Director, Creative Strategy
Jack Morton Worldwide · San Francisco Bay Area
- On site
- Full-time
- $150,000 / year
- San Francisco Bay Area
Job highlights
- Lead creative strategy for key automotive accounts.
- Develop and sell impactful brand experiences.
- Partner with executive-level clients.
- Stay embedded in culture and translate insights.
- Mentor and develop strategists on the team.
About the role
Director, Creative Strategy - Culture & Lifestyle Marketing
At Jack Morton, we create and build head-turning, smile-inducing, impact-driving brand experiences. We exist to redefine what experiential can achieve, helping clients unlock the full value of experiences. This takes a team that’s bold, curious, and acts as one - building on ideas, pushing boundaries, and showing up for each other. Here, you’ll do your best work, grow fast, and collaborate across clients, disciplines, and global teams to bring new ideas to life. This is a place where curiosity drives what’s next, boldness raises the bar, and we win together. Where ownership is expected, egos are left at the door, and the work reflects the people behind it. Experience without limits — in your work, your growth, and your impact.
Note: Must be willing to work hybrid in one of our local offices.
About the Role
As the Director, Creative Strategy, you are a leader in our idea-generating, strategic-thinking, problem-solving team. You will lead strategic thinking on key automotive accounts, helping deliver work that is best-in-class and drive our business forward with every project and opportunity.
How You’re Wired
You’re one-part business consultant, one-part creative strategist. You’re able to quickly provide deep insights and sparks of inspiration that are culture-popping and uniquely actionable. You’re a constant and trusted partner to your account, creative and production colleagues who help bring our concepts and campaigns to life. Equally important, you are a critical and trusted partner to our clients – a leader, a problem-solver and a provocateur who can read the room. You’re a confident communicator who knows when and how to push on ideas and perspectives, with the singular goal of developing remarkable solutions that deliver on our clients’ business objectives. Most importantly, you’re passionate about and conversant in culture, media, entertainment and a variety of lifestyle interests that inform the many communities our clients want to engage.
What You'll Be Doing
- Function as the cultural engine of the account by proactively surfacing ideas, talent/influencers, and moments before clients ask for them.
- Build and sell concepts from the bones up: identify the opportunity, construct the rationale, and bring clients along for the ride.
- Partner with executive-level clients, including CMO-level stakeholders, with the confidence to challenge, inspire, and move them toward bold decisions.
- Stay deeply embedded in culture (social platforms, live events, emerging talent, brand partnerships) and translate that awareness into actionable opportunities.
- Understand how experiential and live moments can be engineered for social and digital amplification, and build ideas with that intersection in mind.
- Mentor and develop strategists on the team, modeling what great culturally-driven thinking looks like.
- Roll up your sleeves as lead strategist on projects, on accounts, and across new business.
What Might Also Help
- 10+ years in marketing, agency-side experience (PR/social media/digital marketing/influencer marketing) strongly preferred - you know how to develop and sell ideas to clients.
- A portfolio of concepts and campaigns is required: we want to see your ideas, understand your role in bringing them to life, and see the results they drove.
- A cultural thought leader, not a category specialist. We're looking at talent with experience pitching and executing ideas to big name brands; deep auto experience is decidedly not the goal.
- Someone who leads with ideas, not frameworks.
- Fluent in the influencer ecosystem, social platforms, and how live experiences can be built to break through digitally.
- From Intern to Chief Marketing Officer, comfortable communicating with clients of all levels at an organization.
- Exceptional communicator, presenter, and collaborator who believes the best idea wins, regardless of where it comes from.
Diversity & Inclusion
Jack Morton is an equal opportunity employer; we strongly value diversity at our companies. We do not discriminate on race, religion, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.
We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at jobaccomodations@jackmorton.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.
Job Scam Alert
We have recently become aware that individuals not associated with Jack Morton have fraudulently used our name – and the names of some of our employees – to solicit applications for fake jobs, to conduct fake job interviews and to make fake job offers. Any request to schedule an interview and any bona fide offer of employment will only come from an authorized representative of Jack Morton with an email address “@jackmorton.com” or “@jackmorton.co.uk” or "@impact-xm". We will never require an applicant to provide credit card or banking information to cover any supposed advance costs. If you have provided personal information in connection with a fake job offer or interview and you are concerned, we suggest that you take appropriate action. Jack Morton takes these activities very seriously and are taking appropriate steps to shut down this fraudulent activity. We urge you to be careful when sharing your personal information and to be aware of scams involving fake job postings and job offers.
Key skills/competency
- Creative Strategy
- Brand Experience
- Marketing Leadership
- Culture Marketing
- Lifestyle Marketing
- Client Relationship Management
- Experiential Marketing
- Social Media Strategy
- Influencer Marketing
- Brand Partnerships
Skills & topics
- Director
- Creative Strategy
- Brand Experience
- Marketing
- Agency
- Experiential Marketing
- Culture Marketing
- Lifestyle Marketing
- Client Strategy
- Leadership
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight 10+ years of agency marketing experience and a strong portfolio showcasing idea development and results for brands.
- Showcase cultural fluency: Emphasize your passion for culture, media, and lifestyle trends, demonstrating you are a cultural thought leader.
- Demonstrate strategic leadership: Detail your experience in client communication, challenging perspectives, and driving bold decisions with CMO-level stakeholders.
- Prepare your portfolio: Be ready to present concepts and campaigns, explaining your role, their impact, and measurable outcomes.
- Highlight collaboration: Stress your ability to work effectively with account, creative, and production teams, believing the best idea wins.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What type of marketing experience is most valued for the Director, Creative Strategy role at Jack Morton Worldwide?
- Jack Morton Worldwide highly values agency-side marketing experience, particularly in PR, social media, digital marketing, and influencer marketing, with a strong preference for candidates possessing over 10 years in these fields. The ability to develop and effectively sell ideas to clients is crucial for this Director, Creative Strategy position.
- Is a portfolio of past work required for the Director, Creative Strategy position at Jack Morton Worldwide?
- Yes, a portfolio of concepts and campaigns is a mandatory requirement for the Director, Creative Strategy role. Jack Morton Worldwide wants to see your ideas, understand your specific role in bringing them to life, and assess the results they drove to evaluate your fit for the position.
- What is Jack Morton Worldwide looking for in terms of cultural expertise for this role?
- For the Director, Creative Strategy role, Jack Morton Worldwide is seeking a cultural thought leader, not a category specialist. They are interested in candidates who are deeply passionate about and conversant in culture, media, entertainment, and various lifestyle interests that can inform engagement with diverse communities. Experience pitching and executing ideas for big-name brands is essential, with deep automotive experience being secondary.
- How does Jack Morton Worldwide approach diversity and inclusion for the Director, Creative Strategy position?
- Jack Morton Worldwide is an equal opportunity employer that strongly values diversity, equity, and inclusion. They do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. They also strive to make their careers website accessible and offer accommodations for applicants needing assistance.
- What should I do if I suspect a job scam for a Director, Creative Strategy role at Jack Morton Worldwide?
- If you suspect a job scam, be cautious. Legitimate communication from Jack Morton Worldwide will only come from an authorized representative with an email address ending in '@jackmorton.com', '@jackmorton.co.uk', or '@impact-xm'. Jack Morton Worldwide will never ask for credit card or banking information for advance costs. Report any fraudulent activity immediately and protect your personal information.
- What are the key client-facing responsibilities for the Director, Creative Strategy at Jack Morton Worldwide?
Similar roles
Open positions we recommend based on this role.