Associate Creative Director - Design

About the Role

We the Makers is seeking an Associate Creative Director for Design to join its Creative Studio on a temp-to-hire basis. This position is based onsite in New York City or Washington DC, with hybrid work options available. Our client is a leading insurance organization known for integrating strategic insights with collaborative culture to deliver outstanding marketing results. As part of the Creative Studio, the Associate Creative Director will shape how millions experience the company brand through compelling and strategic visual storytelling across campaigns and daily brand expressions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead creation of high-quality, thoughtful design solutions tailored to diverse marketing and business objectives.
• Directly conceptualize and design creative projects ensuring alignment with brand standards and strategic goals.
• Provide daily creative leadership, constructive critiques, and guidance to design team members to enhance output consistency and quality.
• Collaborate with marketing teams and internal clients to understand objectives, translating them into clear, actionable creative strategies.
• Manage multiple design initiatives concurrently, prioritizing tasks and ensuring flawless execution from concept to final production.
• Maintain and help develop brand standards including brand guidelines and design systems across the organization.
• Review and refine creative output to uphold excellence in craftsmanship, clarity, and strategic impact before senior creative review.
• Work closely with writers and other creative collaborators to ensure cohesive, integrated brand communications.
• Engage with stakeholders beyond marketing on high-profile projects requiring robust creative insight.
• Identify improvements to creative workflows and team efficiency while exploring new creative technologies including AI tools to boost productivity.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communication, or a closely related field.
• Over 7 years' experience in design or art direction ideally within agencies, in-house teams, or brand-led firms.
• A strong portfolio showcasing outstanding design skills, strategic creativity, and successful brand work across different platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to lead design efforts on multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Proven expertise in giving creative direction and actionable feedback to elevate team work.
• Deep knowledge of brand systems, campaign processes, and digital design principles.
• Expertise with Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, and familiarity with AI-based prompt writing and collaboration software.
• Competency translating business goals and marketing strategies into effective visual communications.
• Understanding of performance marketing, campaign creation, and digital-first approaches.
• Sound creative judgment including decision-making skills, managing compromises, and knowing when to escalate issues.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills enabling strong partnerships with marketing, clients, and peers.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, shifting priority environments handling many projects.
• Hands-on with design—both producing personal work and mentoring colleagues.
• Experience within large enterprise brand or marketing settings and use of project management tools like Wrike or Workfront.
• Involved in maintaining or evolving brand guidelines and visual systems in complex organizations.

Additional Information

This is a W2 position with hourly pay ranging from $55 to $68. The employment is initially contract-based with potential for permanent hire. The employer is an equal opportunity organization committed to inclusive hiring practices respecting all applicants regardless of race, age, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other protected categories. The company abides by state and local laws related to fair hiring, including provisions for applicants with criminal histories.