Associate Creative Director

About the Role

This position is for an Associate Creative Director focused on art and visual direction. Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the role sits within a large international agency network with a strong presence across the Middle East and Africa. The job centers on shaping creative ideas, guiding design execution, and helping produce campaigns that are both strategically aligned and visually distinctive.

The role works closely with the Creative Director and other specialists across the agency, including copywriters, designers, account managers, and planning teams. A major part of the job is leading creative output, maintaining high standards, and making sure the final work supports client goals while staying true to the brand strategy.

Core Responsibilities

The Associate Creative Director will contribute to concept development, creative direction, and production oversight for campaigns and client presentations. The position also includes mentoring team members, managing workloads, supporting new business efforts, and helping improve the creative department’s performance and culture.

Creative Leadership

• Partner with the Creative Director to solve workflow, quality, and performance challenges, and contribute to longer-term team planning.
• Help establish, protect, and promote a culture of creative excellence and accountability.
• Guide and inspire art directors, designers, and other creative staff to deliver strong concepts and polished final work.
• Lead creative activity on selected new business opportunities when required.
• Set clear goals and KPIs for team members, then support them in meeting those targets.
• Mentor, train, and evaluate team members, including writing performance reviews and allocating work effectively.

Concept Development and Execution

• Create and review briefs that translate strategy into clear creative direction and inspiration.
• Develop, refine, and judge creative ideas across copy, art, and design at key review stages.
• Produce original campaign ideas and execute them in response to briefs, objectives, or business goals.
• Design comps, storyboards, early visual concepts, and final creative deliverables.
• Build experience-design solutions that support client objectives and improve campaign impact.
• Oversee the visual production process so all assets are delivered to a high professional standard.

Client, Team, and Business Collaboration

• Communicate creative strategy and ideas clearly to clients and internal teams.
• Present and defend creative work to clients, account leaders, planning leads, executive creative leadership, and management.
• Work across multiple projects at the same time, coordinating in-house teams and external vendors.
• Collaborate with account management, planning, and broader creative teams to deliver standout work.
• Support client relationships and look for new ways to add value to those partnerships.
• Contribute to business growth by supporting strategic billing opportunities and pitch work.

Team Development and Standards

• Train new hires on role expectations, agency processes, and working methods.
• Help current creative staff build both professional capability and personal confidence.
• Encourage strong quality control, on-strategy thinking, and uniquely effective work.
• Improve the creative team’s technical and creative output in partnership with the Creative Director.

Working Approach and Behaviours

• Seek feedback and use it to improve self-awareness and development.
• Raise issues early when they may affect collaboration or team effectiveness.
• Communicate in a clear, confident, and professional manner.
• Work respectfully with different viewpoints and contribute constructively in group discussions.
• Build strong working relationships with peers, clients, and stakeholders.
• Respond to problems quickly and create practical backup plans when needed.
• Take ownership of decisions and outcomes with maturity and integrity.
• Show flexibility, curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
• Set ambitious goals and maintain a growth-oriented mindset.

Experience and Requirements

Candidates should bring at least 6 years of agency experience, along with a proven ability to think conceptually and judge creative work well. The role also requires confidence in client-facing situations, the ability to grow business organically, and a collaborative approach when working with account management teams.

Strong presentation skills are important, as is prior experience managing creative teams and working on events for clients or brands. The ideal candidate should understand consumer behaviour, watch market and industry trends, and be prepared to work extra hours when necessary to protect client satisfaction.

Additional Information

The agency was founded in Chicago in 1935 and operates across 96 offices with nearly 10,000 employees. In the Middle East, it has active teams in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan. The organization has received multiple industry recognitions for effectiveness, innovation, and regional agency performance, including top rankings in several years across major awards platforms.

The role emphasizes artistic leadership, design excellence, event experience, and the ability to manage complex creative output while keeping clients, deadlines, and budgets on track.