Creative Director, Global Brand

Location: San Diego (Position requires being onsite in San Diego, 5 days a week)

Aquent Studios is proud to partner with a global technology leader, a company at the forefront of innovation that is consistently shaping how groundbreaking advancements are perceived worldwide. This is an extraordinary opportunity to drive significant impact, guiding the visual identity and brand consistency across a complex, multi-brand architecture, making a profound mark on the future of brand communication for one of the world's most innovative brands. You will be instrumental in building breakthrough campaigns and bringing cutting-edge technology stories to life for audiences around the globe.

We are seeking a visionary leader to step into a pivotal role as a Creative Director, leading a high-caliber creative team embedded directly with our client. This is your chance to be the steward of the foundational corporate brand's visual health and consistency, alongside its dynamic portfolio of product brands. You will own the evolution of design systems, visual identity, typography, and photography direction, ensuring cohesion and impact across all touchpoints, while also inspiring and mentoring a dedicated team of designers to reach new creative heights.

What You'll Do

• Lead and manage a small team of brand and visual designers, providing clear direction and reviewing work to maintain an exceptionally high creative standard.
• Own and continuously evolve comprehensive design systems that effectively scale across the foundational brand and its diverse sub-brands.
• Serve as the guardian of the visual identity, including typography, color, iconography, layout systems, and key visual language, ensuring unwavering brand integrity.
• Direct photography and key visual development, overseeing the entire process from initial creative briefs through to final asset selection.
• Collaborate closely with marketing, product marketing, and other brand stakeholders to ensure all creative work strategically supports business and product goals.
• Present compelling creative direction, systems, and rationale to senior stakeholders, confidently defending design decisions with clear and concise reasoning.
• Ensure consistent brand application while allowing for appropriate differentiation across a complex portfolio of related brands.

Must-Have Qualifications

• 8+ years of extensive brand and creative experience, including proven experience leading or managing a creative team.
• Deep, demonstrable expertise in design systems, including the ability to build, document, and scale them across multiple brand touchpoints.
• Strong command of visual identity fundamentals, including typography, grid systems, color theory, and key visual development.
• Experience directing photography, whether through in-house shoots or collaboration with agency/vendor partners.
• A robust portfolio that clearly showcases brand systems thinking, not just individual campaign executions.
• Proven ability to effectively manage, mentor, and foster the growth of a small design team.
• Comfort and proficiency operating across a portfolio of related brands with distinct but interconnected identities.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience with technology, semiconductor, or consumer electronics brands.
• Background working within or alongside enterprise/B2B brand architectures.
• Experience building or maintaining brand guideline systems (e.g., using design software libraries, brand portals).

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