Associate Creative Director - Art Direction

Associate Creative Director - Art Direction

This range is provided by Raindrop. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$/yr - $/yr

FULL TIME / HYBRID / SAN DIEGO, CA

We're Raindrop, a creative agency built for brands that want to stand out and create marketing that people love. We're scrappy, sharp, and slightly obsessive. From breakout DTC legends like Dr. Squatch to household names like Native, we help brands grow, scale, and create impact.

Our team punches above its weight because we hire people who care. About the craft, about our clients, about each other, and about making things we're proud of.

We're looking for an Associate Creative Director (Art) who can own a visual story from pitch to post. You'll lead photo and video campaigns, shaping everything from wardrobe and set design to the tiny touches that make the work feel effortlessly on brand. You'll concept ideas that bring briefs to life, mentor junior creatives, and collaborate with writers, strategists, photographers and directors.

You'll make sure the final product doesn't just "meet client needs", it raises the bar and looks damn good doing it.

• Lead Art Direction from concept to execution:
  Provide visionary leadership across all stages of creative development, from concepting and pitching to crafting and executing production design elements such as wardrobe, set design, locations, and talent.
• Champion hyper‑creativity and strategic thinking:
  Generate bold, innovative ideas that push creative boundaries while solving complex brand and storytelling challenges for our clients.
• Collaborate across departments:
  Partner seamlessly with creative, strategy, and production teams to ensure cohesive, high‑impact campaign execution.
• Drive visual alignment:
  Oversee and produce detailed mood boards and visual references that communicate the creative vision clearly and inspire teams throughout production.
• Manage and mentor creatives:
  Lead, mentor, and motivate junior art directors and designers, providing clear feedback, guidance, and support to foster creative growth and accountability.
• Balance creativity with discipline:
  Maintain sharp focus on timelines, budgets, and deliverables, ensuring every project meets both creative excellence and operational efficiency.
• Direct integrated campaigns:
  Lead the art direction of large‑scale, multi‑channel campaigns across film, digital, social, and print, ensuring a consistent and elevated aesthetic across all outputs.
• Inspire through ideation:
  Facilitate high‑energy creative sessions that encourage experimentation, originality, and breakthrough thinking across teams.
• Oversee quality and refinement:
  Review, refine, and approve all major visual deliverables, safeguarding the integrity of the creative vision and brand strategy.
• Align vision with business goals:
  Expertly balance artistic ambition with client objectives, translating brand strategy into compelling visual storytelling.
• Own production design:
  Lead the development of production design for each project, including set design and builds, backdrops, flat lays, prop sourcing, and styling (product, food, or environment).
• Guide production design team:
  Oversee production designers, ensuring they have the clarity, resources, and direction needed to deliver on the creative vision in fast‑paced environments.
• Collaborate in pre‑production:
  Partner with producers during pre‑production to identify and secure the right locations, set pieces, and design elements that align with the visual tone and story of the project.

• 8+ years of Art/Creative Direction, including production design
• A creative thought leader, bringing fresh ideas and visual directions to each project
• Expert knowledge and usage of:
  Photoshop (masking, retouching), Illustrator, InDesign, Figma/ Google Slides, Sketch Up
• Delegates tasks strategically and follows up to ensure completion of tasks
• Comfortable with AR/VR, AI-assisted design
• Understanding of cinematography, photography, and social media
• Commitment to timely communication and excellent written and verbal skills
• Tech‑savvy and comfortable with…