Senior Creative Director

01 FirstDay Foundation; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstDay Foundation is seeking a Creative Director to elevate our visual identity and communications across print, digital, and events. You’ll lead creative strategy, shape brand narratives, and work hands-on in design, photography, and video to support our mission and stakeholders worldwide.

You’ll manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, collaborative nonprofit environment, ensuring quality, consistency, and impactful storytelling that resonates with donors, partners, and communities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in creative leadership or related field.
• Experience with both print and digital media and ability to manage branding projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop creative strategies and manage visual communications across multiple channels.
• Lead the creation of print and digital materials including brochures, reports, and web content.
• Supervise branding standards and maintain brand consistency.
• Collaborate with teams, clients, and vendors to deliver high-quality outputs.

Skills

Creative leadership

Brand strategy

Visual storytelling

Project management

Client service

Presentation skills

Photography

Video production/editing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing/Communications/Graphic Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

WordPress/Webflow

Figma

Front-end design (UI/UX)

Job description

Academic Requirement

Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Fine Arts, Communications, Graphic Design, or related field

Position Summary

The Creative Director is a dynamic, highly creative professional who helps shape and elevate the visual identity, brand presence, and communications of FirstDay Foundation and its affiliated nonprofit organizations. Working within the Marketing, Branding, and Communications (MBC) team, the Creative Director translates strategic goals into compelling visual experiences and communications across print, digital, web, social media, video, photography, and other platforms. This role offers an exciting opportunity to combine creative leadership, strategic thinking, and technical expertise in support of organizations making a meaningful difference in communities locally and around the world. The ideal candidate is both a visionary creative thinker and a hands‑on designer and is someone who can develop a big‑picture creative concept while also bringing the details to life. The Creative Director thrives in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment, manages multiple priorities with confidence, and consistently delivers polished, accurate, and engaging work.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in creative leadership, graphic design, branding, marketing, advertising, communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years experience working in an advertising agency, creative agency, or other fast‑paced communications environment where client service is required.
• Demonstrated experience developing client reports, proposals, presentations, strategic documents, or similar professional communications.
• Strong portfolio showcasing creative direction, graphic design, branding, and visual storytelling.
• Professional experience designing for both print and digital/web environments.
• Demonstrated experience with video production, videography, and editing.
• Experience with professional photography and photo editing.
• Experience designing, developing, and maintaining websites.
• Strong understanding of branding principles, visual identity systems, typography, layout, color, and design best practices.
• Exceptional attention to detail, including strong proofreading and quality‑control skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Strong project management, organization, and multitasking abilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with a variety of teams, clients, vendors, and creative professionals.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and meet deadlines in a high‑energy environment.
• Genuine passion for nonprofit organizations and a commitment to advancing mission‑driven work.

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
• Experience in front‑end website design and development, with knowledge of UI/UX design, homepage customization, responsive layouts, and visual content presentation.
• Proficiency in tools and technologies, such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite and website content management systems such as WordPress or Webflow.
• Ability to create visually appealing, accessible, and user‑friendly website experiences while maintaining brand consistency and optimizing usability across desktop and mobile devices. Emphasis on front‑end design and presentation rather than back‑end software development.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with WordPress and/or NetCommunity is a plus.
• Familiarity with current digital marketing, social media, advertising, and communications platforms.
• Knowledge of contemporary photography, video, editing, and production tools.

Work Experience

The Creative Director leads the organization’s creative vision and brand strategy, developing compelling visual and storytelling initiatives that advance FirstDay Foundation’s mission and engage donors, partners, volunteers, and the broader community. The Creative Director must have a strong working knowledge of business branding and imaging theories and practices. Excellent graphic design and proofing skills are essential (minimum 8 years of professional design experience in print and web are required). This position works in a high‑energy office that balances multiple creative projects taking place at one time that impact FirstDay Foundation operations worldwide.

Essential Functions and Measurable Deliverables

• Collaborate with MBC team members and organizational leadership to develop creative strategies that support FirstDay Foundation and its affiliate organizations.
• Develop creative concepts and produce high‑quality visual communications for marketing, public affairs, fundraising, events, and community outreach.
• Lead the development of compelling print and digital materials, including brochures, reports, presentations, forms, advertisements, e‑blasts, social media content, and other communications.
• Create and maintain visual identities and brand standards, ensuring consistency across all communications and platforms.
• Design, develop, and update websites and digital content as needed.
• Produce engaging graphics and visual content for social media and digital campaigns.
• Plan, capture, produce, and edit photography and video content to support organizational storytelling and communications.
• Collaborate with internal teams, clients, vendors, photographers, printers, developers, and other creative partners to ensure successful project execution.
• Coordinate production, printing, distribution, and assembly of marketing and communications materials.
• Review and proof creative materials for accuracy, quality, consistency, and adherence to brand standards.
• Contribute to strategic planning, client presentations, proposals, reports, and other communications documents.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards for creativity, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Stay informed about emerging trends in design, branding, digital communications, advertising, social media, and nonprofit marketing.
• Provide creative and communications support for special events and other organizational initiatives, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Other Responsibilities

• Provide communications support for events, as appropriate.

If you like to work with people that believe they can make a difference in the world, this is the company for you!

Mandated Language Requirement

English (United States)

EEO Statement

In accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable federal and state laws (e.g., the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity and treat all employees equally regardless of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, or any other classification made unlawful or prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws, such as age, citizenship status, veteran or military status, or disability. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Posted at Self-Label

#LI-Art / Creative #LI-Director #LI-Full-time

About FirstDay Foundation

FirstDay Foundation is a charitable foundation created to provide philanthropic grants, management and governance services to nonprofit organizations doing good work in local communities and across the globe. Our goal is to elevate and enhance the work nonprofits are doing to serve children, families and communities in need. Making good, greater.

Repeat EEO Statement

In accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable federal and state laws (e.g., the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity and treat all employees equally regardless of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, or any other classification made unlawful or prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws, such as age, citizenship status, veteran or military status, or disability. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination.