthetic shifts, constantly staying connected to emerging trends to bring fresh, ambitious ideas to the brand. They are a natural collaborator who brings new editorial ideas to the table and consistently elevates existing ideas, both large and small, across the entire GQ brand. Beyond this forward-thinking mindset, they are highly organized, consistent, and possess deep experience managing and mentoring teams of creative professionals. This is an in-office position based in New York, reporting to the Global Editorial Director

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee creative direction for the title globally and elevate GQ’s visual presence on all platforms
• Expressing a cohesive brand aesthetic and identity across print, digital, video, social, and brand extensions through images, type, and all other design components
• Creative direct a global team of visuals editors, designers, producers, and photo researchers
• Act as a leader, mentor, strategic thinker and storyteller who can collaborate with editors, social, and video staff to turn ideas into compelling visual narratives utilizing social media, video, digital, print and experiential activations
• Come with, and maintain, excellent relationships with photographers and directors, fashion editors, agents, and producers throughout the industry, globally
• In collaboration with editors and writers, leverage creative assets to showcase GQ’s journalism across platforms—whether an expansive talent portfolio, a reported political story, a styled fashion shoot, or a revealing profile
• Work collaboratively with fashion editors, Condé Nast’s talent group, and editors to conceptualize and oversee cover shoots and other talent-related stories and videos
• Help create innovative design and standards for the magazine, including covers and features
• Work with GQ’s Global Design Director to establish graphics, illustrations, typography, and photo layouts, and visual identity systems across the brand’s contents, platforms, and touchpoints
• Work with the Global Director of Editorial Operations to manage production workflow, schedules, and budgets
• Provide clear creative direction and timely/helpful feedback to improve creative processes to keep work on budget and schedule
• Work with the commercial marketing team and senior editorial leadership to streamline GQ visual identity across go-to-market materials
• Help maintain the brand’s creative identity across live events, podcasts, film and television projects, books, and all other brand extensions

Requirements

• 10+ years in a creative role.
• Strong management experience; a thoughtful, inclusive approach to running teams and ability to lead and manage teams effectively.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating excellent design and/or visuals skills, both creative and technical, across multiple platforms including print editorial, video, social, digital, and brand work.
• Leader-like collaboration, communication, and organizational skills, with an ability to manage many projects simultaneously under tight deadlines.
• Strong diplomacy skills as the intermediary between the creative team, the editorial team, and other stakeholders.
• Exhibit a strong, proactive way of working to ensure the best representation of the brand and inclusion of all team members throughout the process.

The expected base salary range for this position is from $225K - $275K. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to relevant skills, training, experience, and education.

In addition to salary and a generous employee benefits package, successful candidates may also be eligible to receive discretionary bonus compensation.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics.