VML
Creative Director
VML, Seattle, Washington, us, 98127
Who We Are:
At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.
Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.
Who we are looking for:
VML is seeking a Creative Director to oversee a young, ambitious creative team in Seattle, and to take ownership of the creative output for our largest technology client.
This role will be a true leadership position, and art or copy backgrounds are both welcome. We are seeking a Creative Director who is comfortable directing work and coaching up creative teams, while maintaining a high bar for creative excellence. You will set the course and the vision for the team and inspire more meaningful work. You will also build relationships with senior clients as well as internal discipline leads.
Ultimately, we are looking for someone with a proven track record of creating and overseeing award-worthy campaign and social creative work.
What you'll do:Work
| Manage and direct multiple dedicated creative teams on social workstreams. Concept on campaign thinking and big ideas for large scale paid opportunities throughout the year. Find and jump in on proactive creative opportunities on the core business, as well occasional opportunities other major clients out of our west coast offices.People
| This Creative Director position is the heart of our creative team on this business. You will help build and lead a team of creative innovators, and shape the team culture and chemistry. In addition to overseeing art directors, writers, and social creators, you will act as a mentor and help to cultivate the growth of the entire creative team.Process
| On top of driving, developing, and delivering creative work, you will be expected lead presentations and influence their outcomes. You will also help shape our social creative processes, anticipate team and client needs, project risks, and participate in driving resolution.Who you are:
A Builder |
You're able totake broad direction from leadership and translate that into actionable change for your specific team. You develop relationships as a trustworthy and essential client partner at the most senior client level and across relevant markets, regions, and businesses; You're easily recognized and trusted by senior leadership within the agency.Culturally Aware |
You keep up with internet and social culture. You're always curious about new, unexplored rabbit holes and corners of the internet. You uncover trends and are able to quickly jump on them.Creatively Brave |
You are passionate about the power of creativity with the knowledge and authority to identify and nurture the best ideas. You provide flexible solutions, allowing the agency to adapt to solve clients' challenges.Collaborative |
You cultivate partnerships and build trust by demonstrating a commitment to the success of others, championing a team mentality, and leading by example. You are able to take live feedback, navigate discussions with clients with empathy, all while steering the work to the best possible place. You demonstrate outstanding leadership skills, believe in the power of collaboration and you help create an open and optimistic culture.Visionary |
You are both a conceptual and strategic thinker. You energize and inspire by communicating a compelling creative vision, and you actively manage the development of team members, and promote diversity and inclusion.What you'll need:
Minimum of 6 years of creative experience; senior creative management experience preferred.A strong working knowledge of the strategic and creative process, including a distinct understanding of the conceptual and executional phases.Experience giving effective creative direction that leads to great work.The ability to manage medium and large scale productions, but also the desire and ability to lead scrappy teams who create, make and edit social content day-to-day.Portfolio featuring a wide range of award-worthy creative work.Proven ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate in a team-oriented workplace. Desire to foster career growth for individuals at all levels on the creative teams.Award-winning conceptual skills that will help navigate through the digital space and talent to take advertising campaigns across diverse platforms with multi-disciplinary teams.Strong ability to prioritize work and resources across engagements based on short- and long-term need. Timelines, budgets, and availability change-we need someone who can roll with it.What we offer:
Passionate, driven people
| We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.Consciously cultivated culture |
We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.Competitive benefits
| What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar-for-dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.Growth-minded opportunities
| We aim to nurture a culture of real-time feedback, growth-oriented mindset, and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.
VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or other protected group status. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.
The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.
$100,000-$230,000 USD
At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization-creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers-who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.
VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.
At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.
Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.
Who we are looking for:
VML is seeking a Creative Director to oversee a young, ambitious creative team in Seattle, and to take ownership of the creative output for our largest technology client.
This role will be a true leadership position, and art or copy backgrounds are both welcome. We are seeking a Creative Director who is comfortable directing work and coaching up creative teams, while maintaining a high bar for creative excellence. You will set the course and the vision for the team and inspire more meaningful work. You will also build relationships with senior clients as well as internal discipline leads.
Ultimately, we are looking for someone with a proven track record of creating and overseeing award-worthy campaign and social creative work.
What you'll do:Work
| Manage and direct multiple dedicated creative teams on social workstreams. Concept on campaign thinking and big ideas for large scale paid opportunities throughout the year. Find and jump in on proactive creative opportunities on the core business, as well occasional opportunities other major clients out of our west coast offices.People
| This Creative Director position is the heart of our creative team on this business. You will help build and lead a team of creative innovators, and shape the team culture and chemistry. In addition to overseeing art directors, writers, and social creators, you will act as a mentor and help to cultivate the growth of the entire creative team.Process
| On top of driving, developing, and delivering creative work, you will be expected lead presentations and influence their outcomes. You will also help shape our social creative processes, anticipate team and client needs, project risks, and participate in driving resolution.Who you are:
A Builder |
You're able totake broad direction from leadership and translate that into actionable change for your specific team. You develop relationships as a trustworthy and essential client partner at the most senior client level and across relevant markets, regions, and businesses; You're easily recognized and trusted by senior leadership within the agency.Culturally Aware |
You keep up with internet and social culture. You're always curious about new, unexplored rabbit holes and corners of the internet. You uncover trends and are able to quickly jump on them.Creatively Brave |
You are passionate about the power of creativity with the knowledge and authority to identify and nurture the best ideas. You provide flexible solutions, allowing the agency to adapt to solve clients' challenges.Collaborative |
You cultivate partnerships and build trust by demonstrating a commitment to the success of others, championing a team mentality, and leading by example. You are able to take live feedback, navigate discussions with clients with empathy, all while steering the work to the best possible place. You demonstrate outstanding leadership skills, believe in the power of collaboration and you help create an open and optimistic culture.Visionary |
You are both a conceptual and strategic thinker. You energize and inspire by communicating a compelling creative vision, and you actively manage the development of team members, and promote diversity and inclusion.What you'll need:
Minimum of 6 years of creative experience; senior creative management experience preferred.A strong working knowledge of the strategic and creative process, including a distinct understanding of the conceptual and executional phases.Experience giving effective creative direction that leads to great work.The ability to manage medium and large scale productions, but also the desire and ability to lead scrappy teams who create, make and edit social content day-to-day.Portfolio featuring a wide range of award-worthy creative work.Proven ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate in a team-oriented workplace. Desire to foster career growth for individuals at all levels on the creative teams.Award-winning conceptual skills that will help navigate through the digital space and talent to take advertising campaigns across diverse platforms with multi-disciplinary teams.Strong ability to prioritize work and resources across engagements based on short- and long-term need. Timelines, budgets, and availability change-we need someone who can roll with it.What we offer:
Passionate, driven people
| We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.Consciously cultivated culture |
We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.Competitive benefits
| What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar-for-dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.Growth-minded opportunities
| We aim to nurture a culture of real-time feedback, growth-oriented mindset, and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.
VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or other protected group status. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.
The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.
$100,000-$230,000 USD
At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization-creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers-who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.
VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.