Creative Director

Posted Yesterday
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Chicago, IL, USA
Hybrid
142K-150K Annually
Expert/Leader
Agency • Gaming • Marketing Tech • Mobile • Analytics
tms is a global company, uniting technology, marketing and sourcing to drive transformational change.
The Role
Leads creative direction and visual storytelling for two consumer brands across product launches, integrated campaigns, packaging, e-commerce, digital, social, retail, and production. Guides multidisciplinary creative teams, develops concepts, oversees art direction for photo and video, refines deliverables, presents work to clients, and ensures consistent, high-quality brand experiences. Requires strong design craft, consumer brand experience, e-commerce PDP expertise, and hands-on proficiency with major creative software.
Summary Generated by Built In
ABOUT US
tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world's leading brands. With more than 1,400 employees across 28 countries., we offer an impressive range of solutions - from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.
Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald's, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.
Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.
WHAT MATTERS THE MOST
Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.
tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.
WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS ROLE
Do you love turning big ideas into distinctive brand worlds? Are you passionate about visual storytelling, thoughtful design, and creating work that makes people stop, look, and feel something? Do you thrive on pushing creative thinking forward while staying close to the craft? Then this might be the perfect gig for you.
Today, we're looking for a Creative Director (Art) to join our rapidly growing team at tms. With a strong art and design background, a sharp creative instinct, and a passion for making great work, you'll partner closely with the SVP, Group Creative Director to help shape and elevate the creative across two dynamic CPG brands in food, beauty, and home. From new product launches to big-bet marketing initiatives, you'll help turn strategic ambition into bold ideas and distinctive brand experiences that capture attention and connect with consumers.
Working hand in hand with the SVP, you'll also help guide a talented, multidisciplinary team of Art Directors, Copywriters, and Designers-bringing fresh perspective, thoughtful direction, and a high bar for creative excellence to the work. You know how to recognize a good idea, push it further, and help transform it into something truly memorable. Equally comfortable in a brainstorm, shaping a visual concept, or refining the details of an execution, you bring a hands-on approach that helps move the work from promising to exceptional.
WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION
  • Partner closely with the SVP, Group Creative Director to help shape, develop, and elevate creative across two dynamic CPG brands in food, beauty, and home.

  • Help lead and guide a team of Art Directors, Copywriters, and Designers, providing creative direction, thoughtful feedback, and hands-on support to push ideas and execution further.

  • Contribute to concept development and visual storytelling for new product launches, integrated campaigns, and high-impact marketing initiatives, translating strategic objectives into compelling brand experiences.

  • Help oversee creative development across key brand touchpoints that may include packaging, e-commerce PDPs, digital, social, retail, and integrated marketing materials, ensuring consistency, quality, and a strong visual point of view.

  • Partner with the creative team to develop art direction for photo and video shoots, helping shape visual concepts, shot lists, mood boards, styling, and on-set execution to ensure content aligns with the brand vision and creative objectives.

  • Review and refine creative deliverables throughout the development process, identifying opportunities to strengthen concepts, elevate design, and maintain a high standard of craft.

  • Guide the development of engaging, on-brand e-commerce PDP experiences that bring product benefits and brand storytelling to life while supporting consumer engagement and conversion.

  • Build and present compelling creative concepts and recommendations to clients, clearly articulating the thinking behind the work and bringing ideas to life through persuasive visual storytelling.

  • Collaborate with account, strategy, production, and other cross-functional partners to keep projects moving forward, balance competing priorities, and deliver high-quality work within established timelines.

  • Foster a collaborative, creatively ambitious environment that encourages fresh thinking, supports team development, and continually raises the bar for the work.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE
  • 10+ years of experience in art direction, design, or creative development, with a strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional visual craft, conceptual thinking, and brand storytelling.

  • A strong art and design background, with a sophisticated eye for typography, composition, color, imagery, layout, and visual identity.

  • Proven experience developing and evolving consumer-facing brands across multiple touchpoints, ideally within CPG, food, beauty, personal care, home, or lifestyle categories.

  • Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, with the ability to work hands-on in design files and refine creative execution.

  • Experience developing and overseeing e-commerce Product Detail Pages (PDPs), with an understanding of digital merchandising, product storytelling, content hierarchy, and conversion-minded design.

  • Experience art directing and overseeing photo and video production, including familiarity with photography, styling, lighting, shot planning, and translating creative concepts into compelling visual content.

  • Working knowledge of Figma and its application in collaborative design development and digital creative workflows.

  • Strong PowerPoint skills, with the ability to create polished, visually engaging client presentations that communicate creative concepts and tell a compelling story.

  • Experience presenting creative work to clients and stakeholders, articulating creative rationale, and building confidence in ideas through clear, thoughtful communication.

  • Demonstrated ability to mentor and support creative talent, offer constructive feedback, and collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams.

  • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate multiple projects, manage shifting priorities, and maintain a high standard of work in a fast-paced environment.

  • A collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset, with the ability to work in close partnership with senior creative leadership while bringing an independent point of view, sound creative judgment, and a hands-on approach.

Starting salary between $142,000-$150,000
TOTAL REWARDS
Our total rewards philosophy integrates programs for compensation, benefits, recognition, learning and development, corporate culture, corporate citizenship and work-life balance. While individual program components may differ by country, some things remain constant:
  • Our commitment to rewarding results
  • Opportunities to work with talented and driven individuals at every level of our company who respect each other, treat each other fairly and hold one another accountable for our customers'-and our company's-success

There's more ...
Generous medical, dental, vision and other great benefits
Paid parental and medical leave programs
401(k) with a company match component and profit sharing
15 days of paid time off plus company holidays
Hybrid work model
Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment assistance
Inclusive employee resource groups
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
RECRUITING AGENCIES
tms does not accept agency resumes submitted by third-party vendors unless a valid agreement has been signed and the tms Talent Acquisition Team has granted authorization for submissions for a specified position. Please do not submit or forward resumes to our site, tms employees, or any other company location. tms is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Nearest Major Market: Chicago

Skills Required

  • 10+ years of experience in art direction, design, or creative development
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional visual craft, conceptual thinking, and brand storytelling
  • Strong art and design background, including typography, composition, color, imagery, layout, and visual identity
  • Experience developing and evolving consumer-facing brands across multiple touchpoints
  • Experience in CPG, food, beauty, personal care, home, or lifestyle categories
  • Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
  • Experience developing and overseeing e-commerce Product Detail Pages, including digital merchandising and conversion-minded design
  • Experience art directing and overseeing photo and video production
  • Working knowledge of Figma
  • Strong PowerPoint skills for polished client presentations
  • Experience presenting creative work to clients and stakeholders
  • Ability to mentor and support creative talent and provide constructive feedback
  • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset with independent creative judgment and a hands-on approach

What the Team is Saying

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tms Compensation & Benefits Highlights

  • Healthcare Strength — Healthcare offerings are presented as comprehensive, with medical, dental, vision, and EAP/mental‑health support highlighted across company pages and job listings. Some materials also point to multiple plan options and strong baseline coverage.
  • Retirement Support — Retirement programs include a 401(k) with company match (and RRSP matching in some regions) alongside references to profit sharing. Role descriptions portray structured long‑term savings support as part of total rewards.
  • Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is described as broad, with PTO plus company holidays, paid parental and medical leave, and year‑end office closures appearing in postings and profiles. Additional elements like personal days, sick time, and volunteer time are also cited.

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The Company
HQ: Chicago, IL
1,296 Employees
Year Founded: 1986

What We Do

tms unites technology and marketing and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world’s leading brands. With 1200+ employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions — from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery. ​ Headquartered in Chicago with 10 offices worldwide, we are responsible for some of the world’s most successful and iconic long-term marketing platforms, including McDonald’s Happy Meal and MONOPOLY programs. Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for clients including McDonald’s, adidas, T-Mobile, Starbucks, Vue and O2.

Why Work With Us

We have a culture of collaboration that fosters creativity among a diverse mix of talent. From Lunch and Learns to guided meditation sessions led by our people, we believe that celebrating the skills, experiences and inspiration of our people brings us closer to the results that matter.

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tms Offices

Hybrid Workspace

Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.

Typical time on-site: Flexible
Company Office Image
HQChicago, IL
Amsterdam, NL
Duisburg, DE
Levallois-Perret, FR
London, GB
Munich, DE
Seattle, WA
Singapore, SG
Toronto, Ontario
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