Associate Director, Creative

Why DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA. We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter. At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

The Role:

The Associate Director, Creative is a visual visionary who understands that B2B is an opportunity for world-class design, proving that professional audiences deserve high-end visual storytelling as consumers. In this role, you will lead the aesthetic direction for key accounts, ensuring that our clients, ranging from tech giants to industrial innovators, show up with a distinct, premium, and human-centric visual identity. You are a master of visual systems who can bridge the gap between high-level strategic business goals and meticulous execution. You have a deep understanding of performance-driven creative built for growth marketing. You understand social-first creative thinking and the many unique platforms where paid social advertising happens. You’ll manage a team of designers, copywriters, and art directors, pushing them to move past B2B clichés to create work that rivals the best B2C brands in the world.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead the visual narrative for B2B brands, turning technical white papers, complex data, and software ecosystems into engaging, intuitive, and visually arresting campaigns.
• Develop and oversee scalable visual systems, ensuring brand consistency across long-lead buyer journeys, from high-level awareness (film/social) down to mid-funnel conversion (infographics, sales decks, and interactive experiences).
• Partner with creative strategy and media teams to craft compelling performance creative that is driven and informed by not only data, but also creative instincts.
• Guide a team of Art Directors, Copywriters, and Designers, providing craft-based feedback that helps them elevate "corporate" briefs into award-winning creative work.
• Lead the visual side of production, from selecting photographers and directors to overseeing color grading, retouching, and motion design, ensuring the final product matches the original creative vision.
• Act as the visual lead on new business efforts, shaping the design language for B2B pitches and flagship projects that win over C-suite stakeholders.
• Lead the visual side of production, overseeing photography, motion graphics, and video shoots to ensure B2B content feels modern, high-end, and authentic.
• Partner with Strategy and Copy teams to ensure that visual metaphors and layouts effectively communicate ROI, trust, and innovation to a professional audience.
• Establish and evolve design standards to ensure that all B2B deliverables meet the highest bar for clarity, craft, and professional impact.

What You Bring:

• 5+ years of experience in art direction or design, with a proven track record in the B2B space (agency, in-house, or related field).
• Showcase an ability to make complex products or services feel accessible and visually compelling across integrated platforms.
• Deep understanding of performance creative best practices and various paid social marketing platforms.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior-to-mid-level creatives and the ability to manage multiple workstreams for diverse business units.
• An understanding of the B2B landscape, knowing how to design for professional audiences on LinkedIn, at industry events, and through complex digital ecosystems.
• Expert knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite; experience with Figma or Canva for collaborative B2B sales tools is a major plus.

What Do We Offer?

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our benefits package:

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave

We Support You Being You:

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step. DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work. Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place. DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Coach, eBay, and OpenAI. Learn more about DEPT®.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion:

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us. Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

Key skills/competency:

• Art Direction
• Visual Storytelling
• B2B Marketing
• Performance Creative
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Figma
• Team Leadership
• Design Systems
• Campaign Development
• Motion Design