Creative Director (Part-Time / Project-Based)
Do work that matters—alongside people who care. Do work that matters—alongside people who care. Creative Director (Part-Time / Project-Based) Job Location: San Francisco, CA /Remote/Hybrid Reports to: VP, Account Services General Purpose The Part-Time Creative Director provides senior creative leadership for assigned client and agency initiatives, setting concept and visual direction, elevating quality, and guiding execution across digital and print. This role partners with Account Services and Project Leads to translate strategy into compelling, culturally fluent creative that is accessible, on-brand, on-schedule, and on-budget. The Creative Director leads through influence and expertise, not department administration, and is accountable for creative excellence from brief through delivery. Who We Are D&A Communications is a San Francisco–based, equity-first agency with nearly 30 years of experience advancing inclusive, community-centered strategies. We are culturally fluent storytellers who integrate public relations, creative services, and public engagement to deliver transformative communication programs for clients in both the public and private sectors—including government agencies, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies. Our work focuses on meeting people where they are—developing strategies that reflect community voices and promote equitable outcomes. From expanding transportation access and affordable housing to raising awareness about environmental resilience to healthcare access and educational equity, we address the barriers impacting low-income residents and communities of color. With deep cultural competency and a strong understanding of diverse social landscapes, we specialize in social impact sectors such as healthcare, housing, transportation, and education. Partnering with government agencies, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and socially responsible companies, we design inclusive, community-centered campaigns that foster trust, build lasting connections, and drive meaningful, measurable change. What You Will Be Doing As the Creative Director, you will translate project goals and audience needs into high-impact creative strategy and execution. You will lead concept development, establish art direction, and ensure quality across deliverables, moving seamlessly between digital and print production. This is a hands‑on, project‑focused role: you will both direct and, when needed, produce high‑fidelity creative to keep work moving and standards high. You will also help strengthen creative operations on assigned projects, clarifying briefs, tightening review cycles, maintaining file/versioning standards, and aligning collaborators and vendors to deliver efficiently. You will present work internally and to clients as needed, explaining rationale, navigating feedback, and protecting timelines and scope. Key ResponsibilitiesCreative Strategy and Concept Translate briefs into 2–3 clear creative routes with rationale aligned to goals, audiences, channels, and brand. Define art direction (layout systems, typography, color, imagery/illustration approach, motion style, where relevant). Ensure work reflects inclusive storytelling and culturally fluent representation for the communities served. Convert complex or technical information (data, policy, research) into clear, compelling visual narratives. Design Direction Hands-On Production Lead the creative lifecycle from concept to final delivery: mood boards, wireframes/layout routes, drafts, and final files. Personally create and/or co-create key deliverables when needed (hero assets, templates, visual systems). Maintain a high bar for craft: composition, hierarchy, readability, consistency, and polish. Conduct final QA on deliverables before client submission (brand alignment, formatting, accessibility checks when applicable). Participate in client meetings as needed to present creative, explain decisions, and translate feedback into actionable revisions. Manage feedback diplomatically while protecting the strategy, timeline, and production constraints. Partner with Account Services to ensure expectations, approvals, and review cycles are clear. Creative Operations Build and maintain production plans for assigned projects: milestones, dependencies, review cycles, and handoffs. Maintain strong file hygiene: naming conventions, version control, packaging, and organized source files. Flag risks early (scope creep, timeline compression, unclear direction) and propose options to stay on track. Identify and manage specialized vendors/freelancers (design, motion, photo, print) as needed. Provide clear scopes, creative direction, deadlines, and review criteria; ensure quality and alignment throughout. Coordinate with Project Leads to keep external production integrated with overall project workflows. Provide level-of-effort estimates and creative resourcing recommendations for assigned scopes. Track effort against project parameters; surface tradeoffs and recommendations when needs shift. Support cost control through smart production planning and vendor management. Who You Are: You are a decisive, strategic, creative leader who can move from concept to polished execution without drama. You’re comfortable in agency environments, fast timelines, multiple stakeholders, iterative feedback, and high standards. You communicate clearly, manage your time well, and bring calm structure to the creative process. You have strong taste and strong follow-through. You can elevate work quickly, protect brand consistency, and turn dense information into design that’s accessible and persuasive. You lead through influence, building alignment, guiding collaborators, and delivering work that earns client confidence. Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in design, visual communication, marketing, or related field or equivalent professional experience. 8 years of design/creative direction experience; agency experience strongly preferred. Strong production skills in Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop); Figma strongly preferred. Proven ability to simplify complex information into clear, audience-friendly design. Experience with inclusive/multicultural marketing and culturally fluent storytelling preferred. Familiarity with accessibility best practices (WCAG/Section 508) preferred, especially for public-sector work. Multicultural marketing experience is a plus. Qualification Requirements To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily, both remotely and in person. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Psychological Demands This role requires adaptability and resilience in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Key demands include: Managing shifting priorities and multiple tasks simultaneously Maintaining focus and attention to detail under deadlines Collaborating effectively within diverse teams and departments Communicating ideas persuasively and building strong internal relationships Navigating interruptions and thinking quickly to solve problems Working independently and remotely while staying connected with colleagues, clients, and partners through phone, video, and email Navigating interactions that may be complex or sensitive. Physical Demands Typical physical activities for this role include: Sitting for extended periods (up to 8 hours/day) while using a computer, keyboard, mouse, telephone, and other office equipment. Frequent use of hands and fingers to type, handle objects, and operate controls (e.g., computer keyboard, mouse, keypad). Regularly required to manipulate small objects and maintain fine motor skills for detailed tasks. Frequent verbal communication via phone, video calls, and in-person meetings. Occasional travel to client sites or events using various transportation modes. Standing at client or community events for long periods. Vision requirements include close focus, color recognition, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus as needed. Work settings vary between quiet to moderately noisy office environments and remote locations with variable noise levels. This role supports hybrid work arrangements, requiring flexibility between home, office, and client/event sites. Equipment Used Regular: Computer, telephone, printer J-18808-Ljbffr
