Executive Creative Director, Games

About the Opportunity:

Shutterstock Studios seeks a visionary Executive Creative Director to lead and drive the creative strategy for our Gaming Division. Reporting directly to the Senior Director, 3D & immersive Studios, the Executive Creative Director will spearhead innovative campaigns, establish Shutterstock Studios as a leader in game development, and set new standards for creativity within the gaming industry. This role is both strategic and hands-on, requiring a deep understanding of the gaming market, live-service games, and interactive entertainment.

The Day to Day:

Creative Vision & Strategy

• Lead and shape the creative direction for the Gaming Division, crafting compelling brand identities, marketing strategies, and campaign concepts that resonate with global gaming audiences.

• Develop creative strategies based on cultural insights, audience behavior, and business objectives.

• Act as the primary creative voice for our games, ensuring consistency and quality across all channels and platforms.

Team Leadership & Development

• Manage and inspire a multidisciplinary creative team, including, but not limited to, Game Directors, Art Directors, Game Capture Artists, Designers, and UX Specialists.

• Mentor team members to foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation, encouraging bold thinking and continuous learning.

• Set and track departmental goals, ensuring alignment with Shutterstock Studios' broader vision and values.

Campaign Development & Execution

•  Oversee the conceptualization and production of high-impact, integrated campaigns across paid, earned, shared, and owned channels, ensuring alignment with brand goals and player expectations.

• Partner with Marketing Strategy, Analytics, and Production teams to ensure on-time, on- budget delivery of world-class creative assets.

• Lead ideation sessions, encouraging a collaborative approach to generate transformative and culturally relevant campaign ideas. 

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Serve as a connector across teams, building high-profile, collaborative relationships with Marketing, Production, Strategy, and Analytics teams.

• Partner with external creative agencies and partners, ensuring Shutterstock’s creative vision is communicated effectively and projects are delivered to the highest standards.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

•  Act as the creative ambassador for the Gaming Division, leading high-stakes presentations to senior executives, partners, and clients.

• Collaborate with business development and account teams to identify growth opportunities and expand client relationships through strategic pitches and impactful creative work. 

Innovation and Process Optimization

• Drive continuous improvements in creative processes, from workflow efficiency to project onboarding and resourcing.

• Leverage emerging technologies, including AI-driven tools and data analytics, to create groundbreaking gaming experiences and storytelling techniques.

• Develop training and process improvements to build a team equipped to produce industry-leading creative work.

Champion for DEI & Sustainability

•  Foster an inclusive work environment, promoting Shutterstock Studios’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within all creative work.

• Engage with teams to ensure campaigns are culturally resonant and accessible to diverse audiences. 

What you’ll bring to the role:

• Experience: 15+ years in the creative field, with at least 8-10 years in a senior leadership role within gaming, entertainment, or a related industry. Proven success in driving innovative campaigns for AAA titles or live-service games.

• Creative Vision: Exceptional conceptual thinker with a portfolio showcasing award- winning work across digital, experiential, and interactive mediums.

• Leadership Skills: Strong track record in leading and mentoring creative teams, with the ability to elevate talent, processes, and strategic thinking.

• Communication: Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills, adept at pitching creative concepts and leading discussions with executives, partners, and stakeholders.

• Technical Knowledge: Proficient understanding of creative workflows, gaming production processes, and tools. Experience with AI-enhanced creative workflows is a plus.

• Strategic Mindset: Ability to develop high-impact campaigns that align with brand goals, business objectives, and audience insights.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

 Why Shutterstock:

• You have a direct impact on the success of the company. Your team’s work matters and is essential to the evolution of our core business!

• Executive leadership cares personally. They prioritize growth and planning your career path with your goals and passions in mind.

• Flexibility to work between home and office with everything you need to be successful in both

• A generous and competitive benefits package.

Shutterstock connects diverse artists and creative professionals around the globe with the agencies, brands and people who need their work and services. It’s a place where creators come to be inspired and discover new ways to produce their best work.

Shutterstock enables its employees to drive culture and tap into the world around them to develop the toolbox and solutions that help others share their world views. At Shutterstock, your ideas will be welcomed, your uniqueness will be celebrated, and you will be  supported in presenting your view of the world as you  experience it. We’re champions of resiliency;  quickly learning from our shortcomings in our pursuit of continuous growth.

Diverse teams are critical to our success. We encourage people from different backgrounds to apply and we commit to creating and maintaining a culture where employees know they belong and have equal opportunities to succeed.

At Shutterstock, we are committed to providing competitive pay and benefits that are in line with industry standards. The compensation package offered may vary depending on employment experience, skills, and knowledge. You may also be eligible for our generous benefits package including health, wellness and financial benefits. Compensation ranges for candidates in locations outside of the location(s) below may differ based on the cost of labor, market, and additional factors.
 
The pay range for this position is below:

Note: Commission-eligible roles are expressed as on-target earnings (base and commission). Non-commission roles are expressed as base salary only but are also eligible for annual incentives.

Shutterstock Values

We are one team collectively focused on creating an unrivaled experience for our Customers and Contributors. Our Values represent the mindset of the employee who will thrive at Shutterstock.  If you are passionate about what you do, and want to become part of a cutting-edge technology company building industry leading products, please apply.

Shutterstock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Suitably qualified and eligible candidates are encouraged to apply  regardless of age, color, disability, national origin, ancestry, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Shutterstock ensures that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.  Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, accommodation_request@shutterstock.com.

The referenced salary range is based on the Company’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level.