AVP, Creative Director - Color WowL'Oréal USA - Professional Products Division | New York, NY (Hybrid)The RoleWe are seeking an AVP, Creative Director to lead the visual and conceptual identity of Color Wow, a brand with immense cultural ambition and distinct architectural needs. This is not an agency role; you will not "pitch" to a client. Instead, you will co-create alongside marketing and digital partners, sharing a P&L and an equal seat at the table.
In our global organization, ideas navigate complex layers of executive review before reaching the market. Success here requires a rare hybrid of conceptual brilliance and "organizational fitness": the ability to build deep trust with non-creative peers while defending the integrity of an edgy idea.
The Operating EnvironmentYou will lead a team of three as the senior creative voice across the brand.
You will partner directly with Brand Presidents and senior stakeholders. Decisions here are high-pressure, non-linear, and rarely made by a single person. If that complexity energizes you, you'll thrive.
Who This Role Is For- A Matrixed Leader: You have led creative teams within a complex corporate structure. You understand that "The Process" is not an obstacle to the craft. It is the craft.
- A Business Collaborator: You treat marketing partners as co-conspirators, not clients. You speak the language of growth and performance, using that fluency to strengthen your creative positions.
- A Battle-Tested Manager: You have real "reps" in people leadership. You've mastered the art of the hard conversation, made exit calls, and coached high-potential talent through difficult seasons without becoming a bottleneck.
- A Multi-Hyphenate Thinker: You are equally fluent in 30,000-foot brand platforms and the granular realities of production at scale.
- A Cultural Scout: You have a working understanding of how beauty, music, fashion, and internet subcultures intersect. You know which trends are signals and which are just noise.
What the Work Actually Looks LikeIn place of a generic list of duties, here are the situations you will navigate weekly. If these scenarios sound like a welcome challenge, you are the right candidate:
- Navigating Revisions: Guiding a partner through a third round of concept revisions so the work comes out sharper, not flatter.
- The "Presidential" Room: Defending a creative stance to a Brand President while genuinely integrating their pushback. You know when to pivot and when to hold the line.
- Direct Feedback: Giving in-the-moment, "kind-but-clear" feedback to a direct report whose work is missing the mark, and following through with accountability if it doesn't improve.
- End-to-End Execution: Leading everything from global hero films and retail vision to packaging direction and in-salon activations.
- High-Status Diplomacy: Sitting across from a difficult partner and finding the version of the conversation that moves the work forward rather than escalating the tension.
- Future-Proofing: Partnering with the SVP to evolve our capabilities in in-house production and AI-augmented workflows.
The Team and the BarYou will lead a core team of 2 direct reports across Art Direction and Video/Photo. You are accountable for their growth, performance, and the ultimate quality of their output.
The standard for the work is:
- Resilience: Concepts that survive heavy review without losing their "edge."
- Craft Fluency: The ability to credibly direct film, photography, design, and emerging digital formats.
- Modern Sensibility: A curious, unafraid approach to AI and how it can sharpen our creative pipeline.
- Cultural Point of View: A clear stance on what is happening in the world and why it matters to our brands.
Qualifications- 8+ years of creative direction experience, including meaningful time inside a global matrixed organization (CPG, beauty, fashion, luxury, or equivalent).
- Demonstrated experience managing creative teams of 4+ direct reports, including performance management.
- A portfolio that shows both conceptual range and the ability to scale ideas across a full campaign ecosystem.
- Strong, current point of view on the beauty and broader cultural landscape.
- Comfort presenting and defending work to senior executives.
Practicalities- New York, NY (Hybrid). Some of the most important work happens in the room.
- Travel for shoots and on-location work as needed.
- Authorization to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent, ongoing basis is required. No immigration support/sponsorship offered for this role.
- Being present in the office three days a week is considered an essential function of all office-based roles for eligible full-time employees.
What's in It for You?- Salary range: $147,100 - $213,300, based on work experience, education, and skill level
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Paid parental leave
- Hybrid work environment
