Lead Creative Strategist

Role Description

Develop Performance-Driven Creative Strategy:

• Build creative and messaging strategies that help brands grow across digital channels, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and display.
• Develop clear frameworks that guide concept development, ensuring creative work is grounded in performance insights and designed to resonate with target audiences.

Serve as the Creative Strategy Lead for Clients:

• Participate in client meetings as Donut Studios’ in-house creative strategist for assigned accounts.
• Provide thoughtful guidance on creative direction, campaign opportunities, and platform-specific best practices.
• Help clients understand the strategic thinking behind recommendations.

Turn Audience Insights into Creative Direction:

• Analyze consumer mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors to inform compelling creative concepts.
• Translate these insights into actionable direction for internal teams.
• Ensure creative work connects with audiences and supports campaign objectives across the customer journey.

Partner with Media to Drive Creative Performance:

• Work closely with media counterparts to review campaign performance and identify opportunities to improve results.
• Use performance data, KPIs, and client feedback to refine creative strategies, optimize messaging, and guide future concept development.

Manage Creative Launch Pipelines:

• Coordinate closely with media partners to manage launch pipelines for assigned clients.
• Ensure deliverables are completed, reviewed, and shared on schedule.
• Maintain visibility into timelines and dependencies to keep campaigns moving forward efficiently.

Lead Creative Briefing and Project Management:

• Develop clear creative briefs and manage assignments for internal teams using tools like Asana and Slack.
• Ensure projects are well-scoped, expectations are clear, and teams have the context they need to produce high-quality creative work.

Ensure Quality and Brand Alignment:

• Review scripts, concepts, and final deliverables to ensure creative output meets client expectations, brand guidelines, and campaign goals.
• Maintain strong quality control across all deliverables before launch.

Strengthen Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Build processes and workflows that support collaboration between creative, media, and client teams.
• Help ensure ideas, feedback, and performance insights move smoothly across teams so campaigns are executed efficiently and effectively.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of proven experience ideating and developing high-performing direct response and social media creative strategies, ideally at a creative and performance marketing agency.
• Management experience of direct reports and junior team members.
• A background in creating UGC to enhance engagement and reach is a plus.
• Digitally savvy, creative, and knowledgeable about who and what is trending in the digital space on platforms including YouTube, Instagram/Facebook, TikTok, etc.
• A growth mindset, always thinking about how our clients can develop resonant, insightful advertising and what makes content engaging across audiences.
• Strong grasp on culture, with a keen understanding of what is relevant and an eye for upcoming digital trends.
• Excellent performance marketing and creative instincts with a track record of driving new concepts and pioneering new approaches within your company.
• Strong team player, with a passion for collaboration.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with a self-starting attitude and an ability to persuasively communicate strategic insights to the department and to stakeholders.
• Ability to navigate and influence within a fast-paced start-up organization.
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite or Figma is a plus.
• Proficiency in Asana and Google Sheets experience is a plus.

Benefits

• Remote or hybrid work environment with flexible hours.
• Unlimited PTO + company holidays.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and disability coverage.
• Life & AD&D insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid parental leave & family support.
• Pet care perks & insurance.
• Learning & career development programs.
• Commuter & transit benefits.
• Exclusive employee discounts.
• Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000 annually.