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Creative Director

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At AKQA, we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

Creatives at AKQA apply artistry and craftsmanship to strategic insight to create and bring to life beautiful ideas that move the world. Skilled storytellers and conceptors, they work in a multidisciplinary environment to develop labors of love that delight customers and deliver results for clients.

Creative Directors play essential roles in the strategy, conception and design of beautiful ideas, products and services. They bring exceptional creative thought and craft output, developing and delivering projects from brief to end user.

Creative Directors at AKQA approach every brief with fresh eyes. Avoiding familiar solutions, the Creative Director generates useful, usable ideas across all existing and emerging platforms. Creative Directors create and inspire work that is distinctive, effective and truly remarkable.

AKQA offers our staff the opportunity to produce meaningful work for world-class companies in one of the world’s most vibrant and beautiful cities.

Responsibilities

Direct. Directs the effort to develop creative concepts and implementations in a cross-disciplinary manner. Works with planners and strategists to establish strategic and creative approaches for a given assignment.
Creative craft skills. Sets creative direction and strategic guidance throughout the duration of client team projects. Displays a cohesive understanding, and ability to execute.
Concepting. Leads, develops, and inspires the team to innovate thinking and solutions through strong process and methodology.
Presenting. Construct and craft a compelling narrative to effectively communicate creative work both internally tp the team and externally to client.
Leadership. Sets the Tone on professional standards for the team and the department. Inspires and leads by example, evangelizes and represents AKQA externally through various leadership opportunities, conferences, speaking and writing engagements. Leads and manages 30+ creatives on an on-going basis.
Mentoring. Acts as a Career Manager, guiding creatives of all levels within AKQA, including regular one-on-one check-in’s, writing and delivering annual performance reviews and takes responsibility for on-boarding new employees and guiding him/her through a successful tenure at AKQA.
Relationship. Works in conjunction with the Client Services team to actively build a strong relationship with a given client. Contributes significantly in growing breadth of business with existing clients.
New business development. Creatively leads new business pitches. Is responsible for the ideas and the creative work, and articulating a compelling story.

Role Requirements

An excellent portfolio
A minimum of 12 years’ experience in the creative industry
Proven track record supporting clients in the premium consumer technology and electronics category
Strong track record for managing $10 – 20MM of business per year
Exceptional communication skills: verbal, written, interpersonal and inter-departmental
Thoughtful leadership; a strong point of view; ability to contribute to strategic development
Strong ability and experience in leading, directing and managing a group of cross-disciplinary teams
Detail oriented and has the ability to multi-task across multiple workstreams
Dynamic Presenter
Understanding of digital media as well as the marketing industry at large; an ability and a desire to adapt to the changing landscape of technology
Act as a creative partner for other cross-department relationships such as with Strategy and client services. Ability to establish and maintain strong, dynamic client relationships
Track record of winning pitches and awards

Qualities and Characteristics

You have an award-winning portfolio of digital work that demonstrates high quality art direction, storytelling and a clean, contemporary design aesthetic within a variety of campaigns and projects for website launches, site redesigns, email marketing, mobile experiences, and digital product launches
You have a breadth of cultural reference points
You have a drive to break boundaries and craft the best ideas in the world of their kind
You are fearless, boundlessly creative and relentlessly attentive to detail

Preference given to candidates located in or willing to relocate to the SF Bay Area; all candidates must be able to work West Coast hours.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. Explore our extensive range of benefits here.

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$100,000—$230,000 USD

Explore our extensive range of benefits here.

We believe great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in-office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

AKQA is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

Average salary estimate

$165000 / YEARLY (est.)

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$100000K

$230000K

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What You Should Know About Creative Director, AKQA

Join AKQA as a Creative Director and be a pivotal part of a dynamic team in San Francisco, California! At AKQA, we embrace the imaginative fusion of art and science to deliver stunning products and services that captivate users and yield stellar results for our clients. As a Creative Director, you will not just oversee projects; you’ll guide the conception and execution of groundbreaking ideas that challenge the norm. Your days will be filled with collaboration, where you’ll partner with strategists and planners to craft compelling narratives and innovative solutions across digital platforms. With a collaborative spirit, you will mentor a diverse team, ensuring each member’s creativity flourishes, all while steering multiple projects towards success. We're looking for someone with impressive communication skills who can present ideas compellingly and lead a team of over 30 creative talents with inspiration and vision. You’ll have the rare opportunity to cultivate strong client relationships and drive new business initiatives that enhance our offerings. If you have 12 years of experience in the creative arena and an award-winning portfolio that showcases your trendsetting approach to premium consumer technology, we want to see your work! Embrace the challenge of reshaping the creative landscape at AKQA, where your bold ideas will be valued and nurtured in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Join us, and let’s create remarkable experiences together.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Creative Director Role at AKQA

What are the responsibilities of a Creative Director at AKQA?

As a Creative Director at AKQA, your responsibilities include directing creative concepts and implementation, collaborating with planners to establish strategic approaches, and setting the creative direction throughout client projects. You will also lead and inspire your team, craft compelling narratives for presentations, manage large teams of creatives, and mentor emerging talent within the organization.