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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Showing 5 of 6+ Creative Lead jobs
Location: Midtown Manhattan (Hybrid – 3 days/week in office)
Salary: $120,000 - $130,000 per year + discretionary annual bonus
Reports To: Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Supervises: Editorial Manager
About Citymeals:
Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of meals and connection to older New Yorkers in need. Since our founding, we have delivered more than 72 million meals. As we enter our 45th year, we are committed to ending elder hunger in New York City by 2040.
About the Role:
As we celebrate 45 years of providing meals and connection to New York City’s older adults in need, Citymeals on Wheels (Citymeals) is deepening its investment in storytelling, brand strategy, and community engagement to strengthen our position as a leading organization serving New York City’s most vulnerable population: older adults. The Creative Lead is a key roler within the Citymeals Marketing and Communications team, responsible for shaping and elevating the Citymeals brand's visual identity across all channels and audiences.
This new role requires a highly creative, strategic, and systems-oriented leader who can translate ideas into compelling, high-performing creative assets across digital, print, social, and video. The Creative Director will play a critical role in strengthening Citymeals’ presence in a highly competitive landscape through emotionally resonant, New York City-centered storytelling that connects authentically with all audiences.
Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, this individual will lead the creative execution of organizational brand and marketing campaigns, oversee creative/editorial staff and agency partnerships, and ensure that all visual assets reflect the Citymeals brand and mission. This role will also be pivotal in implementing a brand refresh in the new calendar year.
This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule, requiring a minimum of three in-person days per week at our Midtown Manhattan office.
Duties and Responsibilities:
General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
Brand Leadership & Creative Direction
- Lead the evolution and execution of a unified, premium Citymeals visual identity across all marketing and communications materials
- Develop and maintain brand guidelines to ensure all creative work reflects Citymeals’ mission, values, and commitment to older adults
- Serve as the internal creative lead and primary point of contact for external creative and media agency partners
- Provide strategic creative direction and actionable feedback to ensure agency deliverables align with Citymeals’ brand standards and organizational goals
Campaign Strategy & Execution
- Lead creative development for brand awareness, events, and fundraising campaigns
- Oversee the creation of high-impact, multi-channel marketing assets, including social media campaigns, video storytelling, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, digital advertising, print collateral, and event branding materials
- Ensure creative assets are optimized for platform performance, audience engagement, and brand consistency
- Design scalable “grassroots” templates and tools that support individual and corporate volunteer outreach and recruitment efforts
Storytelling & Content Production
- Partner with internal teams to identify and elevate authentic stories that highlight the lives of the older adults Citymeals serves, the community partners we work with, and the need for continued support
- Translate organizational priorities and campaign goals into compelling visual narratives and creative concepts
- Oversee photography, video, and creative production efforts to ensure high-quality execution across campaigns
- Ensure all creative work demonstrates diversity and reflects the lived experiences of New York City’s older adult community
- Bring a strong understanding of New York City neighborhoods, culture, and audiences to all campaigns and storytelling efforts
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operations
- Partner closely with Direct Response Marketing, Development, Volunteer, and Programs teams to support organizational priorities through creative strategy
- Manage timelines, workflows, approvals, and creative project execution across multiple stakeholders
- Support creative direction and branding for high-profile events, campaigns, and internal communications
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of marketing systems, processes, and creative operations
Qualifications
- 7-10 years of experience in art direction, creative leadership, or brand design roles
- Experience working within a creative agency, mission-driven organization, consumer-facing brand, or high-growth environment
- Proven experience managing creative campaigns from concept through execution across multiple platforms
- Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality visual storytelling, campaign execution, and creative leadership
- Deep understanding of digital marketing trends, and audience engagement strategies
- Experience developing creative for New York City-based campaigns, including hyperlocal and multicultural audiences
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as well as internet-based solutions like Canva
- Experience collaborating with photographers, videographers, editors, and production teams
- Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Knowledge of nonprofit or community-centered organizations is a plus
- Thrives in a collaborative, feedback-driven, and mission-oriented environment with a sense of humor and ability to work with colleagues at all levels
Portfolio Requirement
A portfolio is required to be considered for the Creative Director role. Please submit your portfolio along with your resume as part of your application. Your portfolio should include five examples of work that demonstrate your creative direction, visual storytelling, brand development, and experience bringing creative concepts to life across multiple channels and mediums. Applications submitted without a portfolio will not be considered.
Why Join Citymeals?
- Be part of a mission-first organization with a 45-year legacy of nourishing homebound older adults.
- Work with a passionate, collaborative team that brings together the best of nonprofit impact and culinary excellence.
- Take part in innovative, meaningful events that drive real change in New York City.
- Enjoy robust employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, flexible spending accounts, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, generous paid time off and holidays, commutation and communication stipends, professional development opportunities.
How to Apply
Please send your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to @citymeals.org with CREATIVE LEAD in the subject line.
Qualified candidates will be contacted via phone and/or email. Finalists will be subject to reference and background checks.
Citymeals on Wheels is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Location: Midtown Manhattan (Hybrid – 3 days/week in office)
Salary: $120,000 - $130,000 per year + discretionary annual bonus
Reports To: Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Supervises: Editorial Manager
About Citymeals:
Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of meals and connection to older New Yorkers in need. Since our founding, we have delivered more than 72 million meals. As we enter our 45th year, we are committed to ending elder hunger in New York City by 2040.
About the Role:
As we celebrate 45 years of providing meals and connection to New York City’s older adults in need, Citymeals on Wheels (Citymeals) is deepening its investment in storytelling, brand strategy, and community engagement to strengthen our position as a leading organization serving New York City’s most vulnerable population: older adults. The Creative Lead is a key roler within the Citymeals Marketing and Communications team, responsible for shaping and elevating the Citymeals brand's visual identity across all channels and audiences.
This new role requires a highly creative, strategic, and systems-oriented leader who can translate ideas into compelling, high-performing creative assets across digital, print, social, and video. The Creative Director will play a critical role in strengthening Citymeals’ presence in a highly competitive landscape through emotionally resonant, New York City-centered storytelling that connects authentically with all audiences.
Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, this individual will lead the creative execution of organizational brand and marketing campaigns, oversee creative/editorial staff and agency partnerships, and ensure that all visual assets reflect the Citymeals brand and mission. This role will also be pivotal in implementing a brand refresh in the new calendar year.
This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule, requiring a minimum of three in-person days per week at our Midtown Manhattan office.
Duties and Responsibilities:
General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
Brand Leadership & Creative Direction
- Lead the evolution and execution of a unified, premium Citymeals visual identity across all marketing and communications materials
- Develop and maintain brand guidelines to ensure all creative work reflects Citymeals’ mission, values, and commitment to older adults
- Serve as the internal creative lead and primary point of contact for external creative and media agency partners
- Provide strategic creative direction and actionable feedback to ensure agency deliverables align with Citymeals’ brand standards and organizational goals
Campaign Strategy & Execution
- Lead creative development for brand awareness, events, and fundraising campaigns
- Oversee the creation of high-impact, multi-channel marketing assets, including social media campaigns, video storytelling, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, digital advertising, print collateral, and event branding materials
- Ensure creative assets are optimized for platform performance, audience engagement, and brand consistency
- Design scalable “grassroots” templates and tools that support individual and corporate volunteer outreach and recruitment efforts
Storytelling & Content Production
- Partner with internal teams to identify and elevate authentic stories that highlight the lives of the older adults Citymeals serves, the community partners we work with, and the need for continued support
- Translate organizational priorities and campaign goals into compelling visual narratives and creative concepts
- Oversee photography, video, and creative production efforts to ensure high-quality execution across campaigns
- Ensure all creative work demonstrates diversity and reflects the lived experiences of New York City’s older adult community
- Bring a strong understanding of New York City neighborhoods, culture, and audiences to all campaigns and storytelling efforts
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operations
- Partner closely with Direct Response Marketing, Development, Volunteer, and Programs teams to support organizational priorities through creative strategy
- Manage timelines, workflows, approvals, and creative project execution across multiple stakeholders
- Support creative direction and branding for high-profile events, campaigns, and internal communications
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of marketing systems, processes, and creative operations
Qualifications
- 7-10 years of experience in art direction, creative leadership, or brand design roles
- Experience working within a creative agency, mission-driven organization, consumer-facing brand, or high-growth environment
- Proven experience managing creative campaigns from concept through execution across multiple platforms
- Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality visual storytelling, campaign execution, and creative leadership
- Deep understanding of digital marketing trends, and audience engagement strategies
- Experience developing creative for New York City-based campaigns, including hyperlocal and multicultural audiences
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as well as internet-based solutions like Canva
- Experience collaborating with photographers, videographers, editors, and production teams
- Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Knowledge of nonprofit or community-centered organizations is a plus
- Thrives in a collaborative, feedback-driven, and mission-oriented environment with a sense of humor and ability to work with colleagues at all levels
Portfolio Requirement
A portfolio is required to be considered for the Creative Director role. Please submit your portfolio along with your resume as part of your application. Your portfolio should include five examples of work that demonstrate your creative direction, visual storytelling, brand development, and experience bringing creative concepts to life across multiple channels and mediums. Applications submitted without a portfolio will not be considered.
Why Join Citymeals?
- Be part of a mission-first organization with a 45-year legacy of nourishing homebound older adults.
- Work with a passionate, collaborative team that brings together the best of nonprofit impact and culinary excellence.
- Take part in innovative, meaningful events that drive real change in New York City.
- Enjoy robust employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, flexible spending accounts, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, generous paid time off and holidays, commutation and communication stipends, professional development opportunities.
How to Apply
Please send your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to @citymeals.org with CREATIVE LEAD in the subject line.
Qualified candidates will be contacted via phone and/or email. Finalists will be subject to reference and background checks.
Citymeals on Wheels is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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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
Top Industries Hiring
- Media & Entertainment
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
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 WITHIN, Culturefly, and ServiceNow, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 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 and East Aurora. 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 50% of creative lead openings tied to New York are remote or hybrid as of September 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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