Creative Director - Marketing and Communications

ArtCenter College of Design is searching for an experienced Creative Director - Marketing and Communications to join our team.

The salary range for this position: $120,000.00 - 126,000.00

Salary Disclaimer: The official salary range for this position is the range posted on the ArtCenter College of Design Careers website. ArtCenter is not responsible for inaccurate or unauthorized salary information published by third-party job boards. Hourly positions are based on a 35 hour work week.

Final salary is based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.

About ArtCenter
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education and has had an international reputation for its rigorous, transdisciplinary curriculum, faculty of professionals, strong ties to industry, and commitment to socially responsible design. ArtCenter is a private nonprofit fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Every position at ArtCenter plays an important part in carrying out the cultural values, goals, strategic vision, and mission of the College. This includes upholding and cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

The Marketing and Communications division leads the development and execution of ArtCenter College of Design’s brand, marketing, and communications initiatives. Through strategic storytelling, creative content, and integrated marketing efforts, the division promotes awareness of ArtCenter’s distinctive educational experience, creative excellence, and impact. Working collaboratively across the College, the division develops and delivers compelling communications, campaigns, and experiences that support institutional priorities and engage key audiences, including prospective and current students, alumni, donors, trustees, faculty, staff, and educational and industry partners. The division serves as a steward of the ArtCenter brand, ensuring that communications and visual expressions are consistent, effective, and aligned with the College’s mission and values.

Reporting to the Interim Lead Marketing and Communications/AVP, Communications and Media, the Creative Director leads the creative vision, visual identity, and brand expression of ArtCenter College of Design while serving as a hands-on creative practitioner responsible for developing and producing high-quality creative work. This role provides strategic leadership for the College’s brand and creative initiatives while actively contributing to the design and execution of marketing and communications materials across print, digital, social, video, environmental, and emerging media channels.

As the College’s lead creative authority and brand steward, the Creative Director establishes and evolves creative standards, leads integrated campaign development, and ensures all visual communications advance institutional priorities and reflect ArtCenter's reputation for creativity and excellence.

Essential Functions

Creative Leadership, Brand Stewardship and Design Execution — 55%

• Lead the creative vision and visual expression of the College’s brand across all marketing and communications initiatives
• Serve as the College’s lead creative authority and brand steward, establishing, evolving, and governing visual identity standards, design systems, and creative frameworks
• Develop integrated creative concepts, campaigns, and visual solutions that support enrollment, advancement, fundraising, institutional reputation, and strategic priorities
• Design and produce creative assets and marketing materials across print, digital, social media, environmental, presentation, and emerging channels as needed
• Provide creative leadership for ArtCenter website, ensuring web content, user experience (UX) and visual design align with College brand identity and strategic priorities
• Lead major brand and marketing initiatives from concept through implementation and evaluation
• Provide creative direction and quality oversight for all visual communications to ensure consistency, accessibility, and alignment with institutional objectives
• Collaborate with writers, strategists, photographers, videographers, and campus partners to develop integrated storytelling and audience engagement initiatives
• Present creative concepts, recommendations, and rationale to leadership and stakeholders

Strategic Partnership and Project Leadership — 25%

• Serve as a strategic advisor on brand strategy, creative direction, audience engagement, and market positioning
• Partner with Marketing, Communications, Enrollment, Advancement, and institutional leaders to align creative efforts with organizational priorities
• Manage multiple concurrent projects, balancing strategic initiatives, production demands, timelines, and available resources
• Champion creative processes, workflows, and project management practices that improve efficiency, quality, and stakeholder experience
• Leverage audience insights, research, and performance data to evaluate effectiveness and identify opportunities to strengthen brand engagement through innovative storytelling and creative problem-solving

Team, Vendor and Administrative Leadership — 15%

• Provide leadership and oversight for assigned staff including hiring, onboarding, guiding performance effectiveness, coaching, and learning and professional development
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and creative leadership to design staff, student workers, freelancers, and external creative partners as applicable
• Manage relationships with external vendors, agencies, and production partners, including oversight of scope, budget, and quality
• Participate in departmental planning, budgeting, hiring, and resource allocation
• Contribute to divisional initiatives, committees, and special projects as assigned
• Follow and enforce ArtCenter policies, including safety protocols. Implement policies and procedures as needed to guide effective practices

Non-Essential Duties — 5%

• Monitor and stay current on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices across design, branding, marketing, and creative leadership to continually strengthen the College’s creative presence and effectiveness
• Participate in professional organizations, conferences, and development opportunities as appropriate
• Serve on College committees, task forces, and special initiatives as requested
• Other duties as assigned

This is a full-time position with a schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. The position is eligible for flexible scheduling and can be performed, remotely, hybrid or combination or required as a condition of employment.

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Advertising, Fine Arts, Marketing, or a related field from an accredited college or institution
• Minimum of 8 years of professional creative experience, including at least 5 years leading creative projects, campaigns, or teams

• Strong portfolio showcasing brand development, integrated marketing campaigns, visual storytelling, and measurable organizational or business impact
• Demonstrated expertise in concept development, visual design, art direction, and creative execution across multiple channels, including digital, print, social media, video, and environmental design
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and other industry-standard creative tools, with the ability to execute work at a professional level
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite and collaboration tools
• Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining brand systems, visual identity standards, and creative governance processes
• Proven ability to translate organizational goals, audience insights, and marketing objectives into compelling creative solutions
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on creative production and project execution
• Experience managing and directing external agencies, freelancers, photographers, videographers, illustrators, and other creative partners
• Strong presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence decision-making and build consensus across diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex creative initiatives from concept through execution, balancing strategic priorities, operational demands, and resource constraints
• Experience using research, audience insights, and performance data to inform creative strategy and evaluate effectiveness
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment into workplace practices within ArtCenter's diverse communities
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field from an accredited college or institution
• Experience in higher education, enrollment marketing, advancement, fundraising, or other mission-driven organizations
• Experience working in both agency and in-house creative environments
• Experience leading brand refreshes, major institutional campaigns, or organizational transformation initiatives
• Working knowledge of accessibility standards and best practices for digital and print communications

Diversity Statement
ArtCenter is fully committed to fostering a culture that values diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging not only in vision but in practice. Our path forward is predicated on our belief that multiple points of view, life experiences, ethnicities, cultures and belief systems are essential to academic and creative excellence. We strive to learn more about difference while respecting the rich diversity in our world, attending to important questions about racial injustice and decolonizing our curriculum. Our campus environment must be vigilant in supporting the full participation of students, faculty, and staff of every race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, socioeconomic status and political viewpoint.

Equal Opportunity Employer
ArtCenter is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants on the basis of race (including hair texture and protective hairstyle), color, religion (includes religious dress and grooming practices), sex/gender (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and/or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (genetic characteristics, cancer, or a record or history of cancer), military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental and physical, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and genetic characteristics), genetic information, request for family care or medical leave, age (over 40), criminal background (Fair Chance Act), reproductive health decision-making, off-duty and off-premises cannabis use, or any other actual or perceived characteristic protected by applicable state or federal law. Equal employment opportunity is extended to all persons in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including without limitation, recruitment, hiring, upgrading, learning and professional development, promotion, compensation, benefits, leave of absence, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall and termination. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the operations of ArtCenter and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of ArtCenter. Applicants who wish to request an accommodation for a disability may contact the Office of Employee Experience and Engagement at (626) 396-2470.

Applicant Rights (Prior Cannabis Use)
ArtCenter will not request information from an applicant relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis. ArtCenter will not use information obtained from a criminal history about an applicant or employee’s prior cannabis use, unless ArtCenter is permitted to consider that information under applicable law.

Employment At-Will
All employment with ArtCenter is for an unspecified term and is “at-will.” Employees are free to resign at any time, with or without reason, and with or without prior notice. Similarly, ArtCenter has the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without prior notice. This “at-will” employment, which includes the College’s right to transfer, discipline, demote, or change the conditions of employment with or without cause and with or without prior notice, cannot be modified, amended or waived by any oral or implied agreement, and may be modified or altered only by an express individualized written employment agreement signed by both the employee and the College president

ArtCenter Employees have a Mandatory Duty to Report
All employees who know or have reason to know of allegations or acts that violate ArtCenter’s Title IX Policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking shall promptly inform the , Title IX Administrator/Coordinator or designee, or the Dean of Students or designee. Faculty, who have a mandatory duty to report, are required to disclose all information including the names of the parties, even where the person has requested their name remain confidential.

Pursuant to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), all employees who know of or have reason to suspect child abuse or neglect involving alleged victims under age 18 shall promptly inform local law enforcement or the county welfare department.