Creative Director

Lead creative direction for Apple University by shaping learning experiences across brand, design systems, and story-driven content.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and evolve Apple University’s visual and narrative identity across live courses, interactive experiences, videos, podcasts, web content, print collateral, and digital tools
• Define creative standards and build design system guidance, engineering specs, and/or templates for visual and typographic consistency, conceptual clarity, and a consistent Apple look across an expanding AU catalog
• Partner with faculty, writers, producers, and subject-matter experts to conceive and create engaging learning stories, from single documents to multi-day leadership summits
• Translate complex business, cultural, and technical concepts into clear conceptual models, diagrams, and narrative arcs that make ideas intuitive and memorable
• Provide creative direction and constructive critique from initial framing through final polish, ensuring work meets a high aesthetic and educational bar
• Act as a player-coach by shifting between high-level direction and hands-on execution, designing alongside the team
• Establish creative workflows and rhythms to support exploration and timely delivery, helping prioritize and protect time for deep focus
• Lead and invest in a small multidisciplinary design team, supporting individual growth and long-term development
• Source, brief, and direct external creative partners (for example UX designers or audio engineers) to complement internal capabilities on key initiatives
• Partner with AU senior leadership and faculty to shape the long-term curriculum roadmap by identifying emerging topics, audience needs, and creative opportunities across Apple
• Champion creative work within Apple University and across Apple stakeholders by communicating the strategic rationale behind creative choices and aligning cross-functionally
• Stay current on evolving needs and trends within Apple and among people seeking to learn and grow inside organizations
• Experiment with new learning formats and interactive experiences to expand AU reach, engagement, and impact
• Guide the thoughtful integration of generative AI into creative workflows, using AI tools to support concept exploration and prototyping while preserving craft and human touch

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in brand identity, communication design, or editorial art direction, with multidisciplinary background across print, digital, motion, and/or experiential environments
• Exceptional portfolio showing advanced creative presentation design, web design, UI/UX design, or other visual communication work aligned with Apple’s design philosophy
• Strong understanding of web development and UI/UX principles, focused on building user-friendly, visually appealing interfaces for learning platforms
• Proven experience directing, mentoring, and inspiring creative talent across cross-disciplinary teams
• Deep familiarity and proficiency with Apple native tools (especially Keynote) plus industry tools including Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite
• Excellent time management and project management skills, with ability to triage changing priorities and manage high volumes of work without reducing quality

Technologies

• Keynote
• Figma
• Sketch
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Generative AI

Preferred qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a design or creative leadership role
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and presentation skills
• Collaborative mentor who brings out the best in team members and close partners
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and aligning diverse experts toward shared goals
• Experience designing content that helps people learn, think differently, or change behavior
• Strong appreciation for Apple’s values, products, and design legacy
• Commitment to designing inclusive and accessible work
• Active curiosity and practical experience integrating generative AI tools into creative processes
• BA or BFA in Graphic Design or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience

Benefits

• Base pay range: $216,500 to $325,400 per year (base pay depends on skills, qualifications, experience, and location)
• Opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs
• Eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards
• Can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Range of discounted products and free services
• Reimbursement for certain educational expenses, including tuition for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple
• Role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments and relocation