Creative Director Job Description Template (Free, 2026)

Job Title: Creative Director Department: Marketing / Creative / Brand Location: [City, State] / Hybrid / Remote Reports To: CMO / VP of Marketing / CEO Employment Type: Full-Time About [Company Name] [Company Name] is a [stage] company in the [industry] sector with [X] customers and [$X] ARR. Our creative function is [nascent and being built / established and scaling / undergoing strategic refresh]. We believe that design and creative quality are meaningful competitive differentiators. About the Role We are looking for a Creative Director to lead our in-house creative team and own the visual and conceptual output across [brand, marketing, product design, content — specify]. You will set the creative vision, lead a team of [X designers, writers, video producers — specify], manage our agency-of-record relationship, and ensure that every creative output reinforces our brand positioning and drives measurable business outcomes. This is a leadership role with both strategic vision and hands-on influence. Key Responsibilities • Define and champion the creative vision, brand aesthetic, and design system across all touchpoints • Lead, coach, and grow a creative team of [X] including [designers, writers, motion, video — specify] • Own creative output across [marketing campaigns, brand, product design, social, events — specify] • Manage agency-of-record and freelance relationships, setting briefs, reviewing work, and maintaining quality • Partner with marketing, product, and executive leadership to align creative strategy with business objectives • Drive the annual brand creative strategy including campaign themes, visual refresh, and messaging evolution • Establish and maintain creative processes: briefing, review cycles, asset management, and brand governance • Present creative strategy and campaign concepts to executive leadership and board • Set and manage the creative team's project pipeline and resource allocation • Build a culture of creative excellence, constructive feedback, and continuous improvement Required Qualifications • 8+ years of creative experience with 3+ years leading creative teams in an in-house or agency context • A strong portfolio demonstrating leadership across multi-channel campaigns and brand systems • Fluency in design principles, visual hierarchy, typography, and brand system architecture • Proven ability to lead creative teams through ambiguous briefs to exceptional outputs • Experience managing external agency relationships and creative budgets of $[X]+ • Strong executive communication skills: ability to present and defend creative decisions with business rationale Nice to Have • Hands-on design skills in Adobe Creative Suite or Figma (even if no longer primary day-to-day work) • Experience building a creative function from scratch at a high-growth startup • Background spanning both digital and print / experiential media • Experience with brand strategy or repositioning projects What We Offer • Salary: $100,000 – $175,000/year (see benchmarks below) • Health, dental, and vision insurance • Flexible PTO and [X] paid holidays • Annual creative budget for tools, conferences, and team development • Equity / stock options • Executive-level influence over how the company presents itself to the world • A genuinely talented creative team to lead and grow Salary Range: $100,000 – $175,000/year (US, 2026 benchmark; exact offer based on experience and scope) [Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team.