VP Creative Director

Syneos Health; Santa Monica (CA); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical advertising agency in Santa Monica is seeking a VP, Creative Director to set the creative vision and elevate standards. This role involves leading a talented team and fostering client relationships in the pharmaceutical advertising space. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in pharma advertising, with a strong portfolio and skills in digital strategy. This hybrid role welcomes West Coast remote candidates and offers a competitive salary range of $200k to $210k.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in pharma advertising, with at least 5 years in a senior management role.
• Must have launch experience.
• Deep understanding of clients' business.
• Proven success in strategic concepting.

Responsibilities

• Provide creative leadership and set standards for excellence.
• Present groundbreaking creative work to clients.
• Partner with clients to develop effective strategies.
• Mentor and manage a cross-functional creative team.

Skills

Creative leadership

Concept development

Client relationship management

Digital strategy

Mentoring

User Experience (UX) design

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Updated: April 2, 2026
Location: Santa Monica, CA, United States
Job ID:15046

Are you a creative visionary who inspires and leads with a clear direction? GSW Santa Monica is seeking a VP, Creative Director to set our creative vision and elevate our standards. In this role, you will be responsible for leading a talented team, pushing creative boundaries, and fostering strong client relationships. If you are passionate about creating groundbreaking work in the pharmaceutical advertising space, we want to hear from you.

This is a hybrid role for those in the Los Angeles area (2 days/week in our Santa Monica office). We are also open to remote candidates located on the West Coast. Please note: We are not considering candidates from the East Coast at this time.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide creative leadership and set the standard for excellence for the entire brand.
• Present and champion groundbreaking creative work, selling ideas internally and to our clients.
• Partner with clients to develop powerful and effective creative strategies and solutions.
• Mentor and manage a cross-functional creative team, ensuring timely delivery and fostering professional growth.
• Oversee the financial health of client relationships, from contracts to billing.
• Participate in new business pitches to help drive agency growth.

What You'll Bring

• A powerful portfolio that demonstrates strong conceptual ability.
• 10+ years of experience in pharma advertising, with at least 5 of those years in a senior management role.
• Must have launch experience.
• A deep understanding of our clients' business and a passion for delivering best-in-class creative solutions.
• Expertise in current communication technologies and media channels, with a strong emphasis on digital strategy.
• Proven success in strategic concepting and a history of contributing to business development.
• Excellent mentoring, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• User Experience (UX) design training or experience is a plus!

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $200k to $210k. The base salary range represents the anticipated low and high of the Syneos Health range for this position. Actual salary will vary based on various factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. In addition, some positions may include eligibility to earn commissions/bonus based on company and / or individual performance.

Syneos Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, marital status, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status and will not be discriminated against. If you are an individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to complete any part of our application process, including the use of this website, please contact us at: Email: [email protected] One of our staff members will work with you to provide alternate means to submit your application.