Associate Creative Director - Advertising Design / Art Direction

thelab is looking for an Associate Creative Director to help shape advertising design and art direction across a full, integrated marketing ecosystem. Based in New York, NY (hybrid), you will report to the ECD team and own creative direction that connects strategy, design craft, and production execution across channels.

You will lead work from early concepting through final delivery, bringing a cohesive brand aesthetic to everything from TV/CTV to paid and organic social, plus experiential and retail environments. The role also supports strong client presence through presentations and creative reviews, with the goal of strengthening partnership through consistently high-quality work.

What you’ll do

• Own the end-to-end creative direction vision across all channels and touchpoints, including art direction, design, and copy, to ensure a cohesive, elevated brand aesthetic
• Concept, develop, and oversee creative for TV/CTV, paid social, organic social, experiential, retail, and trade environments
• Partner with copywriters as a true creative collaborator, providing clear, confident direction
• Maintain a high bar for craft from early concepting through final execution
• Think at the account level by connecting creative choices to business objectives, audience dynamics, and results across the full marketing ecosystem
• Collaborate with paid and organic social strategists, brand strategy, and the ECD team to ensure creative is integrated and purposeful in every channel
• Bring a point of view to briefs, pushing thinking upstream when needed
• Lead in client presentations and ongoing creative reviews, communicating decisions with openness and conviction
• Help grow client relationships through the quality of work and the strength of the partnership
• Lead and oversee shoot production for campaign and content work, with an eye for casting, set design, photography, and film direction
• Partner with production and project management to deliver ambitious creative on time and on budget

What you bring

• 6-8 years of design and art direction experience, including significant agency time on integrated brand campaigns
• A portfolio showcasing excellent design taste that is elevated, considered, and fluent across channels
• Deep experience across TV/CTV, paid social, organic social, experiential, and retail
• Proven experience with luxury brands and a clear understanding of luxury’s visual language, restraint, and craft standards
• Strong shoot production experience, with comfort on set and an ability to maximize production outcomes
• Evidence of strategic account-level thinking beyond execution
• Experience managing, inspiring, and developing a team of creatives
• Exceptional client-facing skills, with confidence, clarity, and collaboration in the room
• Comfort working in a cross-capability team and understanding how design supports a fully integrated program

Benefits

• Health/vision/dental with Anthem BCBS
• 401k match
• Unlimited PTO
• Pretty great snacks

Nice to have

• Experience with luxury appliance, home goods, or premium lifestyle categories
• Familiarity with trade marketing as an audience (designers, architects, specifiers)

Compensation: USD 125,000 - 140,000 per year.