Associate Creative Director

The Associate Creative Director will join Vail Resorts’ internal Creative Services team, leading brand design concept development, art direction, and creative execution across integrated campaigns. This hybrid role is based in Broomfield, CO and includes team mentoring, design quality leadership, and collaboration across marketing and cross-functional stakeholders.

Own creative direction for integrated campaign work, guiding design craft and ensuring strategic alignment across brands and channels. The role focuses on turning strategic briefs into insight-driven creative solutions, setting visual standards, and scaling design systems and toolkits for consistent execution.

• Lead concept development and creative execution across campaigns, seasonal initiatives, and brand activations.
• Translate business objectives and strategic briefs into compelling, insight-driven creative solutions.
• Partner with Creative Directors, Strategists, Account Managers, and Brand Marketing teams to deliver integrated campaigns with brand and business impact.
• Maintain strategic alignment while championing innovative thinking that advances brand expression.
• Set expectations for visual quality, design craft, and art direction across all channels and touchpoints.
• Create and evolve design systems and campaign toolkits that scale across multiple brands and channels, including understanding when and how to use AI tools within the creative process.
• Ensure brand consistency while continuously evolving creative expression.
• Provide clear, actionable feedback at every stage of development to strengthen work.
• Mentor and develop designers, art directors, copywriters, freelancers, and agency partners through creative direction, coaching, and constructive feedback.
• Support a culture of curiosity, collaboration, experimentation, and creative excellence.
• Partner on resource planning, team development, and creative process improvements with creative and account leadership.
• Promote an environment where diverse perspectives contribute to stronger creative solutions.
• Lead creative development for photography, video, and content productions from concept through final delivery.
• Guide the creation of mood boards, storyboards, shot lists, presentations, and visual narratives.
• Partner with photographers, directors, production teams, editors, and external vendors to execute best-in-class creative.
• Provide on-set creative leadership when needed to ensure the vision is realized.
• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across marketing, resort operations, strategy, CRM, social, content, and brand leadership teams.
• Present creative work with confidence, clarity, and strategic rationale.
• Navigate feedback and align teams around solutions that balance business objectives with high creative standards.
• Manage multiple projects and priorities while maintaining high quality and attention to detail.
• Explore and integrate AI-enabled workflows, tools, and technologies that improve creative efficiency and output.
• Stay informed on emerging trends in design, advertising, culture, and outdoor lifestyle marketing, bringing new inspiration to the team.

• 8+ years of experience in art direction, brand design, advertising, creative marketing, or integrated campaign development.
• 2+ years of experience leading, mentoring, or managing creative teams.
• Portfolio demonstrating exceptional art direction, design excellence, and integrated campaign thinking.
• Strong conceptual abilities with a track record of connecting strategy to execution through breakthrough ideas.
• Deep understanding of design systems, visual storytelling, typography, layout, photography, and digital experiences.
• Experience leading creative for integrated…