Temporary Creative Director, Art

Daniel J. Edelman Holdings; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Edelman is seeking a Temporary Creative Director, Art who thrives at the intersection of culture, creativity, and the internet. You will lead culturally relevant, social-first campaigns for major consumer brands with a strong visual point of view and earned mindset.

You're chronically online, understand zeitgeist, and can turn timely insights into ideas that spark conversation. You’ll collaborate across creative, strategy, social, and talent teams to deliver bold work.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead art direction and conceive culturally relevant campaigns.
• Experience turning cultural moments into media-worthy concepts.
• Strong eye for visual storytelling across platforms.
• Ability to present ideas clearly to clients and cross-functional teams.
• Deep understanding of social platforms and audience engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of culturally relevant, social-first campaigns for major brands.
• Translate trends in fashion, entertainment, and internet culture into concepts.
• Provide distinctive art direction across campaigns, shoots, and digital experiences.
• Collaborate with talent, entertainment teams, and creators to bring ideas to life.
• Develop creative that sparks conversation and audience participation.
• Move between large campaigns and fast social executions.
• Lead presentations and guide work through feedback and execution.
• Collaborate across creative, strategy, social, earned media, talent, and account teams.

Skills

Art direction

Creative leadership

Social-first campaigns

Cultural awareness

Presentation of concepts

Job description

About the Role

Edelman is looking for a Temporary Creative Director, Art who lives at the intersection of culture, creativity, and the internet.

We're looking for someone who knows what people are talking about before it makes its way into a trend report. Someone who follows fashion, entertainment, music, creators, celebrity culture, and the conversations shaping social media-and knows how to turn those cultural moments into creative ideas that get people talking.

You're chronically online, in the best possible way. You understand the zeitgeist because you're genuinely part of it.

In this role, you'll lead the development of culturally relevant, social-first, and integrated creative campaigns for major consumer brands. You'll bring a strong visual point of view, sharp creative instincts, and an earned mindset to work that connects brands with the conversations people actually care about.

We're not necessarily looking for the biggest traditional agency portfolio. We're looking for someone with exceptional taste, cultural curiosity, and the ability to turn a timely insight into an idea worth sharing.

Who You Are

You're a culturally connected creative leader with a strong art direction background and a passion for making work that entertains, engages, and earns attention. You understand what makes people stop scrolling, why certain creators resonate, and how brands can participate authentically in cultural conversations.

You can think big and execute quickly, moving comfortably between integrated campaigns, talent-led productions, and smart, reactive social ideas. You bring a distinct creative perspective, confidence in your decisions, and a collaborative approach that makes the work and the people around you better.

What You'll Do

• Lead the development of culturally relevant, social-first, and integrated creative campaigns that connect consumer brands with audiences through entertainment, conversation, and shared experiences.
• Translate emerging trends across fashion, music, television, celebrity, creators, and internet culture into compelling creative concepts and visual storytelling.
• Bring a strong art direction perspective to campaigns, content, shoots, talent-led creative, and digital experiences, ensuring work is visually distinctive and strategically grounded.
• Identify opportunities for brands to collaborate with relevant creators, celebrities, and cultural voices, partnering with talent and entertainment teams to bring ideas to life.
• Develop creative that is designed to earn attention, spark conversation, and encourage audiences to engage, share, and participate.
• Move seamlessly between larger integrated campaigns and fast-moving social executions, recognizing when a simple, timely idea can deliver meaningful impact.
• Lead creative development and presentations, confidently articulating ideas, making decisions, and guiding work through feedback, refinement, and execution.
• Collaborate across creative, strategy, social, earned media, talent, and account teams to deliver ambitious work while fostering an inclusive, supportive creative environment.

Basic Qualifications

• At least 8 years of experience in creative roles within advertising, marketing, communications, or integrated agency environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading art direction and conceptual creative development across social-first and integrated campaigns.
• A strong portfolio showcasing culturally relevant creative work, original thinking, and a distinctive visual point of view.
• Experience developing and presenting creative concepts, leading multidisciplinary teams, and guiding work from initial idea through execution.
• Strong understanding of social platforms, digital content, and how audiences engage with brands and culture.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience creating culturally relevant campaigns for consumer, retail, fashion, lifestyle, or entertainment brands.
• Deep familiarity with emerging creators, entertainment trends, internet culture, and social behaviors, with the ability to translate insights into original creative ideas.
• Experience developing creative concepts involving celebrities, influencers, creators, or entertainment partnerships.
• Strong visual storytelling and art direction skills across photography, video, social content, and integrated campaigns.
• An earned-first creative mindset, with experience developing ideas that generate conversation, participation, and organic attention.
• Ability to balance ambitious creative thinking with agile, resourceful execution across varying production budgets and timelines.
• Experience independently leading client presentations, navigating feedback, and guiding creative decisions.
• A collaborative leadership approach that values different perspectives, adaptability, and creative problem-solving.

An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, travel requirements, revenue-based metrics, any contractual agreements, and business or organizational needs. The range listed is just one component of DJEH's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, a Paid Time Off policy, and region-specific benefits.

DJEH offers a wide range of benefits: medical and dental insurance, vision, 401K, life insurance, disability insurance, paid time off, travel assistance and wellness programing.

DJEH is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and believes in diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek applications from all qualified candidates without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, military and veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. If you require a reasonable accommodation in any part of the employment process, please let us know.