Creative Lead Jobs in New York
Creative Lead jobs in New York are among the most active in the country, concentrated in advertising, fashion, entertainment, publishing, and technology, with openings ranging from mid-level creative leads to executive creative directors. The heaviest hiring happens in New York City, with additional demand in Brooklyn and White Plains, where agencies and brands like Publicis Groupe, Condé Nast, and Google maintain significant creative operations. The most in-demand specialties are brand identity, digital content strategy, and integrated campaign leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
WITHIN is hiring 8 creatives into an 8-week paid fellowship designed to be the highest-leverage 8 weeks of your career so far. Most performance creative jobs treat the work as the lesser cousin of brand — the grind you do until you can get into a brand shop. We don't. Performance creative done well is a real craft, and we hire people who already know that.
Here's why this is different from every other job you've looked at:
- More reps than anywhere else. You'll write more scripts, ship more hooks, see more of your work go live in your first 8 weeks at WITHIN than a brand creative gets in their first year somewhere else. Reps are how taste develops. The data tells you within 48 hours whether you nailed it.
- Direct access. For your first 8 weeks, you're on Quinn's team — our Head of Creative. Working on 2-3 live client accounts. Pitching new business. Owning work, not shadowing it. At most shops your level, you'd be three layers down.
- The work mix is 70% performance creative + 30% campaign development and rebrands for brands you'd recognize. The 30% is a real perk — but it's not the reason to take this job. If you don't already think performance creative is interesting in itself, please apply somewhere else.
At week 8, fellows who've shown they can own work at our velocity move into the broader creative team under one of our Creative Directors as full-time Creative Leads. We're looking for three things we can't train: hustle, taste, and curiosity.
WHO YOU ARE
- You've made something real. Maybe a TikTok account that grew past 5K followers because the content was actually good. Maybe a Substack. Maybe a spec campaign for a brand you love that they never asked for. The work is public and shows your taste.
- You can write a hook in 90 seconds that makes someone stop scrolling — and you can articulate why it works.
- You think performance creative is interesting in itself. You've thought about hooks, fatigue, iteration, platform mechanics. You read ad teardowns. You watch ads and have opinions about what's working before you check the metrics.
- You're already using AI tools in your creative workflow. Midjourney, Runway, Sora, ElevenLabs, Veo, whichever — and you have strong opinions about which are real and which are hype.
- Either you're a recent grad of a portfolio or design program (Brandcenter, Miami Ad School, SVA, FIT, Parsons, Pratt, Newhouse, RISD, equivalent) OR you've spent the last 1–3 years building an audience and learning to make things people stop for.
- You live in NYC or you're moving for this. This fellowship is in person.
WHO YOU ARE NOT
- "I need to ramp up before I can ship work."
- Looking for a senior title and a quiet corner.
- You think performance creative is what you do to pay the bills until you can do "real creative." The 30% brand work isn't going to be enough to keep you happy if you don't already love the 70%.
- Portfolio is beautiful posters with no brand attached, no audience, no result.
- Pitch concepts daily. Ship work weekly.
- Write scripts, draft storyboards, set design direction across video, static, and AI-generated formats.
- Work with a team of designers, editors, motion designers, and AI tools to execute your concepts.
- Sit in on new business pitches and own meaningful sections of the work.
- Watch your work go live within days, not months. Be wrong publicly. Iterate fast.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
- Weeks 1–2: Onboarding. WITHIN's process, our tools, our standards. Shadow live work briefly, then start contributing.
- Weeks 3–8: Work directly with Quinn (Head of Creative) on 2–3 client accounts plus new business pitches. Real ownership, real deadlines.
End of week 8: Fellows who've shown ownership at our velocity transition to the broader creative team under one of our Creative Directors as full-time Creative Leads.
HOW TO APPLY
We Don't Want a Cover Letter. Send:
- A link to your work — portfolio, TikTok, Instagram, Substack, YouTube, whatever shows the real version of how you think.
- A 60-second Loom: pick one ad currently running in market, tell us what's working and what you'd change. Don't script it. Just talk. This is the most important part of your application. We're listening for whether you talk about performance craft with genuine interest.
- One sentence: what's a piece of work you wish you'd made, and why?
COMPENSATION
We offer a competitive salary and benefits based on education, experience, and skills level, including:
- Unlimited vacation policy
- Monthly Phone Stipend
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options
- 401(K) plan with matching
- Dog friendly office
- Hybrid work opportunity
- Professional Development Program
- Bonus Perk - Seamless allowance
Total compensation based on education, experience, and skills level ($45,000-$176,000)
- Level 1 - $45,000-$55,800 + Entry Level - Meets qualifications on a minimum basis
- Level 2 - $55,800-$66,600 + Junior level - Exceeds qualifications on a moderate basis
- Level 3 - $66,600-$77,400 + Middle Level - Exceeds qualifications on a strong basis
- Level 4 - $77,400-$88,200 + Advanced Level - Exceeds qualifications on an extensive or advanced basis
- Level 5 - $88,200-$99,000 + Senior Level - Exceeds qualifications on an outstanding basis
ABOUT WITHIN
WITHIN is the world's first Performance Branding company, partnering with some of the biggest brands in the world to drive business growth through innovative marketing strategies. Our integrated operating model collapses the traditional marketing silos between creative and media, performance and brand, and across media channels. With a full suite of offerings including media, creative, SEO, Lifecycle, Retail Media, Affiliate and Influencer, we’re able to work with our brand partners in an integrated fashion, allowing us to align marketing strategies back to core business objectives. Client teams at WITHIN are trained on how to always act as a trusted business partner, acting as a fiduciary to client needs above our own. Teams at WITHIN have the ability to work with iconic brands such as The North Face, Timberland, Ben and Jerry's and Jose Cuervo. Everyone at WITHIN wants to grow and be challenged. It’s a collaborative place made up of small, closely knit and versatile teams that are fast and adaptive to solve problems and build systems.
We weave AI into everything we do, using the latest tech across all teams to innovate, work smarter, and make better decisions. Whether it’s in creative, operations, or anything else, AI helps us level up and do things at a whole new scale. We expect our people to use AI in their daily work, fully embracing it as a critical tool to help us succeed.
JOIN OUR NETWORK!
Stay connected with us and be the first to know about new opportunities, industry insights, and updates.
FOLLOW US ON
- WhatsApp Community
- Tik Tok
LOCATIONS
- New York City: 43-01 22nd St, Suite 602, Queens, NY 11101, United States
- Bogotá: WeWork Av. Carrera 19 #100-45 Usaquén, Piso (Floor) 10, Bogotá, Distrito Capital de Bogotá 110111, Colombia
- Mexico City: Av. Insurgentes Sur 1082, Piso (Floor) 2, Oficina 2008, Ciudad de México, CDMX 03100, México
AI-Assisted Screening Notice: As part of our initial application review process, we may use an AI-assisted tool to help compare skills and job titles from your resume with the requirements of the role. This tool evaluates information based on contextual relevance and is used only to support our manual review process. It is not used to make hiring decisions. If you are a resident of New York City and would like to request an alternative evaluation process or a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at 315-533-2388.
INTRODUCTION
WITHIN is hiring 8 creatives into an 8-week paid fellowship designed to be the highest-leverage 8 weeks of your career so far. Most performance creative jobs treat the work as the lesser cousin of brand — the grind you do until you can get into a brand shop. We don't. Performance creative done well is a real craft, and we hire people who already know that.
Here's why this is different from every other job you've looked at:
- More reps than anywhere else. You'll write more scripts, ship more hooks, see more of your work go live in your first 8 weeks at WITHIN than a brand creative gets in their first year somewhere else. Reps are how taste develops. The data tells you within 48 hours whether you nailed it.
- Direct access. For your first 8 weeks, you're on Quinn's team — our Head of Creative. Working on 2-3 live client accounts. Pitching new business. Owning work, not shadowing it. At most shops your level, you'd be three layers down.
- The work mix is 70% performance creative + 30% campaign development and rebrands for brands you'd recognize. The 30% is a real perk — but it's not the reason to take this job. If you don't already think performance creative is interesting in itself, please apply somewhere else.
At week 8, fellows who've shown they can own work at our velocity move into the broader creative team under one of our Creative Directors as full-time Creative Leads. We're looking for three things we can't train: hustle, taste, and curiosity.
WHO YOU ARE
- You've made something real. Maybe a TikTok account that grew past 5K followers because the content was actually good. Maybe a Substack. Maybe a spec campaign for a brand you love that they never asked for. The work is public and shows your taste.
- You can write a hook in 90 seconds that makes someone stop scrolling — and you can articulate why it works.
- You think performance creative is interesting in itself. You've thought about hooks, fatigue, iteration, platform mechanics. You read ad teardowns. You watch ads and have opinions about what's working before you check the metrics.
- You're already using AI tools in your creative workflow. Midjourney, Runway, Sora, ElevenLabs, Veo, whichever — and you have strong opinions about which are real and which are hype.
- Either you're a recent grad of a portfolio or design program (Brandcenter, Miami Ad School, SVA, FIT, Parsons, Pratt, Newhouse, RISD, equivalent) OR you've spent the last 1–3 years building an audience and learning to make things people stop for.
- You live in NYC or you're moving for this. This fellowship is in person.
WHO YOU ARE NOT
- "I need to ramp up before I can ship work."
- Looking for a senior title and a quiet corner.
- You think performance creative is what you do to pay the bills until you can do "real creative." The 30% brand work isn't going to be enough to keep you happy if you don't already love the 70%.
- Portfolio is beautiful posters with no brand attached, no audience, no result.
- Pitch concepts daily. Ship work weekly.
- Write scripts, draft storyboards, set design direction across video, static, and AI-generated formats.
- Work with a team of designers, editors, motion designers, and AI tools to execute your concepts.
- Sit in on new business pitches and own meaningful sections of the work.
- Watch your work go live within days, not months. Be wrong publicly. Iterate fast.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
- Weeks 1–2: Onboarding. WITHIN's process, our tools, our standards. Shadow live work briefly, then start contributing.
- Weeks 3–8: Work directly with Quinn (Head of Creative) on 2–3 client accounts plus new business pitches. Real ownership, real deadlines.
End of week 8: Fellows who've shown ownership at our velocity transition to the broader creative team under one of our Creative Directors as full-time Creative Leads.
HOW TO APPLY
We Don't Want a Cover Letter. Send:
- A link to your work — portfolio, TikTok, Instagram, Substack, YouTube, whatever shows the real version of how you think.
- A 60-second Loom: pick one ad currently running in market, tell us what's working and what you'd change. Don't script it. Just talk. This is the most important part of your application. We're listening for whether you talk about performance craft with genuine interest.
- One sentence: what's a piece of work you wish you'd made, and why?
COMPENSATION
We offer a competitive salary and benefits based on education, experience, and skills level, including:
- Unlimited vacation policy
- Monthly Phone Stipend
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options
- 401(K) plan with matching
- Dog friendly office
- Hybrid work opportunity
- Professional Development Program
- Bonus Perk - Seamless allowance
Total compensation based on education, experience, and skills level ($45,000-$176,000)
- Level 1 - $45,000-$55,800 + Entry Level - Meets qualifications on a minimum basis
- Level 2 - $55,800-$66,600 + Junior level - Exceeds qualifications on a moderate basis
- Level 3 - $66,600-$77,400 + Middle Level - Exceeds qualifications on a strong basis
- Level 4 - $77,400-$88,200 + Advanced Level - Exceeds qualifications on an extensive or advanced basis
- Level 5 - $88,200-$99,000 + Senior Level - Exceeds qualifications on an outstanding basis
ABOUT WITHIN
WITHIN is the world's first Performance Branding company, partnering with some of the biggest brands in the world to drive business growth through innovative marketing strategies. Our integrated operating model collapses the traditional marketing silos between creative and media, performance and brand, and across media channels. With a full suite of offerings including media, creative, SEO, Lifecycle, Retail Media, Affiliate and Influencer, we’re able to work with our brand partners in an integrated fashion, allowing us to align marketing strategies back to core business objectives. Client teams at WITHIN are trained on how to always act as a trusted business partner, acting as a fiduciary to client needs above our own. Teams at WITHIN have the ability to work with iconic brands such as The North Face, Timberland, Ben and Jerry's and Jose Cuervo. Everyone at WITHIN wants to grow and be challenged. It’s a collaborative place made up of small, closely knit and versatile teams that are fast and adaptive to solve problems and build systems.
We weave AI into everything we do, using the latest tech across all teams to innovate, work smarter, and make better decisions. Whether it’s in creative, operations, or anything else, AI helps us level up and do things at a whole new scale. We expect our people to use AI in their daily work, fully embracing it as a critical tool to help us succeed.
JOIN OUR NETWORK!
Stay connected with us and be the first to know about new opportunities, industry insights, and updates.
FOLLOW US ON
- WhatsApp Community
- Tik Tok
LOCATIONS
- New York City: 43-01 22nd St, Suite 602, Queens, NY 11101, United States
- Bogotá: WeWork Av. Carrera 19 #100-45 Usaquén, Piso (Floor) 10, Bogotá, Distrito Capital de Bogotá 110111, Colombia
- Mexico City: Av. Insurgentes Sur 1082, Piso (Floor) 2, Oficina 2008, Ciudad de México, CDMX 03100, México
AI-Assisted Screening Notice: As part of our initial application review process, we may use an AI-assisted tool to help compare skills and job titles from your resume with the requirements of the role. This tool evaluates information based on contextual relevance and is used only to support our manual review process. It is not used to make hiring decisions. If you are a resident of New York City and would like to request an alternative evaluation process or a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at 315-533-2388.
See All 31 Creative Lead Jobs in New York
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Find Creative Lead JobsCreative Lead Jobs by City in New York
Where New York roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Creative Lead Job Market in New York
A snapshot from current New York openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Rippling4
- Meta3
- Amazon2
- Ralph Lauren2
- WITHIN2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software15
- Consulting & Professional Services3
- Retail3
- Banking & Financial Services2
- Science & Research2
What New York Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in creative lead jobs across New York.
- Bachelor's degree in graphic design, communications, advertising, or a related creative field
- Five or more years of experience leading creative projects or managing a creative team
- Demonstrated portfolio of brand campaigns, editorial work, or digital content at scale
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or equivalent industry-standard design tools
- Experience collaborating with account, strategy, and production teams in an agency or in-house environment
- Strong presentation skills for pitching concepts to clients or senior stakeholders
Creative Lead Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a creative lead in New York?
Creative lead roles in New York do not require a state-issued license. The typical path starts with a bachelor's degree in graphic design, advertising, communications, or a related field, followed by several years building a portfolio through art director, senior designer, or copywriter roles. New York agencies and in-house brand teams place heavy weight on a strong book of work, so building a portfolio with recognizable New York clients or campaigns is the most direct way to qualify.
How much do creative leads make in New York?
Creative leads in New York earn a median of about $137,320 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $80,060 for the lowest 10% to over $280,320 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire creative leads in New York?
Employers hiring creative leads in New York right now include Rippling, Meta, and Amazon, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. New York's dense concentration of advertising agencies, media companies, and fashion and retail brands means the creative lead market here is broader and more varied than in most other states.
Which New York cities have the most creative lead jobs?
The cities with the most creative lead openings in New York are New York. New York City dominates because it is the global headquarters for advertising, media, fashion, and publishing, while surrounding areas like Brooklyn and White Plains see demand from regional agencies, retail brands, and corporate in-house teams that prefer proximity to the city without Manhattan overhead.
Are there remote creative lead jobs in New York?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 16% of creative lead openings tied to New York are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on digital deliverables and collaborative tools. Roles focused on digital content strategy, brand guidelines, and campaign concepting tend to be the most remote-friendly, while positions requiring frequent client presentations or studio oversight are more likely to be on-site.
How can I get hired as a creative lead in New York with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a junior or mid-level role at a New York agency or in-house brand team first, then building toward a lead title. Large New York-based agency networks like WPP and Interpublic run associate creative programs and internship-to-hire pipelines for early-career candidates. Moving into a creative lead role from positions like senior designer, art director, or senior copywriter is common, and a portfolio that includes campaign work for recognizable brands gives candidates the clearest advantage.
Where can I find and apply to creative lead jobs in New York?
You can find and apply to creative lead jobs in New York on Migrate Mate, which lists current New York openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your background and location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
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