Executive Creative Director

**Executive Creative Director

– QSR + CPG Client | $100MM+ Portfolio**

Reports to: VP, Brand & Creative

Department: Marketing

Location: Hybrid – San Clemente, CA

OVERVIEW

The Executive Creative Director defines and executes our client’s creative vision across Brand, CPG, and Restaurant business lines—translating brand strategy into cohesive creative systems, scalable toolkits, and high-impact campaigns that show up consistently across physical and digital environments.

The ECD ensures design excellence across packaging, franchise/restaurant assets, innovation launches, content, and seasonal brand activations. This role bridges creative craft with operational rigor—mentoring designers, elevating visual storytelling, and delivering a unified creative POV across paid, owned, earned, and retail channels.

The ideal candidate brings a foundation in lifestyle/food/restaurant/experiential categories and an agency-level creative bar, with the maturity to operate as a key in-house creative partner to Brand Marketing, Restaurant/Franchise, Innovation/CPG, Digital/Lifecycle, and Web teams.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Creative Vision, Systems & Identity

• Execute the creative expression of the brand across CPG, Restaurant, digital, and experiential touchpoints.
• Translate brand strategy, identity principles, and messaging platforms into scalable visual systems and guidelines.
• Ensure unified creative across seasonal campaigns, packaging, and franchise asset kits.
• Collaborate with VP Brand & Creative on evolution of brand narrative, visual language, and cultural relevance.
• Uphold design excellence and consistency while fostering experimentation and innovation.

Campaigns, Content & Channel Execution

• Lead creative for seasonal campaigns, innovation launches, and priority business initiatives.
• Direct content development across paid/owned/earned channels—including social, paid media, CRM, lifecycle, and influencer content.
• Oversee photo/video production and asset libraries to support omnichannel marketing and store/franchise needs.
• Partner with Content & Digital Marketing to align creative with performance goals, editorial calendar, and media strategy.

Packaging, Innovation & CPG Integration

• Collaborate with VP Brand & Creative and CPG/Innovation teams on packaging systems, formats, and refreshes.
• Ensure packaging reflects category positioning, brand equities, and innovation architecture.
• Maintain a systems-based approach to packaging updates—to avoid isolated redesigns and strengthen portfolio unity.
• Support retailer, merchandising, and shopper needs through differentiated and shelf-impactful design.

Environmental, Restaurant & Franchise Creative

• Own creative for franchise/restaurant brand assets, including menus, signage, merchandising, and in-store storytelling.
• Develop creative toolkits and localization systems for multi-market and franchise scaling.
• Partner with Restaurant teams on experiential elements, LTOs, and guest journey touchpoints.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Translate brand strategy into actionable briefs and design outputs that ladder to business outcomes.
• Interface with Integrated Marketing, Digital/Lifecycle, Web, Retail/Franchise, Product/Innovation, and CPG partners.
• Communicate the “why” behind creative decisions—linking brand expression to commercial value and performance metrics.
• Support agency collaboration, content partners, and production vendors.

Creative Operations, Governance & Standards

• Co-build creative governance systems, toolkits, and guidelines with VP Brand & Creative.
• Establish review workflows, approvals, and creative QA to maintain consistency and reduce rework.
• Manage internal and external creative resources and budgets, ensuring efficient production.
• Support capability-building through processes, templates, and systems that enable scale as the brand expands into new markets.

Leadership & Team Development

• Mentor, elevate, and coach the Creative Studio (Art, Design, Content).
• Foster a culture of curiosity, accountability, craft, and collaboration.
• Provide structured, actionable feedback that improves both final output and creative thinking.
• Champion high creative standards that enhance brand equity and business impact.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• 12+ years creative leadership experience in agency, in-house, or hybrid creative environments.
• Portfolio demonstrating excellence in food/restaurant, lifestyle, experiential, or CPG strongly preferred.
• Experience directing integrated campaigns across digital, paid, OOH, experiential, retail, and packaging.
• Demonstrated success working cross-functionally with Marketing, Innovation, Product, Retail/Franchise, and Digital teams.
• Deep craft in both conceptual creative and systems-driven design.
• Strong verbal and visual storytelling ability; comfortable presenting to senior leadership.
• Proven ability to build teams, mentor talent, and manage production partners.
• Bachelor’s degree in design/visual arts (or equivalent experience) preferred.