AKQA (part of WPP) believes in the imaginative application of art and science to create ideas, experiences and stories that move people and brands forward.
As an Associate Creative Director, you’ll bring strong writing, clear thinking and creative leadership. The role means setting direction, developing ideas and shaping them from concept to execution across campaigns, brand experiences, film, digital platforms and activations.
We’re looking for a creative leader with a strong point of view, a love of craft and a feel for what’s worth saying. Someone who can see the bigger picture, imagine what’s next and know when a line, an idea or an entire piece of work can go further. The role spans both regional and global clients, working alongside creatives in our Stockholm and Gothenburg studios and across the wider AKQA network.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
- Develop distinctive concepts, campaigns and brand platforms with clarity and originality.
- Write and shape work across film, social, digital experiences and other channels.
- Lead projects from brief through execution, maintaining a high standard of craft.
- Guide and mentor creatives, helping teams make the work stronger.
- Present and defend ideas clearly to clients and senior stakeholders.
- Build strong client relationships and play an active role in pitches and new business.
QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS
- A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional conceptual thinking and copywriting.
- A writer at heart, with the ability to think beyond words and across formats.
- Experience leading work, teams and client conversations while remaining hands-on.
- Curious, collaborative and generous, with a strong point of view and attention to detail.
- Experience with lifestyle, luxury, fashion or automotive brands is highly valued.
- Excellent written and spoken English. Swedish is a plus, but not a requirement.
We’re looking for someone who cares deeply about the work and the people making it, bringing curiosity, generosity and ambition to everything they do.
Explore our range of benefits here
We believe great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in-office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
AKQA is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
About WPP
WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.
Skills Required
- Proven experience leading creative teams within an agency or multidisciplinary creative environment
- Strong conceptual thinking with expertise in either visual (art direction) or verbal (copywriting) storytelling
- Experience translating strategic insight into creative narratives and concepts
- Ability to inspire, mentor and foster a collaborative high-performing creative culture
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills for client and stakeholder engagement
- Experience working across disciplines including design, film, production, strategy, and technology
- Demonstrated experience overseeing projects from concept through execution with attention to craft and consistency
- Organised, solutions-oriented, calm and resilient under pressure with strong attention to detail
- Passion for culture, storytelling, experiential creativity and emerging technologies
AKQA Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about AKQA and has not been reviewed or approved by AKQA.
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Parental & Family Support — Policies include fully paid parental leave for all parents, adoption support, and family leave for caregiving needs. Additional supports such as subsidized backup childcare and regional enhancements reinforce family care.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage offers multiple plan options with full preventive care, mental‑health resources, and dental and vision coverage. Some regions provide 24/7 virtual doctor access and supplementary healthcare budgets for services not covered by insurance.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time‑away provisions include generous paid holidays with increases over tenure and a companywide year‑end closure. Special, study, and event‑based leave (e.g., weddings, moving) broaden the range of available time off.
AKQA Insights
What We Do
AKQA is the frontier agency, uniting imagination, design, craft and technology to create new forms of value. For more than three decades, we've helped brands imagine what’s next and make what matters, from pioneering digital to defining the next era of AI. Operating across 19 countries and 30 locations, we work with organisations to build intelligent systems, digital products, connected ecosystems and immersive experiences that shape culture, deepen brand relevance and unlock growth. AKQA is a WPP agency.
