Associate Creative Director Job at Activate Inc. in Metro Detroit

Associate Creative Director

Company Overview:

At Activate, we are renowned for crafting extraordinary experiences that make a lasting impact for some of the world's most influential brands. Our expertise spans the production of kits, mobile tours, and standout live events, enhancing brand visibility and strengthening customer loyalty. As a WBENC-certified company, we take pride in fostering an inclusive work environment that emphasizes growth, offers competitive benefits, and champions collaboration.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an Associate Creative Director to help lead our creative team in the conceptualization, design, and presentation of innovative branded experiences, from large-scale activations and mobile tours to kitted experiences and digital content. This leadership role is ideal for a seasoned design professional who thrives in fast-paced, high-output environments, balancing hands-on creative contribution with team mentorship and pitch strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Conceptual and Ideation Responsibilities:

• Lead the conceptual development of immersive brand activations, PR kits, mobile tours, virtual experiences, and live events.
• Champion breakthrough ideas that drive emotional engagement, brand visibility, and business impact.
• Oversee the creation of pitch-winning decks, including copywriting, mood boards, concept renders, and brand storytelling.
• Conduct team brainstorms and design sprints to unlock creative possibilities.
• Translate complex client briefs into actionable creative direction and presentation narratives.
• Maintain a pulse on trends across pop culture, design, tech, and relevant industries to infuse fresh thinking into all ideation work.
• Collaborate with Business Development on pitches, RFPs, and proactive concepting to win new work.

Graphic Design and Presentation Responsibilities:

• Direct the design of visual presentations and marketing collateral that support experiential and digital campaigns.
• Oversee the production of branded design assets including signage, packaging, social content, and environmental graphics.
• Refine and elevate presentation materials with a keen eye for layout, typography, and storytelling clarity.
• Manage the development of scalable design templates and layouts that meet brand standards across platforms.
• Lead junior designers by providing feedback, art direction, and coaching to improve final output.
• Ensure brand consistency and high design standards across all deliverables.

Physical Design and Execution Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that the creative vision is executed with excellence in physical environments.
• Develop and communicate creative direction for event fabrication, scenic builds, and large-scale environmental design.
• Participate in on-site installations and walkthroughs to ensure visual fidelity and brand integrity.
• Consult on experiential kit design and packaging strategy for high-impact delivery.
• Monitor budget feasibility and fabrication constraints during the design phase.
• Work closely with Production and Account teams to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of final experiences.

Job Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years in a creative agency or experiential marketing environment, with at least 2+ years of creative leadership.
• Portfolio: Expansive portfolio showcasing pitch-winning, produced, and executed work across live events, brand activations, and multi-channel campaigns.

Requirements:

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (especially Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Excellent copywriting and storytelling skills.
• Strong grasp of conceptual design, art direction, and layout.
• Experience delivering high-stakes presentations to clients and stakeholders, both virtually and in person.
• Comfortable with public speaking and presenting complex creative ideas with clarity and confidence.
• Familiarity with production processes for events, kits, and touring programs.
• Ability to manage design for digital (UI/UX), photography, motion graphics, and video projects.
• Skilled in managing teams and navigating multiple timelines and deliverables simultaneously.

Activate provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.