Creative Studio Director – Digital Advertising Job at GumGum in Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California, United States

GumGum is a contextual-first, global digital advertising platform that uses advanced AI technology to serve captivating creative ads without the use of personal data. We believe a context-based approach builds a more equitable and less invasive internet for consumers, publishers, and advertisers alike. Our Mindset Matrix combines context and creative to deliver superior attention and drive consumer action without sacrificing personal data.

To be a part of this next phase of digital advertising that prioritizes data privacy, please visit gumgum.com/careers

Creative Studio Director – Digital Advertising is a key member of the regional leadership team, responsible for driving client growth and retention through strategic creative leadership. This role serves as the commercial design partner to Sales and Account Management, transforming creative services from a delivery function into a revenue and relationship driver. The Creative Studio Director – Digital Advertising will own the commercial success of our creative output in North America, pioneer new value delivery methods for clients, and lead the studio to achieve strategic influence and operational excellence.

Note: GumGum fosters a flexible work environment, offering the ability to work in-office or remotely. For occasional in-person collaboration, this position should be located within a commutable distance to our office.

What You’ll Achieve

• Partner with Sales and Commercial Leads to build and execute a creative strategy that drives account growth, client retention, and upsell opportunities
• Originate and develop proactive, revenue-generating creative proposals for high-value clients, moving beyond reactive campaign execution
• Own the commercial narrative for design; confidently present creative concepts, performance data, and strategic recommendations in client pitches and executive reviews
• Develop and package new scalable creative offerings and consultative services (e.g., design workshops, A/B testing packages) that can be sold to clients
• Lead, mentor, and develop the regional team of Design Project Managers, evolving their skills from project coordination to strategic client consultation
• Strategic Leadership & Operational Excellence
  • Establish and own the vision for the North American studio, ensuring it has the structure, talent, and workflows to manage high-volume, complex campaign loads effectively. This includes overseeing all campaign traffic to in-house and outsourced resources
  • Develop and oversee regional KPIs that measure efficiency, commercial impact, and quality of creative on client goals
  • Act as the senior-most design authority in North America, representing the creative team in regional leadership meetings and providing strategic input on business planning
  • Serve as the senior creative escalation point for key North American clients, building trusted advisor relationships at senior levels
• Client Partnership and Creative Vision
  • Be the face of Design and GumGum’s creative ambassador in high-stakes client meetings
  • Spearhead creative development for key accounts, defining industry-leading standards in creativity and ensuring all design work communicates the brief effectively
  • Establish and maintain a network of freelancers and vendors to support the ad design process

Skills You’ll Bring

• BFA in graphic design, web design, interactive design or equivalent experience
• 10+ years in a creative or media agency environment
• Minimum of 4–6 years in a direct, client-facing commercial role with growth, consultative selling, or creative strategy
• Proven track record of developing and presenting strategic creative solutions leading to new business or revenue growth
• 5+ years in a direct management role leading creative production, project management, or client service teams
• Strong business and commercial acumen with a focus on achieving revenue targets
• Exceptional client-facing communication, consultative selling, and presentation skills
• Financial literacy (P&L, budget management, or other financial KPIs)
• Ability to align stakeholders and sell through creative concepts to senior clients and internal leaders
• Ability to review Adobe CC files (especially Photoshop) for quality and adherence to briefs

What We Offer

At GumGum, competitive base pay is part of a total rewards package, including benefits, recognition, development, and wellness. The estimated pay range for this role is $128,000 to $152,000 annually. Actual amounts may vary based on qualifications, location, and market conditions. We also offer an employer-matched 401(k) retirement plan. Learn more at gumgum.com/benefits.

Awards

• Shortlisted for Marketing Technology Company of the Year for the 2023 Mumbrella Awards
• 2024 BuiltIn Awards: Remote Best Places to Work (#25) and Best Midsize Places to Work in Los Angeles (#9)
• Ad Exchanger Programmatic Power Player 2022 and 2021
• CTO Hero Award of OTT.X 2023
• Digiday Media Awards Europe finalist 2022 and 2021
• Finalist for the 2023 AdExchanger Awards Best Video Technology
• Gold Award at the IAB Mixx Awards (Belgium) for Best Use of Advertising Technology
• The Drum Award Digital Advertising: Game-changing Technology for Domino’s case study

EEO Statement

GumGum is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.