Associate Creative Director: Social Media

Zero Overview

Zero is a creative studio founded in NYC. Our intention is to create an environment where multidisciplinary teams can solve problems for progressive and contemporary brands. We aim to constantly re-evaluate what it’s like to work with a studio and provide a high degree of value and service to our clients and our team.

Our studio seeks an individual with a diverse background and the ability to succeed with a wide array of motivated and creative individuals. We believe that process is at the core of our success - and are continually seeking to evolve ours to get the most out of each engagement. The unique and complex problems that face our clients call for fresh and strategic thinkers.

 

Position Overview

As an Associate Creative Director, you will serve as a leader at Zero with the opportunity to define the creative practice in social media, art direction and content creation. We expect an entrepreneurial and results-oriented focus to spur the growth of the studio, as well as future-forward thinking and the ability to work across creative disciplines and client needs. You’ll be working directly with the partners to manage 3-5 accounts ranging across branding, social, and marketing.

To be successful in this role, you are required to stay up to date on fast-moving trend cycles and culturally relevant topics to understand what will resonate for brands online. You are someone who has a natural affinity and passion for the internet and will be the person who consistently brings this awareness and thinking to the team at large. You have a great eye for art direction and styling and are comfortable leading the team in creating content at a range of fidelities, from high fidelity traditional photo and video shoots to creator style content shot on an iPhone.  

Your primary responsibility will be collaborating with and leading our team(s) to create the most effective work possible for the clients and audiences we serve in an enjoyable, engaging, and positive environment. Specifically, within our creative and social teams, you’ll be responsible for mentorship as well as helping grow the team via recruiting and interviewing candidates.  

You will be managing a high volume of projects and will be the primary point of contact on the creative side for our clients. Problem-solving, seeing opportunity and possibility in projects and communication skills are a must. Inspiring clients to see how creative ideas will impact their business as well as providing measurable value will be vital to your success.  

As an Associate Creative Director, our expectation is that you approach the day-to-day with a positive, and solutions-oriented mindset. We believe the traits of kindness, respect, and empathy are vital to the role and a high degree of emotional intelligence and strategic thinking will be keys to success.

 

Roles & Responsibilities

 

Strategic Collaboration

• Guide small-to-medium, multi-disciplinary teams toward the common goal of executing on-brief creative projects
• Serve as a trusted advocate to our clients, advising on business challenges and opportunities, from start-ups to Fortune 100’s
• Approach every project with a clear purpose and ensure all executions meet client and user goals
  
  

Entrepreneurial Mindset

• Approach every project with a clear purpose and ensure all executions meet client and user goals
• Guide our clients through the creative process and articulate its value to their business
• Identify opportunities to improve internal systems and increase efficiency
  
  

Project Leadership & Oversight

• Lead an integrated team across multiple works streams and marketing channels
• Lead and contribute to the research and discovery phase through competitive audits, research, and any additional tactics that add value
• Lead and develop holistic brand, social and content strategies that are unique to the market, true to the audience and genuine to the beliefs and vision of the brand
• Effectively manage your time and work closely with the team to manage project timelines and schedule creative check-ins as needed to meet internal deadlines and goals
• Approach every project with a solutions oriented mindset, clear purpose and ensure all executions meet business and user goals 
  
  

Art Direction & Content Creation

• Lead and oversee the creative concepting, art direction and execution of low to high fidelity content shoots (photo and video) – guiding the team through all aspects of a production pre, day-of, and post
• Lead and oversee the creative concepting, art direction and execution of 3D content, illustration and animation
  
  

Social Media

• Oversee the team in defining the social brand world through social design and expression, art direction and content creation 
• Lead the creation of social and content experiences that tell the brand story and delight the user while achieving business goals 
• Contribute across organic social, paid ads, and influencer program efforts as well as concepting for broader brand campaigns
• Collaborate with the social leads to oversee the team in developing social strategy: conducting research, doing social media audits, social listening, platform definitions, messaging and audience identification  
• Collaborate with the social leads to oversee the team in developing social content: facilitate brainstorming workshops and concept and execute content that drives engagement 
• Oversee the production of social content for posts and video across various platforms, ensuring the look, feel, voice and tone stay on-brand for our clients 
• Collaborate with the social leads in the oversight of influencer strategies: influencer discovery, outreach, briefing, contracting and client relations
• Analyze metrics across channels to determine what’s working, what’s not, and where there are opportunities for change and growth
  
  

Studio Leadership & Mentorship

• Inspire the team to do their best work
• Serve as a source of support, stability and guidance
• Consider the team’s diverse perspectives and communication styles
• Collaborate and support studio partners, account and social teams in monitoring timelines, project budgets, risks, and scope overages
• Conduct regular 1-on-1 check-ins and individual reviews of creative team members
• Provide mentorship and feedback throughout your work with direct reports
• Facilitate career growth via goal identification & tracking, measuring progress, and finding new opportunities that spur individual growth

 

Relationship Management 

• Manage client relationships alongside social and account leads to ensure client satisfaction
• Be an expert communicator who isn't afraid to have the tough conversations that may occasionally be needed
• Autonomously run key accounts while managing and growing relationships
  
  

Skills & Competencies

 

• Excellent communication and people skills 
• Concepting and art direction of content creation
• Pre and post production of photo and video shoots 
• Social media creative direction 
• Integrated campaign creative direction 
• Pitching new work to clients 
• 1:1 team mentorship and growth tracking with a creative team

 

Requirements

 

• An affinity for being online and a passion for the internet and cultural trends
• An eye for creating content that speaks the brand language, is culturally relevant and will speak to the target audience 
• Experience leading the planning, shooting and editing of TikTok and Reels content in-platform 
• Experience leading the creation of social strategies in collaboration with a team 
• Experience leading the creation of social calendars based on strategy 
• Experience managing influencer partnerships and knowledge of influencer trend cycles
• Keen eye for detail and a high degree of familiarity with internet trends 
• Curiosity and a willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment
• Proactive, taking initiative and responsibility for tasks

 

Experience

 

• 7+ years of experience in a creative industry doing social media, art direction and content creation either in-house at a brand or at a creative agency
• 5+ years of Creative Direction experience within a creative industry
• You have managed 2-3 mid to large-sized accounts for at least 1 year
• You have managed at least 5+ social accounts
• You have completed 10+ content creation projects that included photography, video, illustration or similar, at varying levels of fidelity
• You have led at least 2-3 integrated campaigns 

 

Reporting Structure

 

• This position reports directly to the Executive Creative Director. You can expect to manage a team of direct reports and collaborate with other Zero team members on projects you'll lead and contribute to

 

Closure Date

 

• This positing will be unpublished by Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at the latest. Shortlisted candidates can expect to hear from our hiring team at that time. The posting may be removed prior to this date if a qualified candidate is identified.