Associate Creative Director Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Associate Creative Director roles sit squarely in H-1B visa specialty occupation territory, requiring a bachelor's degree in a directly related field like design, advertising, or communications. Many ACD positions also qualify for TN visa status for Canadian and Mexican nationals. Employers in advertising, in-house brand teams, and creative agencies have an active history of sponsoring this role.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.
ABOUT THE JOB
At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. Every day, we make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing, and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, and more active lives.
As Lilly's in-house agency, Thread Collective, we fuse data, creativity, and technology to turn bold ideas into work that moves people worldwide. As a true creative engine, we partner across the enterprise, uniting deep brand expertise with integrated insights and modern production to deliver breakthrough ideas with confidence and speed. We deliver human-centric experiences that build trust, deepen understanding, and drive measurable outcomes. Together, we push past “good enough” to achieve creative excellence and operational agility. If you are driven to raise the bar every day, join us as we redefine what a best-in-class in-house agency can do.
WHO WE ARE
Thread Collective, our in-house agency, is elevating creative excellence through sharp ideation, strategic rigor, operational craft, emerging technology, and empowered teams. Emphasizing creativity as a driver of growth, we’re seeking an Associate Creative Director with global agency and pharmaceutical account experience to bridge Lilly and our external creative agencies. In this individual contributor role, you’ll be embedded with agency and brand teams as an extension of Thread Collective rather than a go-between. You’ll consult, educate, and influence agencies on Lilly ways of working and regulatory guardrails while pushing for human, distinctive work, leading handoff to Thread Collective’s studio for pull-through.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- Agency-Seasoned Creative Leader — Global creative agency veteran with a portfolio of distinctive, insight-driven, multi-channel campaigns, including TV and video, bold minded, and the credibility to influence agency creative teams without formal authority
- Pharma Industry Navigator — Healthcare creative fluent in medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) review, and workflows, who treats regulatory requirements as the frame for distinctive work
- Critic & Educator — Confident communicator who gives rigorous, constructive critique, and models Lilly processes for new-to-pharma agencies
- Quality-Driven Brand Steward — Meticulous professional who ensures consistency, quality, and brand alignment in every deliverable, so pull-through work remains aligned across all channels
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
- Serve as the embedded creative leader to agencies new to Lilly from scoping through completion, modeling Lilly ways of working and modulating support as the relationship matures
- Help sharpen briefs and consumer insights, pressure-test concepts for MLR viability and distinctiveness with consumer audiences
- Give constructive critique that pushes agency work past typical pharma conventions toward human, differentiated ideas
- Help define what agencies and Thread Collective each own, execute, consult on, QC, with agencies leading the big idea
- Join pre-production and shoots as needed, and guide work back from launch dates to set asset needs and delivery
- Verify agency handoff packages, then brief Thread Collective studio teams and oversee pull-through of tactics through final approval
- Connect creative to results that turn learnings into reusable standards that meet brand, accessibility, and regulatory guidelines
- Guide staff to generate case studies, sizzle reels and other documents promoting Thread Collective partnerships
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 10+ years as Creative Director, Associate Creative Director, or equivalent, including global creative agency experience and a portfolio of award-winning work (e.g., Cannes Lions, Effies)
- Link to portfolio required
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Pharmaceutical or healthcare marketing experience, including MLR or similar regulatory review
- Proven ability to evaluate and elevate creative concepts developed by others
- Strong consulting and presentation skills to educate and influence partners at all levels
- Working knowledge of TV and video production, from pre-production to final asset delivery
- Experience with Adobe Suite, Figma, Microsoft office, Claude, and other relevant apps
- Effective capacity management across multiple concurrent agency engagements
- Ability to swiftly diagnose process pain points and implement solutions via project planning to successfully manage tight timelines to completion
- Agency experience on the Eli Lilly account or other similar pharmaceutical companies
- Understanding of healthcare marketing, including the rigorous claims compliance review process
- Hands-on experience with annotation, launch-readiness processes, and documentation and cross-functional reviews
- Experience moving work between agency and in-house teams, including playbook handoff, and campaign pull-through
- Strong collaborative presence with an ego-free approach to driving results through influence versus direct authority
- Fluency in brand, content and omnichannel strategy
OTHER
- Position based in Indianapolis; remote work options may be considered. Relocation package provided. Travel up to 15% is expected
- Lilly may provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role for internal applicants only
Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.
Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$132,000 - $193,600
Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.
WeAreLilly
INTRODUCTION
At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.
ABOUT THE JOB
At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. Every day, we make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing, and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, and more active lives.
As Lilly's in-house agency, Thread Collective, we fuse data, creativity, and technology to turn bold ideas into work that moves people worldwide. As a true creative engine, we partner across the enterprise, uniting deep brand expertise with integrated insights and modern production to deliver breakthrough ideas with confidence and speed. We deliver human-centric experiences that build trust, deepen understanding, and drive measurable outcomes. Together, we push past “good enough” to achieve creative excellence and operational agility. If you are driven to raise the bar every day, join us as we redefine what a best-in-class in-house agency can do.
WHO WE ARE
Thread Collective, our in-house agency, is elevating creative excellence through sharp ideation, strategic rigor, operational craft, emerging technology, and empowered teams. Emphasizing creativity as a driver of growth, we’re seeking an Associate Creative Director with global agency and pharmaceutical account experience to bridge Lilly and our external creative agencies. In this individual contributor role, you’ll be embedded with agency and brand teams as an extension of Thread Collective rather than a go-between. You’ll consult, educate, and influence agencies on Lilly ways of working and regulatory guardrails while pushing for human, distinctive work, leading handoff to Thread Collective’s studio for pull-through.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- Agency-Seasoned Creative Leader — Global creative agency veteran with a portfolio of distinctive, insight-driven, multi-channel campaigns, including TV and video, bold minded, and the credibility to influence agency creative teams without formal authority
- Pharma Industry Navigator — Healthcare creative fluent in medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) review, and workflows, who treats regulatory requirements as the frame for distinctive work
- Critic & Educator — Confident communicator who gives rigorous, constructive critique, and models Lilly processes for new-to-pharma agencies
- Quality-Driven Brand Steward — Meticulous professional who ensures consistency, quality, and brand alignment in every deliverable, so pull-through work remains aligned across all channels
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
- Serve as the embedded creative leader to agencies new to Lilly from scoping through completion, modeling Lilly ways of working and modulating support as the relationship matures
- Help sharpen briefs and consumer insights, pressure-test concepts for MLR viability and distinctiveness with consumer audiences
- Give constructive critique that pushes agency work past typical pharma conventions toward human, differentiated ideas
- Help define what agencies and Thread Collective each own, execute, consult on, QC, with agencies leading the big idea
- Join pre-production and shoots as needed, and guide work back from launch dates to set asset needs and delivery
- Verify agency handoff packages, then brief Thread Collective studio teams and oversee pull-through of tactics through final approval
- Connect creative to results that turn learnings into reusable standards that meet brand, accessibility, and regulatory guidelines
- Guide staff to generate case studies, sizzle reels and other documents promoting Thread Collective partnerships
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 10+ years as Creative Director, Associate Creative Director, or equivalent, including global creative agency experience and a portfolio of award-winning work (e.g., Cannes Lions, Effies)
- Link to portfolio required
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Pharmaceutical or healthcare marketing experience, including MLR or similar regulatory review
- Proven ability to evaluate and elevate creative concepts developed by others
- Strong consulting and presentation skills to educate and influence partners at all levels
- Working knowledge of TV and video production, from pre-production to final asset delivery
- Experience with Adobe Suite, Figma, Microsoft office, Claude, and other relevant apps
- Effective capacity management across multiple concurrent agency engagements
- Ability to swiftly diagnose process pain points and implement solutions via project planning to successfully manage tight timelines to completion
- Agency experience on the Eli Lilly account or other similar pharmaceutical companies
- Understanding of healthcare marketing, including the rigorous claims compliance review process
- Hands-on experience with annotation, launch-readiness processes, and documentation and cross-functional reviews
- Experience moving work between agency and in-house teams, including playbook handoff, and campaign pull-through
- Strong collaborative presence with an ego-free approach to driving results through influence versus direct authority
- Fluency in brand, content and omnichannel strategy
OTHER
- Position based in Indianapolis; remote work options may be considered. Relocation package provided. Travel up to 15% is expected
- Lilly may provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role for internal applicants only
Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.
Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$132,000 - $193,600
Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.
WeAreLilly
See all 38+ Associate Creative Director Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Associate Creative Director roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Associate Creative Director Jobs
Align your portfolio to degree field
Consular officers and USCIS adjudicators look for a direct line between your degree and your ACD duties. If your degree is in graphic design but your portfolio skews toward copywriting, clarify the visual strategy thread running through your work before you apply.
Search LCA filings by occupation title
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with verified Labor Condition Application filings under creative director and art director titles. That filing history tells you which studios, agencies, and in-house brand teams have already cleared the DOL compliance process for roles like yours.
Target mid-size agencies over holding companies
Large holding company networks often route ACD hires through centralized immigration teams with long approval queues. Mid-size independent agencies typically move faster on H-1B filings and are more likely to negotiate premium processing into your offer terms.
Get your degree equivalency documented early
Many ACD candidates hold three-year design degrees from outside the U.S. A credential evaluation from a NACES-member organization establishing U.S. bachelor's equivalency is required before USCIS will accept the specialty occupation argument. Order it before you start active interviews.
Negotiate the LCA prevailing wage tier at offer
The LCA locks in your wage level, so the tier your employer assigns affects your compensation for the entire H-1B validity period. Cross-check the offered level against the OFLC Wage Search for your metro area and job title before you sign the offer letter.
Clarify cap-exempt filing eligibility with your employer
If you're moving from F-1 OPT or transferring from another H-1B, the cap and lottery rules work differently for each situation. Confirm with your prospective employer's immigration counsel which route applies so the I-129 petition is filed correctly from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Associate Creative Director role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS treats ACD positions as specialty occupations when the employer can demonstrate the role normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as design, advertising, communications, or fine arts. Generic creative management roles that accept any degree are harder to qualify, so the job description language matters significantly.
Can Canadian or Mexican nationals get TN status as an Associate Creative Director?
Potentially, under the graphic designer or industrial designer categories on the USMCA profession list, if the role's core duties fit that classification and you hold the required bachelor's degree. TN doesn't cover a pure creative management or brand strategy role, so the actual day-to-day duties in the offer letter need to map cleanly to a listed profession. When in doubt, H-1B is the safer route.
What degree fields does USCIS typically accept for ACD petitions?
Design, advertising, communications, visual arts, and marketing are the most commonly accepted fields. Architecture and film production degrees have also supported successful petitions where the ACD role involves campaign concepting or production direction. A degree in a completely unrelated field, even with years of creative experience, creates a specialty occupation risk that the employer's immigration attorney will need to address directly.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor Associate Creative Directors?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified sponsorship history for creative director-level roles, searchable by city and discipline. That's the most direct way to focus your search on companies already set up to sponsor rather than pitching the idea to employers who've never gone through the process.
Does a freelance or contract ACD history hurt my H-1B sponsorship chances?
It doesn't disqualify you, but it complicates the employer-employee relationship requirement that USCIS scrutinizes closely in H-1B petitions. The sponsoring employer must be able to demonstrate they control your work, set your schedule, and supervise your output. Contract-to-hire arrangements at staffing agencies also carry additional evidentiary requirements, so full-time direct employment offers have a cleaner filing path.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Associate Creative Director jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.