Executive Creative Director

Role overview

MKG is seeking a seasoned Executive Creative Director to guide creative excellence across both new business opportunities and current client work. This is a hands-on leadership role focused on shaping high-impact brand experiences from initial idea through final delivery. You will manage a substantial volume of work, influence client relationships, and help set the tone for the agency’s creative standards and growth.

About MKG

Established in 2003, MKG is a women-led creative agency focused on brand experience. The team creates work that connects brands with people through storytelling, purpose-led engagement, thoughtful design, and strong production. MKG partners with brands including Google, Target, Netflix, Meta, HBO, Delta Air Lines, Béis, and Spotify, with offices in New York and Los Angeles and a flexible approach to working beyond those locations.

Working model

This role is open to candidates based in New York or Los Angeles. Applicants should live within commuting distance of either office and be available for in-person collaboration on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The role may also involve occasional travel and flexibility for evenings or weekends when business needs require it.

What you will do

As Executive Creative Director, you will partner closely with the Chief Creative Officer and VP, Creative to turn agency vision into practical creative action. You will lead creative output across pitches and active projects, help shape the agency’s strategic direction, mentor creative talent, and champion bold ideas that deliver measurable results.

• Take ownership of a high volume of pitch and client work, guiding or supervising teams that may include strategists, creative directors, copywriters, art directors, and designers.
• Build concepts that match client goals and strategy, with ideas tied to measurable outcomes and client KPIs, and refined within 2–3 rounds.
• Develop original, culturally relevant work that feels current or ahead of the trend curve while maintaining a refined creative standard.
• Ensure ideas sold into clients are executed well and deliver results, with success reflected in client sentiment, audience response, press, and awards.
• Read briefs carefully, ask strong questions, and uncover the deeper insight that should guide the work.
• Lead brainstorming and creative strategy sessions that produce innovative, brand-action-driven ideas.
• Create persuasive decks and presentations in partnership with art directors and designers.
• Make clear creative decisions that keep projects moving without sacrificing quality.
• Encourage the team to think bigger, try new approaches, and raise the bar on every project.
• Deliver work against timelines, with a target of 90% or more of deliverables completed on or before deadline.
• Maintain consistently strong standards across visual creative disciplines, including art direction, environmental design, branding, graphic design, and motion.
• Uphold a high level of quality across campaign ideas, storytelling, copy, and audience experiences.
• Lead key client relationships from a creative perspective, keeping work aligned with strategy and spotting opportunities for growth.
• Listen carefully to client feedback and use it thoughtfully to strengthen trust and satisfaction.
• Represent the agency in new business situations and pitch environments, adjusting creative direction in real time when needed.
• Help lead pitches with structure, energy, and originality, with success measured by idea quality, collaboration, time efficiency, and win rate.
• Contribute to the Business Growth Team by helping define strategy and identify new opportunities.
• Present the agency’s creative capabilities with confidence in client meetings and capability presentations.
• Coach and develop direct reports through feedback, career guidance, and leadership support.
• Complete bi-annual performance reviews and establish clear development paths.
• Provide guidance to other team members as needed through project collaboration.
• Help assess project team structures, staffing needs, and hour estimates in partnership with Accounts.
• Review and approve resourcing plans created by Resource Managers for creative roles.
• Participate in full-time hiring interviews when needed.
• Support the freelance roster by interviewing candidates, suggesting trial opportunities, and reviewing performance for future use.
• Advise on creative department budget decisions with the CCO, President, and Finance team.
• Provide strategic input to the executive team on hiring and freelance staffing needs.
• Work collaboratively across departments to set projects up for success.
• Monitor workloads, deadlines, proposals, time tracking, and forecasting to prevent overservicing.
• Help identify work with press or awards potential and support submission preparation.
• Oversee agency marketing and creative content, including social media, case studies, and website updates.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in creative leadership, preferably in experiential marketing, brand activations, or a similar field.
• Demonstrated success creating innovative brand experiences that generate engagement and measurable outcomes.
• Strong cultural awareness and curiosity, with the ability to shape ideas that resonate with specific communities and audiences.
• Advanced strategic thinking, with the ability to translate business goals into compelling creative solutions.
• Deep experience leading, coaching, and developing creative teams.
• Strong storytelling and concepting abilities, supported by a portfolio of campaigns and pitch work.
• Confidence presenting ideas to clients, internal teams, and senior executives.
• Experience leading multiple projects at different stages while balancing hands-on direction and big-picture strategy.
• Solid understanding of design, production, and emerging technologies that support experiential marketing.
• Ability to guide cross-functional teams including designers, strategists, producers, and account leads.
• Background in business development and pitching, with success winning new clients and growing existing accounts.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Sound judgment in making creative and strategic decisions while keeping work on schedule.
• Experience managing budgets and resources efficiently and profitably.
• Understanding of social media and digital integration to extend experiential campaigns.
• Drive to stay ahead of industry shifts and bring fresh thinking to the team.

Additional information

This is a full-time position. Compensation is listed as $200,000 to $250,000 per year as base salary only, and pay will be determined by experience within that range.