Lead Creative Strategist

Our client is seeking a Director of Creative Strategy & Operations to lead and modernize their in‑house creative organization as they continue transforming from a traditional catalog and print‑focused business into a digital‑first marketing organization. This is far more than a traditional Creative Director role. You’ll oversee a multidisciplinary creative team while partnering closely with Marketing, Digital Experience, Ecommerce, and executive leadership to elevate the brand across every customer touchpoint. The ideal candidate understands how great creative supports measurable business outcomes through ecommerce, digital marketing, content strategy, SEO, AI‑enabled creative operations, and modern creative workflows. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of an established national brand while leading a talented creative studio responsible for digital experiences, photography, video, print, product marketing, trade show materials, sales collateral, and brand storytelling. You Will Lead and mentor a team of approximately nine creative professionals, including designers, writers, illustrators, multimedia artists, and creative specialists. Drive the evolution of the company’s creative organization from traditional print production to a modern digital‑first content operation. Partner with executive leadership to develop creative strategies supporting ecommerce growth, brand awareness, customer engagement, and business objectives. Establish creative standards and ensure consistent brand execution across web, ecommerce, email, social media, paid advertising, photography, video, print, catalogs, trade shows, and sales collateral. Collaborate with Digital Experience, Marketing, Product Management, and cross‑functional stakeholders to prioritize work and deliver high‑quality creative solutions. Improve creative operations through better project management, resource planning, workflow optimization, and scalable production processes. Support ecommerce initiatives by improving digital merchandising, product content, imagery standards, and online customer experiences. Leverage performance data, analytics, SEO best practices, and customer insights to continuously improve creative effectiveness. Champion responsible adoption of AI‑assisted creative tools and emerging technologies to improve efficiency while maintaining brand quality and intellectual property standards. Foster a collaborative, innovative, and high‑performing creative culture focused on continuous improvement. You Have Seven to ten‑plus years of progressive creative leadership experience within an in‑house brand, ecommerce organization, consumer products company, or integrated agency environment. Experience leading multidisciplinary creative teams and developing high‑performing creative organizations. Strong background in digital marketing, ecommerce, content strategy, and brand management. Experience leading organizations through digital transformation or significant modernization initiatives. Working knowledge of SEO, content marketing, paid media, analytics, UX/UI principles, and digital customer experiences. Experience improving creative workflows, project management processes, and cross‑functional collaboration. Familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, project management platforms, CMS platforms, and AI‑assisted creative tools. Outstanding communication, leadership, presentation, and stakeholder management skills. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Graphic Design, Communications, Digital Media, Business, or a related discipline. Logistics Start Date: ASAP Engagement Type: Direct Hire Work Setting: Hybrid, typically two to three days onsite each week (Tuesday required) Location: Burlington, NC Background Check: Yes Salary: $125K–$150K+ Bonus, and Profit Share #J-18808-Ljbffr Launch Potato