Creative Director, Art and Design
VML · Newport Beach, California, United States ·
- Category
- Design
- Salary
- USD 100,000 – 230,000 / year
Senior creative leadership role at VML's Passport Brand Design: manage and mentor a large team of art directors, designers, and copywriters, driving conceptual vision and craft across packaging, print, out-of-home, and direct mail—primarily for tobacco-industry clients—in a structured, production-forward environment. Hybrid, four days a week in the Newport Beach, CA office.
Who We Are
VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore.
VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.
For more information, please visit and follow along on LinkedIn #WeAreVML.
Who We Are Looking For
Passport Brand Design, a VML company and part of the WPP network, is seeking a forward-thinking Creative Director of Art & Design to lead a talented, large-scale team of art directors and designers. As a globally respected premium brand agency, we rely on this senior leadership role to drive conceptual vision and execution across packaging, print, out-of-home (OOH), direct mail, and more.
We need a design leader who thrives in a highly structured, production-forward environment where annual calendars and long-term timelines are the foundation of success. You will act as a champion of craft, ensuring that every design is anchored in a strong, strategic idea. As part of the WPP network, Passport Brand Design is committed to a Human First approach. You will bring this to life by deeply investing in the growth of your team, helping them translate technological and creative capabilities into meaningful, high-impact outcomes.
Please note: This role primarily supports creative work within the tobacco industry. We share this upfront to ensure transparency and alignment with your personal preferences and comfort level.
What You'll Do
- Lead and Mentor: Manage, mentor, and empower a multidisciplinary team of art directors, designers, and copywriters, fostering a culture of creative excellence and continuous growth that strengthens the agency's production capabilities.
- Drive Conceptual Excellence: Oversee the conceptualization and execution of high-visibility packaging design, print, OOH, and direct mail — ensuring every deliverable is rooted in a strong strategic idea that delivers on client objectives.
- Navigate Structured Production: Lead seamlessly within a production-forward environment, managing long production timelines and annual calendars to ensure on-time, on-brief delivery across all accounts.
- Present with Purpose: Build and deliver compelling portfolio and case study presentations that clearly articulate creative rationale and strategic context to internal leadership and key stakeholders.
- Foster Collaboration: Travel periodically to collaborate directly with core stakeholders across locations, ensuring seamless creative integration and alignment on priorities.
Who You Are
- A strategic, curious problem-solver who can distill complex category rules into elegant, compelling design systems.
- An empathetic leader who builds trust, champions collaboration, and creates an inclusive space for creatives to do their best work.
- A bold idea-driver who is comfortable with ambiguity and has the conviction to push for exceptional, high-impact work, even within regulated spaces.
What You'll Need
- Proven Creative Director experience within an agency environment, with a demonstrated ability to orchestrate and manage creative workflows.
- Deep expertise and a strong portfolio in packaging design, supported by extensive experience across print, OOH, and direct mail.
- A track record of thriving in a structured, production-heavy environment with long-term schedules and established workflows.
- Exceptional presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate strategic context, craft rationale, and case studies to internal and external stakeholders.
- Comfort and willingness to work on tobacco industry accounts.
- Willingness and ability to accommodate occasional required travel.
The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.
We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
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