About the JobAbout the Role:The Director of Visual & Brand Experience leads ABCD & Company's creative division, reporting to the Chief Creative Officer. This role manages a multidisciplinary team of graphic designers, multimedia creatives, and other creative specialists, with accountability for client delivery, creative quality, and day-to-day people management.
The Director of Visual & Brand Experience leads visual direction and brand expression across ABCD & Company's own brand and client work, ensuring creative quality and consistency across campaigns, digital platforms, events, and environments. The director brings that vision to life through clear direction, strong team leadership, and disciplined execution. Success requires sound design judgment, client confidence, and the ability to balance ambitious ideas with scope, budget, and deadlines.
Responsibilities:- Lead creative development from brief through final delivery across brand identity, print, digital and social campaigns, presentations, motion graphics, video, and event graphics.
- Translate client objectives, audience insights, and strategy into actionable creative briefs, compelling concepts, and consistent visual systems across channels and experiences.
- Set daily priorities, assign work based on skills and capacity, and resolve competing demands across accounts in partnership with account, project management, strategy, and events teams.
- Own the division's delivery commitments. Establish review milestones, monitor progress, surface risks early, and resolve issues before they affect quality, budget, or client trust.
- Serve as the senior day-to-day creative partner for clients. Present concepts and design rationale, lead productive feedback discussions, and guide revisions toward agreed objectives.
- Review and approve creative work within delegated authority; involve the Chief Creative Officer at agreed strategic milestones and escalate significant creative, client, or resource decisions.
- Manage direct reports through regular one-on-ones, timely feedback, performance reviews, development plans, and clear expectations. Address performance concerns promptly with leadership and HR.
- Coach designers and multimedia specialists through constructive critique. Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, inclusion, and strong craft while protecting sustainable workloads.
- Partner on hiring, onboarding, and staffing plans. Identify capability gaps and manage freelancers, production partners, and vendors within approved budgets and agency processes.
- Partner with account and project leads on estimates, scopes, schedules, and production budgets. Track planned versus actual effort and flag scope changes for approval before additional work proceeds.
- Maintain quality controls for brand consistency, accuracy, accessibility, cultural relevance, asset rights, and production specifications; coordinate any required client compliance reviews.
- Strengthen briefs, approval workflows, asset libraries, version control, and production handoffs. Apply lessons from project reviews to reduce avoidable revisions and improve delivery.
- Evaluate emerging creative tools, including AI, and guide responsible use consistent with agency policy, client confidentiality, intellectual property requirements, and human quality review.
- Support pitches, proposals, and organic client growth with creative concepts and realistic delivery plans. Partner with marketing and events colleagues to ensure continuity between campaign and live experience.
- Perform other related duties in support of the creative division and agency priorities.
Qualifications:- Typically 8 or more years of progressive experience in graphic design, visual communication, or multidisciplinary creative work, including at least 3 years directly managing creative employees; equivalent demonstrated experience will be considered.
- Proven experience in an agency or comparable environment leading multiple client projects from concept through production, with responsibility for quality, deadlines, resources, and budgets.
- A strong portfolio demonstrating brand systems, integrated campaigns, and work across digital, print, and multimedia or experiential channels. Be prepared to explain your role, team contributions, and results.
- Excellent art direction and design judgment, including typography, layout, visual storytelling, and production. Ability to guide specialists across motion, video, and digital design without personally executing every discipline.
- Demonstrated ability to coach talent, manage performance, delegate effectively, and lead candid, respectful conversations with employees and clients.
- Strong presentation, communication, and commercial judgment, with the ability to explain creative decisions and negotiate practical solutions when priorities change.
- Working proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud and collaborative design tools such as Figma, plus project management platforms and Google Workspace. Ability to assess files and guide efficient creative workflows.
- Understanding of accessible and culturally responsive design, production quality assurance, and responsible use of licensed assets and AI tools.
- Preferred:
- Experience with integrated marketing and events, multicultural audiences, or clients in regulated sectors.
- A degree in design, visual communication, or a related discipline is welcome; equivalent professional experience is equally valued.
Measures of Success:Success is reflected in consistently strong creative work, reliable delivery against agreed scopes and budgets, client confidence, and a team that understands expectations and develops its capabilities. The director and Chief Creative Officer will track delivery reliability, revision trends, project effort, client feedback, and progress against employee development goals.
Work Location & Schedule:- This position is based in our Rockville, Maryland office, with an in-office schedule Monday through Thursday and remote work on Fridays.
- Standard working hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Travel requirements: infrequent
Compensation & Benefits:- Salary Range: $115,000 - $140,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance with 80% employer-paid coverage.
- Pre-tax benefits including a Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care FSA, and Commuter Benefits.
- 14 days of vacation annually, plus one additional vacation day awarded on each work anniversary.
- 14 paid holidays, 10 sick days, and 2 wellness days dedicated to personal well-being.
- Additional paid leave to support important life events, including parental and adoption leave, bereavement, military service, voting, and jury duty.
- Employer retirement contribution match.
- Charitable giving match of up to $500 annually to support causes meaningful to you.
- Access to professional development opportunities, including training programs, certifications, and continuing education resources designed to support career growth.
In-Office Perks & Culture:- Complimentary parking for a stress-free commute.
- Self-service breakfast available to start your mornings.
- Fuel your creativity with access to our snack wall.
- Enjoy complimentary lunch every other Thursday.
- Dress casually on Thursdays.
- Remote work on Fridays.
