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Creative Director

Chicago, Illinois, United States

The Role:  Visionary storyteller / brand architect / team builder / creative executor—our Creative Director, Beverage will lead the creative vision and day-to-day execution of our growing beverage portfolio. You’ll be the driving force behind breakthrough creative—from brand strategy and integrity to campaign ideation to production and asset delivery across all channels.

Reporting to the VP of Marketing, you will own the entire creative lifecycle, managing cross-functional collaboration, inspiring and growing a best-in-class internal creative team, managing external agency partners, and delivering on-time, on-budget assets that build brand love and drive business performance. You’re a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, balancing creative excellence with strategic thinking and operational rigor.

 

Responsibilities

  • Lead Creative Direction: Own and drive the overarching brand vision for our beverage portfolio, developing and evolving the creative expression of each brand across all touchpoints.
  • Campaign Development: Ideate, lead, and execute integrated campaigns across digital, retail, experiential, social, and owned channels—ensuring they are insight-driven, cohesive, and strategically aligned with marketing goals.
  • Creative Asset Ownership: Oversee the creation and execution of all creative assets—from concept through final production—delivering best-in-class work across packaging, video/photo, POS, digital, print, social, and experiential.
  • Team Leadership & Development: Build, manage, and mentor a multidisciplinary team of designers, art directors, writers, and freelancers. Foster a collaborative, growth-oriented culture of creativity, accountability, and innovation.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Marketing, Brand, Trade, Product, and DTC teams to align creative with business strategy, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on brand, and within budget.
  • Agency & Vendor Management: Lead and manage external creative agencies, freelancers, and production partners—establishing briefs, timelines, and quality standards, and ensuring alignment with brand strategy and creative vision.
  • Project & Production Management: Establish creative timelines, resource plans, and production schedules in partnership. Drive operational efficiency and creative excellence simultaneously.
  • Brand Consistency & Systems: Develop and uphold visual identity systems, brand guidelines, and design standards to ensure consistency across regions, formats, and markets.
  • Trend & Market Awareness: Stay ahead of cultural, design, and beverage trends—bringing fresh thinking and innovation into every creative output.

 

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of progressive experience in creative leadership roles, ideally with a mix of in-house and agency experience
  • 5+ years managing multidisciplinary creative teams with proven ability to coach and develop talent

  • Deep experience leading CPG/beverage, lifestyle, or cannabis-adjacent brands; regulated industry experience is a plus
  • Proven experience managing external creative agencies and production partners, including briefing, feedback, budget, and timeline management
  • Expert-level knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator); Figma, After Effects, and digital production tools a bonus
  • Strong portfolio showcasing high-impact brand campaigns, product launches, and multi-channel creative work
  • Experience overseeing photoshoots, video production, and digital content creation
  • Strong understanding of the creative development lifecycle—from brief to delivery—including budgeting, scoping, and production management
  • Highly organized with excellent project management, communication, and presentation skills
  • Thrives in a high-growth, fast-paced, mission-driven environment
  • Passion for beverage innovation, brand storytelling, and culture-building

 

Additional Requirements:

  • Ability to work collaboratively with multi-functional core teams and strong personalities
  • Adapts and thrives in a demanding, fast-paced environment
  • Operates with a high level of professionalism and integrity, including dealing with confidential information
  • Must understand and comply with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of Green Thumb
  • Must have a solid understanding and/or come to master Hemp compliance rules and regulations set forth by each State
  • Must pass any and all required background checks
  • Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry

The pay range is competitive and based on experience, qualifications, and/or location of the role. Positions may be eligible for a discretionary annual incentive program driven by organization and individual performance.

Green Thumb Pay Range

$140,000 - $160,000 USD

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Please note that although cannabis is legal under many state laws, it remains illegal under federal law. If you are a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), please be aware that employment in a cannabis company may carry immigration-related risks. We strongly encourage you to consult with an immigration attorney before applying or accepting any position.  We are sharing this information to allow you to make an informed decision. This notice is provided for informational purposes only and is not a legal advice. Green Thumb does not inquire about or make employment decisions based on immigration status, except as required by law.

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