VSA Partners is hiring : Freelance Creative Director, Design in Chicago

VSA’s purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and design agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in an increasingly noisy world. With offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities—branding, advertising, data science and technology—all under one roof. VSA is also a proud member of Meet The People, an international family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM. Creative Director, Campaign Design

Are you an art director by trade, a designer at heart, and a person with a passion for great advertising? If so, we should talk.

We’re looking for a smart, strategic creative director to join our campaign design team. In this role, you’ll work on every kind of campaign—from the digital- and social-first to the big 360s—creating beautiful, impactful visuals that draw viewers in (and make our clients stand out).

You’re the perfect candidate if :

You love being on a tight-knit team that works hard and moves fast, but also just really likes each other

You have an uncanny ability to translate ideas into visuals that move people

You truly love design and bring an elevated aesthetic to all of your work

You want to help sell big, bold ideas that break through

You have a healthy appreciation for deadlines

You like working in a variety of industries, from Big Tech to small consumer brands

You’re energetic, optimistic, and excited to do great things

You play well with others—and appreciate working with really, really nice people and clients

Still with us? Good! Check out a few more of the responsibilities below.

Core Responsibilities : Enthusiastically develops and executes high-impact, visually compelling concepts for integrated campaigns

Is fluent in full-funnel digital marketing, including trends in social media, paid search, video advertising, influencer marketing and more

Establishes and maintains the overall art direction, ensuring a consistent visual language across client projects.

Serves as a leader in the creative process, guiding teams through ideation, design, and execution.

Works closely with copywriters, designers, strategists, project managers and the production team to ensure cohesive creative direction that delivers on the creative brief.

Leads brainstorming sessions and provides constructive feedback to ensure high-quality work.

Acts as a liaison between the creative team and internal stakeholders, facilitating clear communication and idea flow.

Client Engagement & Communication :

Eagerly engages in client content to best understand the client’s vision, business goals, and their products and services and then translating these into compelling creative deliverables.

Presents creative concepts and campaigns to clients and internal teams, articulating design decisions and the strategic rationale behind them.

Identifies growth opportunities within existing accounts and collaborates with client-facing teams to nurture and expand client relationships.

Represents the creative team in new business presentations and pitches, showcasing VSA’s design capabilities and approach to campaign work.

Helps identify new business opportunities and contribute to the agency’s growth strategy.

Project Management & Execution :

Coordinates across teams to ensure that all deliverables meet deadlines and production quality standards.

Oversees multiple campaigns, ensuring consistency and high-quality execution across platforms and media.

Supports the development of junior staff by providing mentorship and feedback to foster their growth as needed.

Identifies tools, resources, and processes that improve creative efficiency and team performance.

Skills and Experience Required : Visual Design Expertise : 10+ years of experience in design. Strong command of design principles, typography, layout, and color theory to execute top-tier, visually impactful campaigns.

Strong Portfolio : A robust portfolio of integrated campaign work that spans from print to digital to experiential for B2b and B2C brands.

Leadership & Team Management : 3+ years of managing teams. Proven ability to lead and inspire creative teams, providing direction and feedback while fostering a collaborative environment.

Strategic Thinking : Ability to synthesize client briefs, strategic objectives, and market insights into innovative campaign executions.

Communication Skills : Strong verbal and written communication skills for client presentations, team coordination, and internal collaboration.

Project Management : Capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Software Proficiency : Advanced skills in design tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, etc.) and familiarity with project management tools (e.g. Slack, Google Suite and Workamajig).

About us

VSA’s purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and creative agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in the world. VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities—branding, advertising, data science and technology—all under one roof. VSA is also a founding agency of Meet The People, a family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM.

Chicago Estimated Salary Range

$100 - $160 USD

VSA Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit and business need.

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