Creative Principal and Art Director (San Francisco)

DescriptionAt HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?Watch Our Story:' ' Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world. We’re looking for a Creative Principal and Art Director who operates at the intersection of brand strategy and culture. A leader who knows how to turn cultural insights into carefully curated creative concepts that push beyond traditional promotions, pursuits, and stories.This role is for someone who doesn’t wait for creative briefs to be handed down but proactively spots cultural shifts, emerging behaviors, and talent-driven opportunities, then translates them into clear strategic points of view that our creative team can act on, and our internal and external clients can believe in.You will lead visual thinking across all disciplines and market sectors, ensuring that our brand platform, creative tools, and efforts are culturally relevant and grounded in current and emerging market trends within the AEC industry. Your work should consistently connect culture to growth, driving relevance, demand, and long-term differentiation.Our ideal candidates have a track record of leading a high-performance creative team, developing a consistent yet inspirational graphic language, working in a highly collaborative manner, and having a passion for delivering impact for our internal and external clients.Key responsibilities: •Set a clear vision and priorities for team strategy, capabilities, and culture, serving as a catalyst for elevated and expanded marketing impact across the business group and beyond.•Lead, mentor, and grow a high‑performing, inclusive team that thrives on diverse skills, perspectives, and continuous learning. This includes cultivating a culture of creativity centered on experimentation, innovation, and shared growth.•Translate emerging trends and insights into strategic ideas that strengthen brand relevance, engagement, and long‑term value.•Deliver marketing, brand, and communications strategies that are scalable, cohesive, and consistently implemented across local, regional, and global contexts.•Build and nurture strong cross-functional partnerships to advance marketing strategies, enable multidisciplinary collaboration, and drive organizational value and sustainability.•Oversee the development of compelling, on-brand creative output that clearly communicates the firm’s core attributes and differentiators.•Guide the strategic narrative from insight through execution to maintain clarity, cohesion, and effective creative translation.•Establish and maintain standard marketing processes, workflows, and tools that improve efficiency, ensure quality, and expand the reach and integrity of visual communication.•Manage the end-to-end creative production lifecycle, including project intake, workflow systems, asset management, and print operations.•Develop strategic visualizations and data-driven storytelling tools that support internal alignment and adoption of brand and marketing strategies.Preferred Qualifications•In addition to the Portfolio of relevant design work, please include a cover letter detailing your interest in the position and companyQualificationsRequired Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Design, or equivalent, or a combination of education and relevant experience A minimum of 10 years of design experience Excellent sense of design principles, including color, layout, and ability to create visually solid messaging Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present and clearly articulate concepts and design decisions to creative teams and internal/external clients Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud & Microsoft Office. Ability to design within established standards and visual identity Ability to multitask, prioritize, and excel in a fast-paced work environment Desire to learn and grow, be self-motivated, and have a positive attitude Portfolio of relevant design work is required for considerationWhat We BelieveHDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.Our CommitmentAs employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.Job Field: Marketing/CommunicationsSchedule: Full-timeEmployee Status: Regular