Creative Lead Job at Boston Web Group in Boston

Boston Web Group is seeking a Creative Lead to drive the creative vision and execution of client web projects.

This is a hands-on, customer-facing leadership role that blends creative strategy, design production, and project management. You will collaborate with clients, employees, and contractors to translate business objectives into coherent, polished, and user-focused websites, while ensuring projects are delivered on time and within scope.

We need someone who can own the creative vision for client web projects. Not manage it, not oversee it, but actually DO it. From that first discovery call where you figure out what the client really needs (and yes, what they think they want, too) through delivering a pixel-perfect design ready for development.

The Real Work You’ll Do

Client Discovery & Translation

You’ll lead those crucial early conversations where clients share their vision. But first, you’ll need to digest their RFPs, parse through lengthy requirement emails, and synthesize scattered thoughts into coherent project plans. Sometimes they know exactly what they want, sometimes they have no idea, and sometimes what they want isn’t what they need.

Your job is to listen, read between the lines, and translate all of that into a clear design direction. You’ll write creative briefs, document design decisions, and explain your strategic thinking in words that both clients and developers can understand. You’ll present concepts, navigate feedback, and be the confident voice that helps clients make good decisions about their digital presence.

Design Creation & Direction

This is where you’ll spend most of your time. Sometimes you’ll open up your design tool of choice and create the mockups yourself. Other times you’ll realize it makes more sense to tap one of our design resources – maybe a specialist freelancer, maybe someone internal, maybe our go-to design service. The key is knowing when to do what. You’ll make those quick edits that keep projects moving, ensure brand consistency, and always deliver designs that our WordPress development team can actually build.

Project Ownership Within Your Phase

While you’re holding the ball in the design phase, you own it. That means managing client expectations, wrangling assets and content, keeping timelines on track, and being the single source of truth for all things creative. Once you hand off to development, they take the lead, but until then, it’s your show.

What Makes You Right for This

The Must-Haves

You can actually create professional designs, not just talk about them. You’ve led client design discussions and know how to navigate the inevitable “make the logo bigger” conversations. You’re proficient in at least one modern design tool – Figma, Sketch, XD, we don’t care which one as long as you know it well.

You must be able to READ and DIGEST complex information – lengthy RFPs, detailed client emails, technical requirements docs. Equally important, you must WRITE clearly and persuasively. You’ll be documenting design decisions, writing discovery summaries, and explaining your vision in words, not just pictures. If you skimmed this job posting instead of reading it, this isn’t the role for you.

You’re generally available from 9 AM to 2 PM Eastern for internal meetings, client calls, and team collaboration. Outside those hours, we trust you to manage your own time. We know creative work doesn’t always happen on a 9-to-5 schedule. And critically, you can work independently without constant hand-holding or validation.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer-facing discussions to uncover goals, define scope, and set creative direction.
• Translate business objectives into messaging, site maps, wireframes, mockups, design packages, and WordPress websites.
• Demonstrate skills creating great websites.
• Drive creative consistency, and streamline process within the team.
• Produce & direct the production of creative deliverables, ensuring timely, polished, and on-brand results.
• Oversee project timelines, on-time delivery, and client satisfaction.
• Coordinate between designers, developers, and content teams.
• Create, refine, and document production processes to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.
• Manage feedback loops with clients and internal teams, maintaining clear communication.
• Facilitate scope adjustments, change requests, and expectations with professionalism and clarity.
• Ensure deliverables meet quality standards, accessibility guidelines (WCAG), and Core Web Vitals for performance.
• Track project progress using project management tools.

NEED TO HAVE SKILLS

• Be awesome.
• Have experience designing or managing WordPress websites.
• Experience with at least one professional graphics tool (Figma, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Adobe XD).
• Proven ability to produce and present site maps, wireframes, and visual designs.
• Customer-facing experience leading design discussions and delivering polished presentations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage projects simultaneously.
• Availability 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM weekdays, with flexibility outside those hours.

Nice-to-Have Skills

Experience managing design contractors or freelancers is a plus since you’ll be directing external resources. Understanding of WordPress capabilities helps avoid designing things that can’t be built. Previous agency experience is useful but not required – we care more about your ability to deliver than where you’ve done it before.

• Familiarity with MySQL, PHP, or other CMS/development workflows.
• Background in branding, copywriting, or digital marketing.
• Experience mentoring or guiding junior team members.
• Knowledge of SEO best practices and integration of digital marketing into design strategy.
• Experience with DIVI

What We Offer

Compensation & Growth

We offer a competitive hourly rate that grows with performance, plus quarterly bonuses tied directly to project delivery. This is a 1099 contractor role with 20-40 hours per week available – you tell us what works for your life. While we start conservatively, strong performers see rapid increases. Our philosophy is simple: prove your value, and we’ll make sure you’re compensated fairly.

The real growth opportunity? As we expand, this role could evolve into a true creative department lead, potentially with equity participation for the right person who helps us scale. We’re restructuring for growth, and early key hires will benefit from that trajectory.

What Makes This Actually Worth It

You own the creative process. Not “influence” it or “contribute to” it – you OWN it. When a client needs design, you’re the expert in the room. You decide whether to create it yourself or direct one of our resources. You set the creative vision. Your COO backs your decisions and doesn’t art‑direct from the sidelines.

Growth & Career Path

This role provides a pathway into senior creative leadership positions, including:

• Senior Production Lead overseeing multiple projects.
• Creative Director driving the agency’s overall creative strategy and standards.
• Leadership in mentoring designers and setting production and design workflow process.

Why Join Boston Web Group?

• Lead projects that shape both the creative and strategic vision for clients.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of designers, developers, and marketers.
• Influence the agency’s production processes and creative standards.
• Work directly with clients and see your ideas come to life in polished, high-impact websites.

How to Apply:

Send your application to jobs@bostonwebgroup.com with the subject line “Creative Lead – [Your Name]”

Include:

1. Your portfolio – Show us 3-5 projects where YOU led the creative process. We want to see your thinking, not just pretty pictures. Include a brief written explanation of your role and decisions for each project.
2. Your reality check – What’s your hourly rate expectation and how many hours per week can you commit?
3. A brief note – Why this role, why now, why you? And here’s the test: include the word “shipped” somewhere in your note so we know you actually read this posting.

Before You Apply

Don’t apply if:

• Your portfolio is all templates or you can’t show actual client work
• You need extensive training or constant supervision
• You’re camera shy (client meetings are video calls, not optional)
• You can’t actually produce the work
• You hate writing or struggle to communicate complex ideas in words
• You prefer to “let the work speak for itself” rather than explaining your thinking

Definitely apply if:

• You’re motivated by results and producing quality work
• You can juggle multiple projects without dropping any
• You know when to do it yourself versus when to delegate
• You want to build something and grow with it
• You can explain design decisions to non-designers without condescension
• You’d rather earn bonuses for shipping than argue about pixels
• You understand that shipped beats perfect (but we still do good work!)
• You actually enjoy translating messy client ideas into clear creative direction