Associate Creative Director

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Bring Ideas to Life. Lead Creative Delivery. Make an Impact.

At Jones Worley, creativity is about more than great design. It's about understanding client needs, translating ideas into compelling visual experiences, and delivering work that makes an impact.

We are seeking an Associate Creative Director who combines creative vision, strong visual judgment, and hands-on execution with the ability to guide people and manage complex projects. This person will shape concepts and presentations, elevate creative work, and help move projects from initial ideas through final delivery.

Working across Creative Services, Marketing & Communications (MarCom), and Experiential Graphic Design (EGD), you'll collaborate with clients, department leaders, and external creative partners to deliver thoughtful, high-quality work that meets creative, operational, and business objectives.

This role is ideal for a creative professional who enjoys developing ideas, mentoring others, making sound decisions, and balancing creative excellence with practical execution.

What You'll Do

Lead Creative Direction & Design

• Translate client goals, creative briefs, and business objectives into compelling concepts, visual stories, and polished deliverables.
• Develop and refine presentations, proposals, branding, written content, and other client-facing materials that communicate ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Provide art direction, creative feedback, and hands-on design support to maintain high standards of quality, consistency, and brand alignment.
• Evaluate creative approaches, materials, and production options to develop effective, practical solutions.
• Stay current with relevant design trends, technologies, and audience preferences to keep creative work fresh and competitive.

Guide & Develop the Creative Team

• Provide creative direction, constructive feedback, and coaching to strengthen team performance and individual development.
• Coordinate assignments, establish priorities, and help team members navigate competing deadlines and changing project needs.
• Review work for quality, accuracy, consistency, and alignment with client and project objectives.
• Foster collaboration across Creative Services, MarCom, EGD, and other departments.
• Coordinate freelancers and external creative partners, including designers, writers, videographers, and photographers, as needed.

Manage Projects & Workflow

• Oversee creative projects from concept development through revisions, approvals, and final delivery, maintaining clear priorities and accountability.
• Track project progress, follow through on outstanding feedback and decisions, and address potential delays or obstacles early.
• Maintain organized project files, presentations, and approvals while improving workflows and review processes.
• Work within established budgets and resource plans, identifying scope, cost, timing, or production concerns and recommending solutions.
• Make day-to-day creative decisions independently and escalate significant client, budget, or strategic issues when leadership input is needed.

Partner with Clients & Business Leaders

• Work directly with clients and internal stakeholders to understand objectives, interpret feedback, present concepts, and recommend effective creative solutions.
• Communicate design rationale clearly and incorporate feedback while maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the work.
• Partner with the President & CEO and department leaders on proposals, pitches, presentations, and new-business opportunities.
• Build productive relationships through clear communication, responsiveness, sound judgment, and consistent follow-through.

What You Bring

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in graphic design, creative services, visual communications, or a related creative field.
• Experience leading creative projects and guiding, mentoring, or supervising designers or other creative professionals.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating visual design, concept development, presentation design, branding, and creative problem-solving.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Strong PowerPoint skills and the ability to create polished, persuasive client-facing presentations.
• The ability to develop clear written content, shape presentation narratives, and communicate creative ideas effectively.
• Experience managing multiple projects, deadlines, stakeholders, and competing priorities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work directly with clients, leadership, and external creative partners.
• A bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Advertising, or a related field is preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience in an agency, experiential design, environmental graphics, signage, wayfinding, branded merchandise, or a related client-service environment is a plus. Experience coordinating freelancers and creative vendors is also beneficial.

How You'll Make an Impact

You'll help deliver compelling creative work while bringing greater clarity, consistency, and accountability to how projects move forward. Success means polished presentations, well-managed priorities, stronger creative collaboration, and timely, thoughtful solutions for clients.

You'll also help develop creative talent, improve day-to-day workflows, and make sound decisions that allow company leadership to focus on strategic priorities and business development.

Why Jones Worley?

At Jones Worley, you'll collaborate across creative disciplines, work with talented professionals, and contribute to experiences that bring client ideas to life. This is an opportunity to shape the work, support the growth of a creative team, and make a meaningful contribution to the business.

If you're a creative leader who pairs imagination with execution and knows how to turn ideas into results, we'd like to hear from you.