Associate Creative Director (Social-First)

Location: New York City (Hybrid - 2 days/week in office beginning September)
Salary: Competitive package with strong benefits, flexibility, and career growth opportunities

We are seeking an Associate Creative Director (ACD) to join a fast-growing, social-first creative agency and play a key role in shaping the future of the creative team. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on creative leader who understands modern digital storytelling, internet culture, and how brands can connect with audiences through social platforms.

The ideal candidate is a current or recent ACD who has experience leading creative work, elevating client accounts, and developing impactful social-first campaigns. This person should be equally comfortable providing creative direction, mentoring a small team, and working independently in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.

About the Role

As Associate Creative Director, you will partner closely with the Creative Director and have significant autonomy to help shape creative output, improve processes, and contribute to the agency's continued growth.

You will:

• Lead creative strategy and execution across social-first campaigns.
• Develop and elevate client work with a strong focus on modern digital storytelling.
• Mentor junior creatives and help build a growing creative team.
• Bring fresh perspectives on social trends, creator culture, and emerging platforms.
• Participate in pitches, new business presentations, and creative development.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams while independently driving projects forward.

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for someone who:

• Is a current or recent Associate Creative Director with proven experience leading accounts and improving creative work.
• Has 8-10 years of experience within creative agencies, ideally with a strong social-first or digital background.
• Has a portfolio demonstrating strong 9:16 vertical video and social-first creative work.
• Understands and genuinely enjoys social media, internet culture, trends, creators, and influencer marketing.
• Brings an entrepreneurial, builder mindset and is excited to help shape processes within a growing agency.
• Can work autonomously, solve problems independently, and thrive without heavy oversight.
• Balances creative excellence with the ability to mentor others and contribute to agency growth.

Experience & Background

Ideal candidates will have:

• Experience at social-first agencies, though candidates from integrated or 360 agencies will be considered if they have meaningful social experience.
• Either a copywriting or art direction background.
• Experience contributing to pitches and new business presentations.
• Production experience (PPMs, production workflows, etc.) is a plus but not required.

Portfolio Requirements

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Strong vertical (9:16) social content.
• Social-first campaign thinking.
• Work inspired by culture, trends, creators, or community engagement.
• Modern digital storytelling-not simply adapting traditional advertising concepts for social platforms.

Candidates whose portfolios focus primarily on experiential, TV, or traditional campaigns without strong social executions will not be considered.

About the Agency

This is a growing global creative agency with approximately 200 employees worldwide and 80 employees in the U.S. The agency offers an entrepreneurial, collaborative culture with significant opportunities for growth.

This role represents a key leadership opportunity within the creative department, with a clear path toward Creative Director as the agency continues to expand.

The culture offers:

• A flexible and supportive work environment.
• Strong work-life balance.
• Minimal weekend work and overtime.
• A collaborative environment with a UK-style approach to work.
• Strong vacation benefits.
• The opportunity to help build and shape a rapidly growing agency.

Team Structure

• Initially manage one direct report.
• Management experience is helpful but not required.
• Partner closely with the Creative Director while maintaining significant creative ownership and autonomy.

Sphere Digital Recruitment currently have a variety of job opportunities across digital so feel free to get in touch with us to find out how we can help you. Please take a look at our website.

Sphere is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications regardless of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation, and any other protected status as required by applicable law.

If you require any adjustments or additional support during the recruitment process for any reason whatsoever, please let us know.