Creative Director

At AKQA, we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create a better future. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive ideas, services, and experiences that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

Creatives at AKQA apply artistry and craftsmanship to strategic insight to create and bring to life beautiful ideas that move the world. As a member of the AKQA Creative department, you will influence changes in consumer behaviour through ideas, creativity, and the use of technology.

As Creative Director at AKQA London, you will inspire and lead a team of creatives to craft compelling narratives that drive meaningful change. Through storytelling, innovation, and problem-solving, you will shape ideas that resonate with audiences and transform their experiences. Your role is to push the boundaries of digital creativity, influencing the future of brand expression and engagement while inspiring some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies. You will support our dynamic studio, collaborating with ambitious local, regional, and global teams and clients. Your leadership will be essential in crafting work that resonates not only within London but also across the EMEA region and with international audiences.

There will be the opportunity to learn and grow within a creative and technically advanced environment, with access to ongoing personal and professional development. At AKQA, we’re committed to your growth, as well as your wellbeing.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Deliver and inspire award-winning work from your team, influencing change through ideas, creativity, and the use of interactive media.
• Consistently deliver a number of successful solutions and high-quality work to clients on time.
• Immerse within the client’s business. Identify, understand, and overcome commercial and internal challenges to inspire and deliver effective solutions that consider the holistic needs of the brand.
• Contribute to the strategic development of a well-defined creative brief and any additional briefing documents, speaking with clients directly where necessary.
• Lead by example to consistently inspire creative colleagues to originate world-class, pioneering ideas that conceptualize world-class solutions.
• Generate useful, usable ideas across all existing and emerging digital platforms.
• Continually develop practices and processes to inspire, innovate, and harness new ways of thinking.
• Set creative direction and offer hands-on guidance throughout client team projects.
• Inspire clients with opportunities, growing partnerships organically through both ideas and successes.
• High level of internal and external client and team satisfaction.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Learn new skills and stay abreast of technical and digital design developments, and successfully apply them to work practices to help improve processes and procedures.
• Display a cohesive understanding and execute principles that make innovative and effective digital communications, interface design, and interaction design.
• Select the most appropriate supplier for the required task. Successfully manage multiple suppliers, partners, and clients to ensure outsourced projects are creatively delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
• Ensure AKQA always obtains the most cost-effective solution.
• Oversee creation of award entries and case studies of key projects, ensuring they are distributed across the business to relevant people (e.g., client team, Business Development Director).
• Creatively lead new business pitches. Responsible for ideas and creative work, and competently present pitches.
• Develop strategies to build a climate of trust, openness, and respect; forge strong relationships to drive successful outcomes.
• Possess highly advanced writing skills to effectively present a point of view, using logic, fact, and a compelling storyline via any medium.
• Represent AKQA by delivering talks, connecting with new talent, and inspiring the next generation of creatives.
• Be hands-on from a design craft standpoint. The ability to use creative programs such as Adobe Creative Suite and Figma to a high level is essential.

QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Extensive experience working at an Associate Creative Director or Creative Director level in a similar agency environment.
• Demonstrated creative success in leading collaborative multi-functional teams, including project planning, to winning a number of industry-recognized awards.
• Considerable experience of European and Global projects.
• Experience developing/leading client relationships.
• Proven track record generating new business.
• Exceptional information presentation (visual and written) experience.
• Experience in, and enthusiasm for, creating digital platforms and products from brief to delivery and beyond.
• Experience in side-by-side collaboration with UX and development teams and leaders.
• A strong track record in large-scale project planning, including accurate estimation of costs and timing, with limited overruns.
• Expert knowledge of user interface, application, mobile, and responsive design, using the latest prototyping and design tools.

AKQA is committed to developing wellbeing and supporting our team's life choices. We provide an extensive range of benefits. To find out more, click here.

AKQA is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We believe that diversity is vital to AKQA’s ability to provide our clients with the best recommendations and are committed to fostering a varied and inclusive work environment. Your race, colour, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.