Creative Director - Temporary at Monks

Please note that we will never request payment or bank account information at any stage of the recruitment process. As we continue to grow our teams, we urge you to be cautious of fraudulent job postings or recruitment activities that misuse our company name and information. Please protect your personal information during any recruitment process. While Monks may contact potential candidates via LinkedIn, all applications must be submitted through our official website (monks.com/careers). Role Overview We’re looking for a forward-thinking Creative Director who blends strong conceptual leadership with deep familiarity in AI-powered creative tools and workflows. This role will lead the development of breakthrough campaigns while embedding generative AI and automation into the creative process to improve speed, craft, and innovation. The ideal candidate is a world-class creative – both a storyteller and a systems thinker — someone who can inspire teams creatively while also plugging in AI-driven opportunities, both creatively and in production. This role is both strategic and hands-on, with an expectation to actively contribute to concepting and AI-enabled creative development *** This is a 3–6 month contract role with potential to extend or convert to a full-time position, depending on business needs and performance. Key Responsibilities Creative Leadership • Lead concept development and execution across integrated campaigns (film, digital, social, experiential, and emerging platforms). • Set the creative vision • Provide hands-on creative direction, feedback, and mentorship to creatives. • Ensure all work meets the highest standards of craft, originality, and brand alignment. • Present and sell creative work confidently and clearly AI Integration & Innovation • Champion the strategic use of AI tools across the creative lifecycle (ideation, design, production, personalization, and optimization). • Evaluate and implement emerging generative tools • Stay ahead of industry trends in AI, automation, and creative technology. Campaign Development & Execution • Oversee projects from brief through final delivery, ensuring cohesion across channels. • Collaborate closely with strategy to translate insights into compelling creative. • Ensure AI-generated work maintains brand safety, legal compliance, and quality control. • Balance rapid AI-enabled iteration with strong human creative judgment. Team & Process Leadership • Mentor and upskill creative teams • Foster a culture of experimentation, curiosity, and responsible innovation. • Improve creative operations by identifying opportunities for automation and workflow optimization. Required Qualifications • 8+ years of experience in an advertising agency or creative studio environment. • Proven track record leading award-worthy integrated campaigns. • Demonstrated hands-on experience with generative AI tools • Strong portfolio showcasing conceptual thinking and craft. • Experience managing and mentoring multidisciplinary creative teams. • Excellent presentation and client-facing skills. • Deep understanding of brand storytelling across channels. Preferred Qualifications • Experience building/scaling AI-assisted creative • Familiarity with tools such as Midjourney, Runway, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, or similar platforms. • Understanding of prompt engineering and AI content governance • Experience with rapid content production, dynamic creative at scale • Interest in emerging media (AR/VR, real-time content, synthetic production) Key Traits • Conceptually bold and strategically grounded • Curious about new technologies and creative possibilities • Comfortable operating in fast, evolving environments • Highly collaborative and team-oriented • Strong creative judgment — knows when AI helps and when human craft • Proactive problem-solver with a builder mindset Success in This Role Looks Like • AI is meaningfully embedded into creative • Teams produce more high-quality work, faster • Campaigns break through culturally and creatively • Clients see the agency as an innovation partner • The creative department grows more fluent and confident in AI At Monks, we believe in fostering an environment where a diversity of perspectives can thrive. We proactively work to design hiring processes that promote equity and inclusion while mitigating bias. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage qualified applicants, from all backgrounds, who are excited to contribute to our mission. Monks is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and by meeting our accessibility requirements under local accessibility laws. #LI-HYBRID #LI-ZZ1 What We Offer Benefits • Excellent, full coverage medical, dental, and vision insurance - more about our coverage here! • Generous PTO and 15 company-wide holidays • 401k with company contribution • Paid parental leave • Work-life balance with an emphasis on personal well-being • Career growth in a disruptor space & entrepreneurial opportunities within the Monks network • A globally diverse & inclusive culture with employee resource groups such as S4 Melanin, Pride.Monks, Cultura.Monks, and more! • Authentic commitment to DEI efforts and sustainable growth. (Why Sir Martin Sorrell signed The Climate Pledge here!) This role is subject to our Return to Office (RTO) policy. If you reside within a commutable distance of one of our office locations, you will be expected to work from the office a set number of days per week. The specific details, including the number of required office days, will be in accordance with the company’s then-current RTO policy, which is subject to change from time to time. Monks has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what Monks may pay for the position at the time of posting. Monks may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on job-related factors, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status. Salary Range: $160,000—$185,000 USDAbout Monks Monks is the global, digital-first, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4 Capital plc. With a legacy of innovation and specialized expertise, Monks combines an extraordinary range of global Marketing and Technology Services to redefine how brands interact with the world. Through Monks.Flow, its flagship AI ecosystem for marketing orchestration, Monks transforms marketing into a growth engine, collapsing timelines and connecting brands to culture in real time. By deploying bespoke intelligent agents across disciplines and delivering culturally relevant, high-impact creative and digital solutions, Monks solves key critical business challenges across the entire brand enterprise to help brands sustain long-term impact. Monks was named a Contender in The Forrester Wave™: Global Marketing Services, ranks among Cannes Lions' Top 10 Creative Companies (2022-25) and remains the only partner featured in AdExchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list every year (2020-24). Named Adweek’s first AI Agency of the Year (2023) and The One Show’s inaugural AI Pioneer Organization, Monks was also awarded Business Intelligence Group’s 2025 Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Award in both the Organizational and AI Product categories. As a trusted partner to cutting-edge innovators in tech, Monks earned titles such as Optimizely Experimentation Partner of the Year (2025), runner-up for the Adobe Firefly Partner Award (2024), and Workato’s AI Visionary Customer Impact Award (2024). Additionally, Monks achieved a record-breaking number of FWAs and continues to hold the most of any partner. We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people to freely express themselves amongst colleagues who embrace diversity in all respects. Including fresh voices and unique points of view in all aspects of our business not only creates an environment where we can all grow and thrive but also increases our potential to produce work that better represents—and resonates with—the world around us.