Associate Creative Director, Design

Noodle is higher education’s leading strategy, services, and technology partner. We develop infrastructure, provide life-changing learning experiences, and grow the awareness of and the enrollment in some of the best academic institutions in the world. Our vision is “to empower universities to change the world.” We achieve this vision by offering our university partners various products and services that help them be more resilient, responsive, efficient, and interconnected.

Higher education is one of the most competitive and emotionally resonant marketing landscapes there is — and our partner institutions need creative that can match that moment. Our Associate Creative Director, Design is a creative leader who shapes the work, elevates the team, and brings ideas to life at every stage of the process. This is a role for a strategic creative who thinks in brand systems and narratives, not just deliverables — someone equally at home developing an institutional identity as they are directing a video shoot or presenting a campaign concept to a university leadership team.

You'll lead a team of designers and producers, collaborate closely with cross-functional marketing partners, and serve as a trusted creative voice for the partner institutions we serve.

If you're energized by the intersection of craft, strategy, and storytelling — and you want your work to genuinely shape how students find their place in the world — this role was built for you.

• Drive brand and identity work across a range of initiatives — from institutional rebranding and advancement campaigns to athletic identity systems — championing typographic craft, layout sensibility, and visual hierarchy at every scale, whether the deliverable is a digital ad unit or a comprehensive brand system
• Bring a storyteller's instinct to all video and photo work — leading productions from concept through post-production, including narrative development, storyboarding, and on-site direction, while managing the logistical realities of location-based shoots: coordinating schedules, securing permits, and obtaining all required talent and location releases. Every production should authentically capture the spirit of a partner institution and speak directly to the aspirations of their target audiences
• Lead end-to-end creative campaign development — from initial concepting and internal reviews through client preview sessions and final production — delivering thoughtful, innovative campaigns and experiences that resonate
• Proactively research design trends, cultural shifts, and competitor activity — translating those insights into creative strategies that keep partner institutions ahead of the curve, while driving adoption of modern tools, including AI-assisted workflows, to improve throughput and unlock new creative possibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of designers, art directors, and video producers — fostering a culture of creative curiosity, accountability, and continuous growth by providing consistent, constructive feedback that helps team members develop their craft, broaden their skill sets, and build toward their individual career goals
• Set the tone for how the team shows up and what they produce — leading by example with energy, intention, and a high bar for craft, motivating the team to deliver work that is smart, strategic, and brand-relevant, on time and on budget, without sacrificing creative ambition
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional marketing teammates — including media managers, editors, copywriters, and strategists — to define project scope, align on creative requirements, and establish the shared understanding needed to move work forward efficiently and cohesively
• Establish and continuously refine team workflows, processes, and production pipelines — creating the operational foundation that allows the creative team to do their best work consistently, at scale, and without unnecessary friction

• Partner with marketing strategists and client stakeholders — developing a deep understanding of each institution's brand positioning, audience insights,…