What are the responsibilities and job description for the Creative Director position at Christianity Today?
Description
The Creative Director is a central strategic and creative leader who partners closely with the Chief Creative Officer to translate Christianity Today’s (CT) creative vision into cross-platform execution. This role sits at the intersection of brand strategy, creative direction and team leadership, ensuring that CT’s visual identity and creative output are excellent, cohesive, and forward-looking.
The Creative Director leads a multidisciplinary design team, partners strategically with editorial, marketing, mission advancement, and advertising teams, and plays a key role in maintaining brand cohesion in all the design work, bridging vision and execution.
Functions and Responsibilities
Creative Vision & Brand Stewardship
- Partner with the CCO and director of product design to define, evolve, and articulate CT’s creative vision across all mediums
- Ensure the creative vision is translated into accessible brand standards that support all designers in executing the visual expression of CT’s brand, leading to consistency and excellence across all touchpoints
- Champion cross-platform storytelling and develop design systems that support scalable, unified creative work
- Lead regular creative reviews to maintain high standards of quality and alignment with organizational goals
Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Directly manage most of the design staff. Ensure their development as designers and creatives.
- Co-Lead with the director of product design to mentor a multidisciplinary design team (print, digital, production, junior designers), cultivating a collaborative and high-performing creative culture
- Provide creative direction and feedback to internal designers and external contributors (illustrators, photographers, studios)
- Partner closely with operations and project management teams to ensure priorities, timelines, and resources align with strategic objectives
- Act as a creative integrator across departments—bridging design, editorial, marketing, mission advancement and advertising to ensure cohesive storytelling and brand experience
- Responsible for adhering to monthly and yearly budgets for design department. Also for maintaining partnerships with regular contractors
Audience Insight & Innovation
- Collaborate with audience development, editorial, and marketing teams to ensure creative initiatives are informed by audience insights and market fit
- Engage with research, analytics, and performance data to identify opportunities for innovation, design evolution, and new creative formats
- Stay informed on trends in media, design, technology, and consumer behavior, applying insights to CT’s creative strategy
Direct & Design
- Direct art and design for print, online, and various other projects
- Execute design on select projects as needed/desired
- Perform additional job-related duties as assigned
Requirements
Experience:
- 10 years of experience in publishing, creative strategy, product development, or media innovation roles.
- Background in editorial design, branded content, marketing strategy, or creative operations is highly necessary.
- Demonstrated success guiding cross-functional creative projects from ideation through execution.
- Proven ability to lead through influence in a matrixed or collaborative team environment.
- Experience working with branded content, advertising, and sponsored campaigns is preferred.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Strong editorial and visual judgment with an instinct for storytelling, brand voice, and design systems.
- Skilled at translating vision into actionable strategy, aligning diverse stakeholders, and driving creative execution.
- Insight into trends in media, design, technology, and consumer behavior.
- Familiarity with publishing workflows, audience development strategies, and emerging media platforms is preferred.
- Comfortable presenting creative concepts and strategies to internal and external stakeholders is preferred.
Employment Details
- CT headquarters are located in Wheaton, Illinois
- Work Location: Remote
- Type: Full time, 37.5 hour workweek
- Classification: Salaried, Exempt FLSA status
- Benefits: CT offers a comprehensive benefits package - check out our careers page to learn more
Exact compensation may vary based on experience, skills, and location.
Salary : $92,000 - $96,000