Creative Director

hi there, we're amika. a friend to hair, hairstylists, her, him, them, + you. amika means friend in the language esperanto and is a symbol of our belief in the power of community + the beauty of diversity.

brooklyn-born + salon raised: where creativity + culture is a way of life. we're a collective of creatives, hairstylists, chemists, + product enthusiasts that like to bend the rules.

we created 11 collections for every hair type, texture + style - all hair is welcome.

the job

as the Creative Director you will be responsible for guiding all projects as well as the overall quality of work produced by the creative department. you will be responsible for leading the design team, developing creative guidelines and directing creative work both internally and externally.

location: brooklyn, NY (Hybrid in-office/work from home schedule, with 3-4 mandatory trips per year to HQ in Brooklyn, NY which are paid by company) you will be required to be onsite for photoshoots.

salary: $200,000 + benefits

what you'll do

• Collaborate with the SVP Marketing, Brand President and CCO to develop thoughtful, innovative omnichannel creative content and campaigns in line with brand strategy and business objectives
• Build the creative strategy and lead development of innovative creative content for a brand that stands for fun, effective, inclusivity and clean
• Effectively balance creative strategy and execution with a hand-on approach to concepting, art direct pre-production & content capture in order to deliver compelling creative storytelling across all omnichannel platforms.
• Partner closely with Marketing to understand creative needs to support overall brand strategy and activation from new launches to evergreen campaigns.
• Ensure a high level of excellence in concept, design, photographic art direction, supervision of retouching, supervision of production, and campaign execution to ensure consistency and cohesiveness.
• Lead the Creative Ideation and Development of Campaign concepts from briefing to final release, supporting a full consistent 360 activation lens for every new product launch and promotion (Digital, Print, Point of Sale, Experiential, Out of Home)
• Oversee vendors including photographers, directors, illustrators, animators and external agencies to help bring all new campaigns to life
• Be hands on in talent resourcing, development and relationships/communications with outside agencies that we partner with
• Collaborate with the Creative Operations Director & Senior Creative Producer to ensure all creative deliverables are executed on time & in budget
• Maintain brand differentiation by staying true to the brand values and strategy yet staying up to date and infusing the work with beauty, fashion, music, art and other cultural movements - in other words, know who we are but keep it fresh
• Optimize amika's Brand Guidelines and work with the team to ensure all ongoing projects remain consistent to the approved look and feel; partner with in-house design team & outside agency partners to maintain a high level of design and creative excellence and consistency across all brand touchpoints from digital to in-store
• Lead and mentor the in-house creative design team while closely partnering with marketing and e-comm teams to create content that proves to be effective and engaging
• Create content with an understanding of the marketing funnel; ability to leverage existing data, metrics, and campaign learnings to inform the creative work and pivot when needed; partner with marketing team to continually optimize content and align with key stakeholders across all levels of the organization
• Stay on top of consumer and industry insights as well as market intelligence
• Develop direct reports: challenge them to create their best work, motivate, mentor, assist in goal setting, provide development opportunities and performance feedback
• Lead with positivity; continually uphold our culture of teamwork and collaboration

must haves

• 10+ Years Beauty / fashion experience is strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of digital-first creative content best practices across the entire consumer journey
• Must have proven track record of building & driving 360 creative content across DTC, Social & Retail Point of Sale & leading Creative teams in a fast-paced environment
• Diversified portfolio demonstrating a unique/differentiated/elevated/boutique point of view
• Keen aesthetic sensibilities and a talent for building desire around a brand or product through creative content, especially through motion video
• Expert knowledge of brand systems, typography, layout. A rich cultural library both current and historical from which to draw inspiration and to teach and inspire a young team of Creatives
• Proven experience creating compelling content and storytelling on social media
• An audience-first mindset. Ability to translate consumer research and insights into effective creative strategies and designs
• Must genuinely enjoy working with & teaching young designers & mentoring them
• Proven history of building, leading and motivating a team to create their best work by nurturing, inspiring and challenging

additional job requirement: this job position requires in-person work as stated above, and therefore as company policy, you must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. proof of vaccination will be requested before your first in-person work assignment.

ready to apply?

please click the link that will bring you to our careers page through Greenhouse. Submit a cover letter describing yourself and why you'd be the perfect fit along with your resume.