Creative Director

Yerba Madre is hiring a Creative Director to lead and evolve the brand’s visual identity across consumer touchpoints, with primary ownership of social and packaging.

Responsibilities

• Own visual direction, content standards, and creative supply for Social; partner with Social to support channel and content strategy.
• Set the editorial rhythm for social work including editorial calendar, publishing cadence, and content execution.
• Own and lead packaging creative direction for can, glass, seeding kits, limited editions, and packaging campaigns (tentpoles, launches, brand moments).
• Own and evolve the Yerba Madre visual identity and brand voice across every consumer touchpoint.
• Translate the brand platform and positioning into a consistent, distinctive visual language.
• Maintain a living creative brief including the visual toolkit, photography standards, typography, color, and motion principles.
• Apply the Yerba Madre creative filter to ensure every piece ships to standard.
• Own the visual direction of the @yerbamadre feed.
• Build and maintain a network of photographers, videographers, and creators who can execute to brand standards.
• Partner closely with the Social Director: you lead the creative POV, Social leads strategy and distribution instincts.
• Hold final call on brand and visual standards, while Social has final decision-making on what ships, when, and where.
• Bring the same creative rigor to packaging as to social.
• Lead end-to-end conceptualization and execution of brand campaigns, product launches, and fast-turn digital assets.
• Apply a consistent visual POV across annual brand tentpoles.
• Partner with Brand Management, Innovation, and Commercial teams to translate consumer insights into visual narratives that drive action.
• Build the creative brief the full team can execute against, including in-house designers and external production partners.
• Develop the in-house design team with repeatable systems that support independent execution over time (shot lists, content templates, brief formats).
• Set the creative standard including how work is reviewed and what gets shipped.
• Curate and match the right talent to the right briefs.
• Run a lean, fast studio approach with small team, high output.
• Use external agency partners to absorb execution overflow during packaging and campaign crunch periods while protecting quick-turn capacity for social throughout the year.

Requirements

• Doer and leader who can quickly roll up sleeves in a cross-functional collaborative environment.
• Has a genuine, specific point of view on what brands should and should not look like and can defend it.
• Has built or shaped brand visual identity across multiple touchpoints, not only one channel or medium.
• Understands creative as a business tool, able to translate design decisions into growth arguments and turn growth problems into briefs.
• Comfortable with hands-on art direction for packaging shoots and briefing creators for platforms.
• Savvy in AI with daily curiosity about emerging technology and how to integrate new tools into the creative process.
• Moves fast, makes decisions, and distinguishes fast from sloppy.
• Worked in or around culture (fashion, music, food, beverage, wellness) and understands aspirational visuals for a life seeker audience.
• Leads people well through clear direction, talent development, and building creative cultures.
• 7–10+ years in CPG brand marketing, creative agencies, or social media, with a portfolio demonstrating omnichannel creative success.
• Proven track record in fast-growing lifestyle, health, wellness, or beverage categories.
• Experience leading and developing in-house creative teams.
• Strong hands-on craft; Adobe Creative Suite fluency at a player-coach level.
• Prior print production experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to connect creative work to commercial outcomes such as trial, conversion, and brand equity.
• Experience managing external creative partners including photographers, production companies, art directors, and agencies.
• Social-native with deep understanding of platform mechanics, what performs, and what builds a brand over time.

On-site & Work Details

• Location: Oakland, CA (onsite)
• On-site requirement: 3 days per week in the Oakland, CA office
• Schedule notes: May sit or stand to complete work at a computer for many hours during the day.
• Physical requirements: Heavy use of the computer; utilize visual acuity to operate equipment, read technical information, and/or use a keyboard; accurately complete detailed forms and reports.

Salary

• USD 157,000 - 205,000 per year

Technology

• Adobe Creative Suite