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.

Creative Directors at AKQA inspire and lead our creative teams to deliver world-class work. The CD guides—through feedback, coaching, mentorship, and hands-on participation—a team of designers, copy writers, and art directors to develop the strategic concept, design direction, and visual expression for digital products, design systems, brand campaigns, and multi-platform experiences. The CD also works in collaboration with the heads of Strategy, Operations, and Client Services to ensure we are making a difference to consumers’ behavior, with a focus on unexpected creativity, visual distinction, and the innovative use of technology and media. 

Candidates for this position must be based in Los Angeles and on-site collaboration will be expected at least part-time. Our Los Angeles studio offers team members the opportunity to produce meaningful work for world-class companies and institutions in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. 

 

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Act as a beacon for creative excellence, inspiring colleagues and ensuring that we always deliver world-class creative work.
• Work with strategists to establish strategic approach and creative insight for a given assignment. 
• Guide creative team to set the concept and design direction throughout the duration of a project.
• Operate as both a hands-off leader, and a hands-on team-member, depending on the requirements of a given project.
• Act as a Career Manager, guiding creatives of all levels within AKQA. Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins. Write and deliver annual performance reviews. On-board new employees and encourage their growth and success throughout their tenure at AKQA.
• Work in conjunction with Client Services to actively build strong relationships with clients.
• Contribute to growing breadth of business with existing clients.
• Lead new business pitches by acting as the person responsible for the ideas and the creative work and for articulating a compelling story to prospective clients. 
• Foster a culture of curiosity and commitment, of pride and proactivity, of respect and resourcefulness within our studio. 

 

QUALIFICATIONS 

• An extensive portfolio of distinctive work that demonstrates conceptual thinking, a highly developed editorial eye, and the ability to craft visual projects with care, brand-appropriate perspective, and aesthetic refinement across creative disciplines, including art/photo direction, copywriting, campaign concepting, graphic/brand design, user experience design, film and motion design, and environmental/physical experience design. 
• A track-record of pushing boundaries and crafting memorable, world-class projects.
• Fluency with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), presentation tools (Keynote, Google Slides), and collaboration tools (Figma, Miro, G-suite, Zoom, Teams, etc.). 
• Candidates with the ability to extend their skill set through 3D modeling, editing, motion graphics, illustration, or programming tools will be strongly considered.    
• 12+ years of professional design experience, with significant leadership experience within an agency or relevant creative organization.
• Strong ability and experience with leading, directing, and managing a group of cross-disciplinary teams.
• Exceptional communication skills: verbal, written, and interpersonal.
• A profile exhibiting thought leadership and engagement in a creative/cultural field.
• Solid understanding of design processes and production methods across various media (print, digital, motion, spatial).  
• A solid understanding of the marketing industry at large; an ability and a desire to learn and adapt to changes in the technological landscape.
• BFA/MFA in Graphic Design or a related field is preferred.

AKQA is an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe that diversity is vital to AKQA’s ability to provide our clients with the best recommendations and are committed to fostering a varied and inclusive work environment. Your race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

 

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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.—$125,000—$295,000 USD