Senior Director of Creative

Job Description:

Berklee is seeking an accomplished and visionary Senior Director of Creative to be the driving force behind our visual storytelling across the globe. This executive mission-driven leadership role requires a candidate who excels in integrated design excellence, brand strategy, and leading a high-impact team. Your work will elevate Berklee's visual expression across all digital properties, advertising, and marketing collateral, directly supporting our commitment to creativity and innovation. At Berklee, your work directly supports the next generation of creative leaders.

About the Role & Responsibilities

The Senior Director of Creative will be both a strategic leader and a hands-on contributor, managing a team of designers while overseeing concept development, execution, and delivery of high-impact creative work. This role requires an on-site presence of three days a week and focuses on ensuring all visuals align with Berklee's brand pillars and resonate with diverse global audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creative Leadership & Vision: Elevate and manage Berklee's visual expression across large, cross-channel campaigns (web, social, email, video, print) while ensuring a consistent and cohesive brand identity.
• Execution & Innovation: Lead art direction, planning, and execution for all photography to grow the brand asset library. Champion creative testing and apply data insights to refine creative for maximum impact (engagement, conversion).
• Innovation: Explore and integrate emerging technology tools, including AI-assisted design and production optimization.
• Collaboration & Partnership: Foster strong, trusted relationships across Admissions, Advancement, and Marketing teams, ensuring creative work is aligned with goals and effectively amplifies key events and milestones.
• Team Leadership & Development: Mentor, coach, and inspire in-house and freelance designers, providing clear, actionable feedback to push creative boundaries and uphold a high standard of craft and originality.

What You'll Bring

The ideal candidate combines strategic acumen with a superb understanding of design principles and a proven track record of leading complex campaigns in a fast-paced environment.

Key Requirements:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in creative direction, art direction, or design leadership.
• Proven track record of leading brand and performance campaigns across digital, print, and experiential channels.
• Outstanding sense of design, including composition, color, and typography.
• Skilled in art directing live-action shoots and still photography, with an eye for detail and consistency.
• Ability to translate strategic goals into compelling visual concepts that drive measurable outcomes.
• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and experience managing competing priorities with project management software.
• Strong commitment to supporting and promoting a diverse and inclusive environment.
• This is a hybrid role with 3 days in the office and 2 days of remote work each week

Berklee Culture & Benefits

Berklee’s mission is to educate, train, and develop the world's most inspired and innovative artists. You'll be part of a passionate, diverse, and global community dedicated to this vision.

Here, you’ll find:

• A mission-driven culture where your ideas matter and your impact is visible.
• A diverse and inclusive community committed to lifelong learning and collaboration.
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays, including a winter break, to support work-life balance.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and life insurance plans.
• Tuition benefits for you and your family, including free or discounted courses.
• Retirement planning with a 403(b) plan and matching contributions.
• Access to unforgettable performances, guest artists, and events.

Join us in shaping the visual identity of the future of music and performance!

Hiring Range: $132,000 to $160,000; salary dependent on relevant experience and education.

Please visit the Total Rewards page to learn more about the benefits of working at Berklee.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and a portfolio of work as a .pdf or Word document.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee: 

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.  Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or call 617-747-2375.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*