THE ROLEWe're looking for a Creative Director to lead our Performance Design department - a team that sits at the intersection of creative craft and performance marketing. This is not a traditional Creative Director role. In this role, you will often wear two different "hats". You'll be equally responsible for the strategic & financial direction of the department and the day-to-day development of the people and work within it. You'll inherit a team with strong momentum, an established methodology, and a clear positioning - and your job is to scale it.
This role reports to senior leadership and manages the full Performance Design team, including designers, project management, and motion contractors.
Creative Leadership & Output- Own the creative vision and quality standard for the Performance Design department
- Ensure all work meets both craft and conversion benchmarks - great looking and built to perform
- Review and elevate creative across paid social, display, video, and landing page formats
- Build systems and workflows that help support excellent creative output for our clients both internally and externally.
- Ensure we're running campaigns vs. ads
- Ensure we are testing & learning
- Partner with Directive senior leadership to develop our unique and ownable creative process that supports DiscoverabilityOS
People Management & Team Development- Lead, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary team of designers and motion contractors
- Set clear expectations, foster accountability, and build a culture where creative people do their best work
- Identify growth opportunities for team members and actively invest in their development
Strategy & Client Partnership- Partner closely with paid media and client success teams to ensure the creative is data-informed from the start
- Represent the department in new business pitches, cross-sell opportunities, and client conversations. While you will not be client-facing from a day-to-day perspective with our clients, you will be expected to meet with them monthly during leadership meetings to discuss quality & results.
- Articulate the value of Performance Design as a strategic capability, not just an execution function.
Financial Ownership- Own and manage the department P&L - helping to make all budgeting decisions around staffing, tech investments, and other investments for the department.
- Monitor margins, manage resourcing decisions with financial impact in mind, and ensure the department operates as a profitable, scalable business unit with monthly revenue targets and direct margin goals.
AI & Technology Integration- Lead adoption of AI creative tools across the team
- Identify where emerging technologies can sharpen output and improve efficiency
- Build AI into real production workflows - not just as a proof of concept
WHAT YOU OFFERExperience & Background- 5+ years in creative roles within performance marketing, paid media, or growth-focused agency environments
- Proven track record in managing creative teams and balancing creative quality with business outcomes
- Comfortable presenting department strategy and financial projections to VPs and CMOs, just as much as reviewing a creative brief
Business Acumen- Strong understanding of how a creative department operates as a business
- Direct experience managing or having visibility into P&L, margin, and resourcing decisions
- You think like an owner and make decisions with financial impact in mind
AI & Tools- Hands-on experience with AI creative tools - generative image, AI-powered video, design analytics, or similar
- Knows how to integrate AI into real production workflows, not just demo it
- Experience with platforms like EyeQuant, Creatify, or Superside is a plus
Communication & Stakeholder Management- Strong communicator with executive presence who can translate creative thinking into business language
- Track record of building trust with both creative practitioners and senior leadership
What Success Looks Like:In the first 90 days, you've built strong relationships across the team and key internal stakeholders, identified gaps in methodology and workflow, and begun making your mark on the department's output.
Within six months, you're running the department with full confidence - driving creative quality, owning margin targets, making smart resourcing decisions, and positioning Performance Design as a competitive differentiator in new business conversations.
WHAT WE OFFER- We have a set living wage at Directive; The annual base salary range for this position based in the US is $160,000-$185,000 USD. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on Directive's compensation practices, job related skills, and depth of experience.
- Medical, dental, vision plans, disability, and life insurance coverage for you and your family that fit your lifestyle
- Including a 100% employer-paid plan for you and a 50% employer contribution for your dependents
- Benefits to Support the Whole Person:
- Mental - Access to certified therapists through Spring Health, membership to Headspace
- Physical - Physical therapy through Omada, fertility support through Carrott, thousands of Aaptiv virtual workouts, complimentary One Medical membership for primary and virtual care
- Time Off - Unlimited PTO (2-week minimum), Paid Company Holidays, Your Birthday Off, End of Year Recharge (Closed December 24 - January 1), Paid Parental Leave
- Financial - Traditional and Roth 401(k) with a 3% company match
- Bonus - Annual bonus based on tenure, which scales in total amount over time
WORK ENVIRONMENTDirective is a remote-first company. This role operates 100% virtually from your home office. We collaborate through Zoom and Slack. You will need a reliable setup, high-speed internet, and a professional working environment capable of running Adobe Creative Suite and video production software without interruption.
We accommodate global candidates in markets where Directive has established business operations, including Canada, Mexico, and the UK. Current, permanent work authorization in that country is required. Due to the nature of this role, you must be able to remain stationary for extended periods, operate design and video software on Mac or PC, and observe and interpret written and verbal communication consistently. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities - contact [redacted].
