
Creative Director, Paid Social
Ethos · United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $266,000 / year
- United States
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Job highlights
- Lead paid social creative strategy and execution.
- Develop scroll-stopping, conversion-driving ad concepts.
- Manage and mentor a creative team.
- Utilize performance data for creative inspiration.
- Champion AI adoption for creative acceleration.
About the role
About Ethos
Ethos is a leading life insurance technology company on a mission to protect families by democratizing access to life insurance and empowering agents at scale. With its robust three-sided technology platform, Ethos is transforming the life insurance experience for consumers, agents, and carriers alike. Ethos offers instant, accessible products and a seamless online process that requires no medical exams and just a few health questions; it eliminates traditional barriers, making it easier than ever for everyone to protect their families. Ethos is redefining how life insurance is bought, sold, and underwritten.About The Role
There's a category that's been doing things the same way for over a hundred years. We're here to change that. Most creative directors don't dream about performance marketing. We're looking for the one who does. The one who gets genuinely excited by the question: why did that ad work? This isn't a role for someone who wants to set a vision and step back. It's for the rare CD who thinks in tests, moves fast, loves seeing their work tied directly to real results, and still has the creative ambition to push into territory no one in this category has explored yet. This role has one core mandate: make our paid social creative breakthrough. You'll have significant ownership over creative strategy and execution across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, UGC, and influencer content, and you'll play a key role in shaping where the creative goes next. This role reports into the VP of Creative & Brand.Duties And Responsibilities
- Own the creative strategy and execution for paid social across Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, from concept through production and delivery
- Develop hooks, formats, and concepts that stop the scroll and drive conversion — you understand the mechanics of direct response creative and you're constantly pushing the work further
- Drive UGC and influencer/creator partnerships, developing briefs and frameworks that produce content that feels native and converts
- Give sharp, specific, actionable feedback that elevates the team's output and moves work forward fast
- Stay deeply in tune with what's working across our paid social channels, using performance data as a source of creative inspiration, not just a scorecard
- Stay current on platform trends, competitor creative, and where the industry is heading — you bring that intelligence back to the team before everyone else catches up
- Champion AI adoption across the team to accelerate concepting, production, and creative iteration
- Lead and develop a team of two video editors, two ACDs, and a Senior Designer
- Build the frameworks and processes that let a lean team produce quality work at volume
- Manage external production partners and agency relationships as needed
Qualifications And Skills
- 10+ years in creative direction with a strong portfolio of paid social and direct response video creative
- Deep expertise in performance creative at scale, including UGC, influencer content, and DR formats across Meta, TikTok, and YouTube
- You understand hooks, scroll-stopping formats, and what drives conversion, and you can articulate the specific craft decisions that make the difference
- Fluent in the distinct language and culture of each platform — you don't treat Meta, TikTok, and YouTube as the same brief with different dimensions
- Proven ability to give feedback that is sharp, fast, and elevating — you make the work better without slowing it down
- Experimentation mindset: you've worked closely with performance or growth marketing teams on testing frameworks and know how to use data to inspire creative direction without letting it replace creative instinct
- Experience managing and developing a small creative team including editors, designers, and ACDs
- AI-native: you're already using AI tools in your workflow across concepting and production and can demonstrate the workflows you've built
- Strong design and art direction background with sharp copy instincts — you can look at a frame and know immediately what's wrong visually, and you can write a hook that stops the scroll
Key skills/competency
- Creative Direction
- Paid Social Strategy
- Performance Marketing
- Video Production
- UGC & Influencer Marketing
- Direct Response Creative
- Team Leadership
- AI in Creative
- Creative Strategy
- Art Direction
Skills & topics
- Creative Director
- Paid Social
- Performance Marketing
- Direct Response
- Video Creative
- Social Media Marketing
- UGC
- Influencer Marketing
- Creative Strategy
- Team Leadership
- Meta Ads
- TikTok Ads
- YouTube Ads
- AI
- Ethos
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight paid social, direct response video, and team management experience. Quantify achievements with performance data.
- Showcase your portfolio: Emphasize your paid social campaigns, UGC, and influencer content successes across Meta, TikTok, and YouTube.
- Understand performance marketing: Be ready to discuss how you use data to inspire creative and drive conversion.
- Prepare for behavioral questions: Demonstrate your leadership, feedback style, and AI adoption experience.
- Research Ethos: Understand their mission to democratize life insurance and their innovative approach.
Technical preparation
Master paid social ad platforms (Meta, TikTok, YouTube).,Develop compelling hooks and direct response formats.,Build frameworks for UGC and influencer content.,Experiment with AI tools for creative iteration.
Behavioral questions
Describe how you use data to inspire creative.,How do you give sharp, actionable feedback?,How have you led and developed a creative team?,Share your experience with AI in creative workflows.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the salary range for a Creative Director, Paid Social at Ethos?
- The US national base salary range for this full-time Creative Director, Paid Social position at Ethos is $150,000 - $266,000. This range is determined by role, level, and location, and does not include bonus, equity, or benefits.
- What are the primary responsibilities of the Creative Director, Paid Social at Ethos?
- The Creative Director, Paid Social at Ethos will own the creative strategy and execution for paid social across Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, focusing on developing scroll-stopping concepts that drive conversion. This includes managing UGC and influencer partnerships, providing feedback, using performance data for inspiration, championing AI adoption, and leading a creative team.
- What kind of experience is required for the Creative Director, Paid Social role at Ethos?
- Ethos requires over 10 years of creative direction experience with a strong portfolio in paid social and direct response video. Deep expertise in performance creative at scale, including UGC, influencer content, and DR formats across Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, is essential. Experience managing creative teams and a strong background in design and art direction are also key.
- How does Ethos use data in their creative process for paid social?
- At Ethos, performance data is viewed as a source of creative inspiration, not just a scorecard. The Creative Director, Paid Social is expected to stay deeply in tune with what's working across paid social channels and use that intelligence to inform creative strategy and drive further innovation.
- What is Ethos's approach to AI in creative development for this role?
- Ethos actively champions AI adoption across the creative team. The ideal candidate for the Creative Director, Paid Social role will be AI-native, already using AI tools in their workflow for concepting and production, and capable of demonstrating effective AI-driven workflows.
- What kind of team will the Creative Director, Paid Social lead at Ethos?
- The Creative Director, Paid Social at Ethos will lead and develop a lean but talented team of two video editors, two Assistant Creative Directors (ACDs), and a Senior Designer. The role also involves building frameworks and processes for this team to produce quality work at volume.
- How can I ensure my application stands out for the Creative Director, Paid Social position at Ethos?
- To make your application stand out for the Creative Director, Paid Social role at Ethos, ensure your resume highlights your direct response creative success and leadership experience. Your portfolio should clearly demonstrate your ability to create scroll-stopping, high-converting paid social content across platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. Be prepared to discuss your data-informed creative process and your experience with AI tools.
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