At the American Cancer Society, we're working to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Our employees and 1.3 million volunteers are raising the bar every single day. We are a culture comprised of diverse backgrounds and experience, to better serve our communities.
The people who work at the American Cancer Society focus their diverse talents on our lifesaving mission. It is a calling. And the people who answer it are fulfilled.
The Creative Director is a senior creative leader responsible for translating enterprise creative strategy into breakthrough creative ideas, campaigns, content, and storytelling across assigned mission pillars, brands, or initiatives. Reporting to the Group Creative Director, this role leads day-to-day creative development, brings a high level of conceptual thinking to the work, sets direction for integrated work, and ensures creative excellence from concept through execution.
The Creative Director is a player–coach: able to originate strong creative concepts themselves while also shaping, fostering, and elevating ideas from the team. They are deeply involved in developing the work and setting a clear creative vision, while empowering art directors, designers, and copywriters to push ideas further and deliver great work.
***This is a remote position that can be home-based anywhere within the United States. MUST have fluency in written and verbal English & Spanish languages.***
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Creative Leadership & Execution (35%)
Lead the creative development of campaigns, content, and storytelling initiatives from concept through execution. Translate enterprise creative strategy and brand vision into compelling ideas, narratives, and creative systems that drive mission impact and business objectives.
Team Leadership & Creative Direction (25%)
Provide day-to-day creative leadership to assigned creative teams, including art directors, copywriters, and designers. Guide work through ideation, iteration, and refinement, ensuring a consistently high creative bar while fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
Conceptual Development & Craft Excellence (20%)
Originate and elevate creative concepts, messaging frameworks, and visual approaches across channels and formats, including TV/video, social, digital, experiential, print, out-of-home, and integrated campaigns. Partner directly with editors, designers, and producers to ensure storytelling, tone, and craft meet creative and brand standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration (10%)
Collaborate closely with Marketing & Brand Strategy, Social, Core Pillars, and other business partners to align creative vision with executional realities. Clearly communicate creative intent, provide actionable feedback, and help navigate constraints without compromising creative quality.
Brand Stewardship & Quality Control (10%)
Ensure all creative work aligns with brand voice, visual identity, accessibility standards, and inclusive storytelling practices. Review and approve creative work at key milestones, escalating strategic decisions to the Group Creative Director as needed.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead creative development for assigned campaigns and initiatives
- Concept and create at a high level while also directing, shaping, and elevating the work of creative teams
- Translate high-level creative direction into executable concepts and systems
- Work directly with editors, writers, and designers to shape and refine work
- Provide clear, constructive creative feedback that improves outcomes
- Partner with Production to ensure creative intent is preserved through execution
- Present creative work confidently to senior stakeholders
- Mentor and develop creative talent through coaching and example
- Uphold creative, brand, and accessibility standards across all deliverables
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, Graphic Design, Communications, or related field (or equivalent professional experience
- 5+ years of experience in creative leadership roles (agency or in-house) with overall 10+ years of creative experience.
- Proven ability to lead integrated campaigns and content across channels
- Strong conceptual thinking, storytelling, and visual literacy. Candidates may come from a copywriting or art direction background but should be proficient in both disciplines and able to effectively lead and direct both.
- Experience working directly with editors and production teams
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Ability to balance creative ambition with executional realities
- Demonstrated commitment to inclusive, accessible, and mission-driven storytelling
- An exceptional portfolio that demonstrates:
- Best-in-class conceptual thinking, creative craft and taste
- High-performing paid social and digital campaigns
- Integrated brand storytelling across channels
- Evidence of creative leadership that elevated both the work and the people behind it.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:
- Approximately 10-20% travel required for shoots, events, and creative team meetings.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Work is primarily performed in a typical office environment.
- Frequent sitting and computer use; occasional standing, walking, or lifting up to 15 lbs
The starting rate is $97,000 to $121,000 annual. The final candidate's relevant experience/skills will be considered before an offer is extended. Actual starting pay will vary based on non-discriminatory factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, skills, specialty, and education.
ACS provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills. Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits. We are a proud equal opportunity employer.
