Senior Creative Director
Cooper's Hawk Winery, Downers Grove, IL, United States
Overview
Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants is seeking a visionary and experienced Senior Creative Director to lead our creative team and act as the guardian of our brand’s identity. As the most senior creative leader, you will set the “North Star” for all visual and conceptual output, ensuring our brand remains culturally relevant, authentic, and inspiring across all consumer touchpoints—from digital and social to experiential and retail. You will balance high-level strategy with artistic flair, leading a multidisciplinary team to create compelling, 360-degree brand narratives that drive growth and customer loyalty. This role is designed for a hands-on creative leader who leads from the front, thrives in momentum, and gets energy from building, making, and developing great work. You will set the bar creatively, inspire teams by example, and ensure Cooper’s Hawk continues to feel distinctive, cohesive, and emotionally resonant as it grows. As a senior leader within the marketing organization, reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, this is a true player–coach role. The Senior Creative Director will own the creative vision, brand ethos, and execution across every guest and member touchpoint—from major brand campaigns and Wine Club communications to in-restaurant signage, wine labels, digital content, and experiential moments. What You’ll Do
Vision & Strategic Leadership
Define Brand Identity:
Evolve and maintain the long-term creative vision and voice of the brand, ensuring consistency in all visual and conceptual assets. Storytelling and campaigns : :
Own brand storytelling – from seasonal campaigns and product launches to influencer, partnerships, experiential moments and community narratives. Cultural Relevance:
Monitor cultural movements, fashion, art, and design trends to keep the brand ahead of the curve. Cross-Functional Partnership:
Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Merchandising teams to ensure creative expression flows seamlessly from product concept to GTM (Go-To-Market) execution. Own and evolve the creative vision, brand ethos, and visual identity across all channels and experiences. Creative Direction & Execution
Oversee 360-Degree Campaigns:
Guide the conception, production, and delivery of campaigns across digital, social, print, and retail channels. Art Direction & Styling:
Own the brand direction through high-level art direction, photo/video shoot styling, and ensuring all visual assets are elevated and on-brand. Maintain Quality Standards:
Review and approve all creative assets, providing actionable feedback to designers, copywriters, and external partners to maintain the highest standard of excellence. Digital experience:
Oversee creative for all digital platforms including UX/UI, web, email, and social and ensure work is both brand right and performance driven. Creative Systems & Standards:
Build creative processes and standards without slowing speed or flexibility, ensuring every piece of creative output – no matter that channel meets a world class standard of craft, clarity and originality. Executive Communication:
Present creative vision and work to senior leadership and key stakeholders. Performance & Impact:
Ensure creative work delivers both brand love and business results. Team Leadership & Mentorship
Lead the Creative Studio:
Mentor and inspire an in-house creative team (designers, copywriters, art directors, videographers) to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and high performance. Resource Management:
Manage the creative budget, internal team resourcing, and external relationships to ensure timely, on-budget delivery. Player–Coach Leadership:
Lead the creative direction while remaining actively involved in the work—concepting, directing, shaping, and refining ideas from brief through execution. Agency & Partner Management:
Partner with external agencies and creative collaborators as needed. What You’ll Need
Must represent Cooper’s Hawk values Experience:
12–15+ years of experience in creative leadership within a hospitality, premium lifestyle, or consumer brand (in-house or top-tier agency experience required). 7+ years people leadership. Portfolio:
A strong, comprehensive portfolio showcasing high-level branding, storytelling, and 360-degree campaign work across digital, print, and video. Leadership Skills:
Proven ability to lead, mentor, and build high-performing creative teams. Technical Knowledge:
Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, with a deep understanding of art direction, typography, and photography production. Knowledge and curiosity of AI tools a plus. Tastemaker Profile:
Elevated aesthetic sense, strong cultural awareness, and ability to translate trends into brand-relevant creative. Communication:
Exceptional presentation skills, able to sell creative concepts to C-level stakeholders. Compensation Range:
$180,000 - $215,000 plus bonus. The final offered salary will be based on several factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s depth of experience, skill set, qualifications, and internal pay equity. What You’ll Get
Incredible Discounts:
Monthly Dining Allowance 50% Dining and Carryout 40% Retail Wine 20% Retail and Private Events Monthly Complimentary Wine Tasting for Two
Medical, Prescription, Dental, Vision Insurance
plus Telemedicine and Wellness Program Company Matching 401(k)
Retirement Savings Plan Flexible Savings Accounts - Health and Dependent Care Health Savings Account Long-Term Disability; Voluntary Short-Term Disability Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
(with option to purchase additional coverage) Paid Parental Leave Highly Competitive Pay
plus Team Member Incentives & Rewards Paid Time Off Milestones Recognition Program Complimentary Gym Membership Hybrid Work Week
(3 days in office, 2 days remote, depending on role) Equal Opportunity:
Cooper’s Hawk is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Cooper’s Hawk makes reasonable accommodations during all aspects of the employment process, including during the interview process. The information provided above indicates the general nature and level of work required of the position and is not a comprehensive list of all responsibilities or qualifications. The Benefits list is only a highlight of some of the benefits offered to team members; eligibility for certain benefits apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants is seeking a visionary and experienced Senior Creative Director to lead our creative team and act as the guardian of our brand’s identity. As the most senior creative leader, you will set the “North Star” for all visual and conceptual output, ensuring our brand remains culturally relevant, authentic, and inspiring across all consumer touchpoints—from digital and social to experiential and retail. You will balance high-level strategy with artistic flair, leading a multidisciplinary team to create compelling, 360-degree brand narratives that drive growth and customer loyalty. This role is designed for a hands-on creative leader who leads from the front, thrives in momentum, and gets energy from building, making, and developing great work. You will set the bar creatively, inspire teams by example, and ensure Cooper’s Hawk continues to feel distinctive, cohesive, and emotionally resonant as it grows. As a senior leader within the marketing organization, reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, this is a true player–coach role. The Senior Creative Director will own the creative vision, brand ethos, and execution across every guest and member touchpoint—from major brand campaigns and Wine Club communications to in-restaurant signage, wine labels, digital content, and experiential moments. What You’ll Do
Vision & Strategic Leadership
Define Brand Identity:
Evolve and maintain the long-term creative vision and voice of the brand, ensuring consistency in all visual and conceptual assets. Storytelling and campaigns : :
Own brand storytelling – from seasonal campaigns and product launches to influencer, partnerships, experiential moments and community narratives. Cultural Relevance:
Monitor cultural movements, fashion, art, and design trends to keep the brand ahead of the curve. Cross-Functional Partnership:
Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Merchandising teams to ensure creative expression flows seamlessly from product concept to GTM (Go-To-Market) execution. Own and evolve the creative vision, brand ethos, and visual identity across all channels and experiences. Creative Direction & Execution
Oversee 360-Degree Campaigns:
Guide the conception, production, and delivery of campaigns across digital, social, print, and retail channels. Art Direction & Styling:
Own the brand direction through high-level art direction, photo/video shoot styling, and ensuring all visual assets are elevated and on-brand. Maintain Quality Standards:
Review and approve all creative assets, providing actionable feedback to designers, copywriters, and external partners to maintain the highest standard of excellence. Digital experience:
Oversee creative for all digital platforms including UX/UI, web, email, and social and ensure work is both brand right and performance driven. Creative Systems & Standards:
Build creative processes and standards without slowing speed or flexibility, ensuring every piece of creative output – no matter that channel meets a world class standard of craft, clarity and originality. Executive Communication:
Present creative vision and work to senior leadership and key stakeholders. Performance & Impact:
Ensure creative work delivers both brand love and business results. Team Leadership & Mentorship
Lead the Creative Studio:
Mentor and inspire an in-house creative team (designers, copywriters, art directors, videographers) to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and high performance. Resource Management:
Manage the creative budget, internal team resourcing, and external relationships to ensure timely, on-budget delivery. Player–Coach Leadership:
Lead the creative direction while remaining actively involved in the work—concepting, directing, shaping, and refining ideas from brief through execution. Agency & Partner Management:
Partner with external agencies and creative collaborators as needed. What You’ll Need
Must represent Cooper’s Hawk values Experience:
12–15+ years of experience in creative leadership within a hospitality, premium lifestyle, or consumer brand (in-house or top-tier agency experience required). 7+ years people leadership. Portfolio:
A strong, comprehensive portfolio showcasing high-level branding, storytelling, and 360-degree campaign work across digital, print, and video. Leadership Skills:
Proven ability to lead, mentor, and build high-performing creative teams. Technical Knowledge:
Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, with a deep understanding of art direction, typography, and photography production. Knowledge and curiosity of AI tools a plus. Tastemaker Profile:
Elevated aesthetic sense, strong cultural awareness, and ability to translate trends into brand-relevant creative. Communication:
Exceptional presentation skills, able to sell creative concepts to C-level stakeholders. Compensation Range:
$180,000 - $215,000 plus bonus. The final offered salary will be based on several factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s depth of experience, skill set, qualifications, and internal pay equity. What You’ll Get
Incredible Discounts:
Monthly Dining Allowance 50% Dining and Carryout 40% Retail Wine 20% Retail and Private Events Monthly Complimentary Wine Tasting for Two
Medical, Prescription, Dental, Vision Insurance
plus Telemedicine and Wellness Program Company Matching 401(k)
Retirement Savings Plan Flexible Savings Accounts - Health and Dependent Care Health Savings Account Long-Term Disability; Voluntary Short-Term Disability Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
(with option to purchase additional coverage) Paid Parental Leave Highly Competitive Pay
plus Team Member Incentives & Rewards Paid Time Off Milestones Recognition Program Complimentary Gym Membership Hybrid Work Week
(3 days in office, 2 days remote, depending on role) Equal Opportunity:
Cooper’s Hawk is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Cooper’s Hawk makes reasonable accommodations during all aspects of the employment process, including during the interview process. The information provided above indicates the general nature and level of work required of the position and is not a comprehensive list of all responsibilities or qualifications. The Benefits list is only a highlight of some of the benefits offered to team members; eligibility for certain benefits apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr