Creative Director

About You

As the Creative Director
, you inspire creativity by leading creative strategy, thinking, and execution that motivates people to act. You combine strong creative instincts with analytical thinking, attention to detail, authenticity, communication skills, and leadership to differentiate the Noodles & Company brand.

Reporting to the Vice President, Marketing, this role leads brand messaging and creative expression across all channels, including digital, broadcast, print, photography, in-restaurant collateral, promotional materials, website, mobile apps, email communications, social creative, and brand guidelines. You lead an in-house creative team and partner closely with external agencies, freelancers, and vendors to deliver culturally resonant, high-quality creative work, from large-scale brand campaigns to nimble social storytelling.

At Noodles & Company, we believe great food can spark meaningful connections. That’s why we’re on a mission to reintroduce the world to noodles—not just as a meal, but as an experience worth craving. As we evolve our brand to meet the modern guest, we’re focused on creating moments that surprise, delight, and shift perceptions of what fast-casual can be.

Every bowl we serve is rooted in global flavors, fresh ingredients, and intentional hospitality that makes guests feel seen and valued. Our values—
We Care, We Show Pride, We Are Passionate, and We Love Life —guide how we show up for our guests, our team members, and each other.

Careers at Noodles are served with a side of:

• Pay range: $110,000-$150,000 annual salary
• Eligible for annual performance bonus up to 20%
• Flexible paid time off
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) and stock purchase discounts
• Paid maternity and paternity leaves, adoption, and surrogacy benefits
• Noodles Resource Groups — inclusive communities that foster belonging, build connections, and support your personal and professional growth
• Scholarship opportunities through Noodles Foundation
• Monthly technology stipend
• Discounts through our gift card program
• Learn more about our benefits:

• Translate brand direction, objectives, and business goals into compelling creative and communication executions.
• Support restaurant design, internal, corporate, franchise, and external marketing and branding needs.
• Lead and oversee an in-house creative team.
• Use internal and external resources to translate business imperatives into clear, engaging creative output.
• Direct the development, review, production, and execution of creative work in alignment with brand strategies, standards, and business priorities.
• Ensure all brand communications adhere to brand, legal, and trademark requirements.
• Oversee internal and agency processes related to creative development and production.
• Manage production calendars to ensure prioritization, efficiency, and on-time delivery of marketing materials.
• Oversee restaurant merchandising strategy and execution.
• Drive brand creativity across functions.
• Identify practical, innovative opportunities to strengthen and evolve the brand.
• Support creative collaboration across departments, including messaging, design, and training.
• Oversee creative and project budgets.
• Manage the creative team through coaching, training, prioritization, accountability, and performance management.
• Optimize creative workflows, systems, and tools to improve efficiency and output.
• Establish quality benchmarks, review processes, and feedback loops to maintain creative excellence.
• Leverage insights, testing, and performance data to refine creative strategy and execution.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• 10+ years of experience managing creative teams
• Experience in a corporate in-house environment, with a mix of agency and corporate experience preferred
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Thoughtful leader who can receive, synthesize, and apply input from multiple stakeholders
• Proven ability to build, mentor, and motivate creative teams
• Strong background in design and creative production
• Deep understanding of traditional and digital…