Creative Director

Lead Mystic Aquarium’s visual storytelling and serve as the primary creative voice across brand, mission, and campaign execution.

Responsibilities

• Act as the lead creative voice for Mystic Aquarium, setting visual direction for marketing and communications channels
• Turn organizational goals, marketing strategy, and campaign objectives into clear creative concepts and visual storytelling
• Maintain, protect, and evolve Mystic Aquarium’s visual brand across digital, print, and environmental uses
• Set and uphold high creative quality standards while keeping outputs authentic to Mystic Aquarium’s mission, audiences, and brand
• Create mission-driven concepts supporting attendance, membership, fundraising, events, education, and conservation awareness
• Stay current on creative, video, design, digital, and social trends, and recommend opportunities to refine the creative approach
• Lead Mystic Aquarium’s video strategy and production from concept development and storyboarding through filming, editing, and final delivery
• Partner with the Sr. Video Producer to produce video for social media, digital advertising, web, public relations, fundraising, internal communications, and other organizational needs
• Provide hands-on video production support including filming, directing, lighting, audio, and related production needs
• Develop storytelling that makes complex topics (animal care, research, conservation, rescue, education) accessible and engaging for broad audiences
• Capture planned and real-time content across the Aquarium, including animal stories, events, interviews, conservation initiatives, behind-the-scenes moments, and breaking media opportunities
• Ensure video is developed and optimized for different platforms, audiences, and formats
• Provide creative direction for the graphic design function
• Oversee creative asset development for advertising, social media, web, email, signage, events, exhibits, fundraising, presentations, and other needs
• Ensure consistency across visual identity elements including typography, imagery, photography, graphics, and brand assets
• Review and approve creative work and deliver constructive feedback that improves both individual projects and the overall brand
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify the strongest visual approach to shared goals rather than handling isolated requests
• Work closely with the Digital Marketing Manager to develop social and digital creative concepts
• Understand platform-specific creative requirements and audience behaviors for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging channels
• Develop social-first creative designed to attract attention, encourage engagement, and strengthen audience connection to Mystic Aquarium
• Identify opportunities to test new formats and storytelling techniques while maintaining brand integrity
• Build and reinforce a strong, recognizable visual identity across digital channels
• Lead, mentor, and develop video and graphic design professionals; set expectations, priorities, and creative standards
• Assign projects based on organizational priorities, team capacity, and individual strengths
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities
• Foster a collaborative creative culture focused on curiosity, experimentation, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Ensure the team understands both what is being produced and the strategic purpose behind it
• Manage the creative process end-to-end: brief and concept development, production, review, approval, and delivery
• Create processes to help the creative team prioritize requests and focus resources on the highest-impact needs
• Manage multiple projects at once, balancing planned campaigns with time-sensitive and unexpected opportunities
• Develop and maintain production schedules to keep projects on time and to standard
• Manage video and photography equipment, creative assets, file organization, and digital asset libraries
• Coordinate external photographers, videographers, freelancers, agencies, and other vendors as needed
• Assist with managing creative production budgets and equipment investments
• Partner with internal teams including Animal Care, Research, Conservation, Education, Development, Guest Experience, Membership, and others to identify compelling ways to tell stories
• Collaborate with subject matter experts to support engaging storytelling while maintaining scientific and organizational accuracy
• Support earned media storytelling by helping develop and capture visual assets
• Represent Marketing and Mystic Aquarium professionally with internal and external partners

Requirements

• 5–7+ years of professional experience in creative production, video production, multimedia, marketing, advertising, communications, or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree in film/video production, design, marketing, communications, visual arts, or related field preferred; equivalent experience and a demonstrated portfolio will be considered
• Significant professional video production experience, including work with professional video cameras, lighting, audio, and production equipment
• Minimum 2–3 years of experience leading, supervising, or managing creative professionals
• Strong portfolio showing video storytelling, creative direction, and multimedia work across multiple platforms and audiences
• Demonstrated ability to move between strategic creative direction and hands-on production
• Strong understanding of visual storytelling, composition, brand development, and contemporary design principles
• Experience developing creative for social media and digital platforms
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud, especially Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator (or comparable tools)
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including constructive creative feedback and collaboration across disciplines to translate complex information into visual stories

Technologies

• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Premiere Pro
• After Effects
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Supplemental insurance
• 401(k) Qualified

Salary range

$100,000-$120,000 per year based on experience and expertise.

Physical demands

• Time split between a typical office environment and active production work throughout Mystic Aquarium’s campus
• Office work: sit for extended periods, use computer equipment for detailed editing and design work, participate in meetings and phone calls
• Production work: stand, walk, kneel, crouch, and move for extended periods; navigate stairs, uneven terrain, and potentially wet or slick surfaces near marine habitats; hold cameras or other equipment steady for sustained periods
• Lifting/carrying: set up video, lighting, audio, and event equipment up to 40 pounds; transport equipment across campus and to off-site locations
• May involve working around animals, animal habitats, behind-the-scenes areas, events, and active guest spaces while following safety and animal welfare protocols
• Some assignments include outdoor work in heat, cold, rain, and humidity; may involve travel, conservation or animal rescue activities, and other nontraditional production environments
• Flexibility to capture stories and events outside traditional office hours, including occasional evenings, weekends, and early mornings

Preferred experience

• Developing content for mission-driven, nonprofit, cultural, educational, science, conservation, tourism, or visitor-attraction organizations
• Producing content in dynamic environments where opportunities may be unpredictable or time-sensitive
• Managing freelancers, agencies, production vendors, or creative budgets
• Photography, motion graphics, animation, and/or other multimedia production
• Understanding of digital marketing, audience engagement, and how creative contributes to organizational and revenue goals

Key competencies

• Creative Vision: fresh ideas and a strong creative point of view aligned to broader organizational strategy
• Storytelling: identifies compelling stories and builds emotional connections
• Leadership: inspires, develops, and provides clear direction while maintaining standards and accountability
• Brand Stewardship: protects, strengthens, and evolves a cohesive brand across applications
• Strategic Thinking: connects creative projects to marketing, audience, revenue, and mission objectives
• Collaboration: builds productive relationships across departments and balances stakeholder needs with brand priorities
• Adaptability: shifts between long-term campaigns, day-to-day production, and unexpected opportunities
• Hands-On Mentality: comfortable leading the creative function and participating in production when needed

Location: Mystic, CT (onsite)