Onward Search is hiring: Executive AI Creative Director [79850] in Los Angeles

Overview

This Executive AI Creative Director is a senior creative leadership role responsible for driving bold, culture-shaping campaigns at the intersection of creativity and AI. This position requires proven experience in delivering award-winning, national campaigns while integrating emerging technologies to elevate creative impact, especially with QSR and Experiential.

In this role you will oversee a team of Creative Directors, mentor talent, and shape best-in-class campaigns across digital, social, experiential, and traditional platforms. The role demands both high-level vision and hands-on execution, with a strong focus on innovation, cultural fluency, and brand-building at scale.

Type: Direct hire, full time

Schedule: Hybrid, regular business hours

Pay: $180,000 - $230,000 salary depending on experience

Base pay range $180,000.00/yr - $230,000.00/yr

Executive AI Creative Director Requirements

• 15+ years of creative leadership experience with a strong record of award-winning, national campaigns, especially with QSR experience with activation / experiential events.
• Bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, communications, or related field.
• Proven ability to lead big ideas from concept through execution with measurable cultural and business impact.
• Portfolio showcasing headline-worthy, culturally fluent, and tech-forward work.
• Deep understanding of the full creative process across platforms, channels, and campaign types.
• Familiarity with generative AI tools (Runway, Sora, ChatGPT, 11Labs, Gemini, etc.) and experience embedding them into consumer-facing work.
• Strong background in QSR and automotive campaigns preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing, mentoring, and upskilling diverse creative teams.
• Excellent storytelling, client presentation, and senior stakeholder engagement skills.
• Comfortable driving innovation in fast-moving, high-visibility environments.

Executive AI Creative Director Duties

• Lead creative development across high-profile accounts, with a focus on integrating emerging technologies and AI into campaigns.
• Partner with the Chief Creative & Innovation Officer to translate vision into bold, award-worthy campaigns that drive engagement, earned media, and cultural relevance.
• Manage, mentor, and inspire a team of 5 to 6 Creative Directors, embedding AI-driven creativity into daily workflows.
• Deliver big, cross-platform ideas that scale across digital, social, experiential, and traditional channels.
• Evaluate and adopt new AI tools and technologies to enhance creative ideation, production, and presentation.
• Present creative work with authority and inspiration to senior clients and internal stakeholders.
• Lead and participate in new business pitches, agency-wide initiatives, and innovation workshops.
• Build and maintain client confidence, positioning yourself as a trusted senior creative leader.
• Foster a culture of experimentation, growth, and excellence within the creative department.
• Consistently raise the creative bar, ensuring campaigns earn attention, awards, and measurable results.

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Design and Art/Creative

Industries

• Advertising Services

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