Associate Creative Director Jobs in Phoenix, AZ (NOW HIRING)

Marketing brings our brand to life through deep expertise and an authentic love for pets. The team is dedicated to delivering personalized experiences for our consumers, supported by best-in-class, data-driven marketing capabilities.

The work spans key areas including Loyalty, Customer Analytics & Research, Brand Experience & Creative, and Omni-Channel Marketing. Each team member brings a unique perspective, working together to create meaningful and engaging experiences for both pets and pet parents.

Collaborative Work Environment:
At PetSmart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Phoenix Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of four days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to one remote “flex day” (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

PetSmart is building a modern, high-performing in-house creative organization—one that owns outcomes, moves fast, and leverages innovation to scale impact. As Senior Manager, Brand Creative, you are a proactive creative leader who blends strong creative judgment, operational discipline, and an AI-forward mindset to deliver exceptional brand storytelling.

As Senior Manager, Brand Creative, you serve as a senior creative leader with significant scope, influence, and ownership. In many organizations, this level of responsibility aligns to an Associate Creative Director; at PetSmart, we’ve intentionally structured the Senior Manager role to lead with both creative authority and operational accountability.

This role calls for a proactive, collaborative, confident leader who thinks ahead, owns results, and communicates with purpose. You are relentlessly curious about better, smarter, faster ways to create and scale impact—while protecting the integrity of the brand. You are brand obsessed and have a keen eye for aesthetically impactful photography and design. You lead with humility and extreme collaboration, grounded in the belief that the strongest work happens when the entire team succeeds.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and elevate brand campaigns, seasonal storytelling, special projects and evergreen brand moments across digital and physical channels
• Partner closely with the Creative Director to define, protect, and evolve PetSmart’s brand look, feel, and creative standards
• Actively lead and participate in brainstorming and creative sessions, shaping ideas into clear, executable concepts.
• Serve as a hands-on creative lead, designing work, strategically conceptualizing campaigns and art-directing photography and video from concept through post-production
• Own creative quality, consistency, and storytelling excellence across all brand work
• Act as a trusted creative and brand expert and Creative Director proxy when needed—leading reviews, presentations, and partner discussions
• Partner with the Creative Director to communicate and reinforce brand and visual standards with marketing and business partners, while supporting governance of external agencies and production partners
• Collaborate deeply with Copy, Digital Creative, Store Creative, Marketing, Merchandising, and eCommerce teams to ensure holistic campaign alignment
• Build strong relationships with photographers, producers, stylists, editors, and external partners
• Lead, mentor, develop, and allocate work for 2 – 5 designers and art directors, fostering a culture of ownership, accountability, and creative ambition
• Manage multiple high-profile projects simultaneously while balancing speed, quality, and brand integrity
• Champion operational excellence by driving more AI utilization, automation, and modern production workflows to improve efficiency and scale
• Stay ahead of cultural, retail, and design trends—keeping PetSmart’s brand work fresh, relevant, and differentiated

Who You Are

• A visual storyteller with an exceptional eye for imagery, composition, color, and brand expression
• A proactive, solution-oriented leader who takes full ownership and follows through
• Highly articulate communicator who can confidently present creative work to peers, senior leaders, and executives
• Deeply experienced in art-directing photo and video shoots, including pre-production, on-set direction, and post-production
• Highly Strategic and business-minded—you understand how creative drives emotional connection and business results
• Organized, decisive, deadline & process oriented and calm under pressure in a (very) fast-paced environment
• Future-minded, constantly exploring new tools, workflows, and ways of working
• Collaborative, kind, direct, and trusted by partners and peers
• Passionate about mentoring talent and building high-performing teams
• A true pet lover who brings heart, pride, and purpose to the work

Skills & Experience

• 6–10+ years of creative experience in retail, lifestyle, or consumer brands
• 4+ years leading or managing creative teams (Senior Manager, Associate Creative Director)
• Proven experience creating, evolving, and extending cohesive visual systems that scale across campaigns, brand identities, and style guides
• Strong portfolio demonstrating brand-defining ideas, designs, photography, video, and campaign work
• Expert in Adobe Creative Suite, presentation software; working knowledge of Figma, and modern production tools
• Working experience with AI-enabled creative workflows and emerging technologies strongly preferred
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and executive-level presentation skills
• Proven ability to balance creative vision with operational rigor
• Demonstrated interest in growth toward Creative Director role. You’re willing to put in the hard work

• This role requires collaboration, teamwork, and face-to-face interaction with colleagues, leaders, and/or clients.
• Being in the office ensures access to leaders, cross-functional partners, and resources necessary to make timely decisions and drive results.
• On-site presence in accordance with our FlexSmart policy supports our culture of innovation, mentorship, and engagement, which is integral to our success in developing the best team.

* This is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exhaustive list of all essential job functions for this position. PetSmart retains the right to change or assign other required job duties to this position.

At PetSmart, Anything for Pets begins with our people. Every associate plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for pets and their families, and we empower our teams with the tools, resources, and opportunities to grow and succeed. 

We’re more than a workplace, we’re Team PetSmart. Together, we grow, collaborate, and challenge ourselves to be the best in all we do. Our culture is built on belonging and shared purpose, where every voice and experience matters. Guided by our values, we strive to do what’s right, lead responsibly, and bring our passion for pets to life every day. Not sure if you meet 100% of the position requirements and whether you should apply? We’d still like to hear from you and encourage you to apply with us! You might be the right fit for this role or another opportunity across Team PetSmart.

Our home office offers outstanding amenities in a fun and rewarding workplace including:

• Pet-friendly environment, bring your pets to work and enjoy the on-site dog park!
• On-Site Events & Adoptions, enjoy community-building opportunities, including pet adoption days, seasonal celebrations, family events, art events, & holiday festivals
• “Top Dog” gym with equipment, fitness classes, massage therapists, personal trainers, and wellness spaces
• “Sit & Stay” Café serving fresh breakfast and lunch options, snacks, & more
• “Lil Paws” NAEYC-accredited onsite childcare facility providing high-quality early education
• Paid Volunteer Opportunities to spend time doing good for causes close to heart
• Print Center and Business Services, Dry Cleaning, Mother's Rooms, Sustainable Infrastructure & more

PetSmart provides an equal opportunity for all associates and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.

At PetSmart, Anything for Pets begins with our people. Every associate plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for pets and their families, and we empower our teams with the tools, resources, and opportunities to grow and succeed. 

We’re more than a workplace, we’re Team PetSmart. Together, we grow, collaborate, and challenge ourselves to be the best in all we do. Our culture is built on belonging and shared purpose, where every voice and experience matters. Guided by our values, we strive to do what’s right, lead responsibly, and bring our passion for pets to life every day. Not sure if you meet 100% of the position requirements and whether you should apply? We’d still like to hear from you and encourage you to apply with us! You might be the right fit for this role or another opportunity across Team PetSmart.

Our home office offers outstanding amenities in a fun and rewarding workplace including:

• Pet-friendly environment, bring your pets to work and enjoy the on-site dog park!
• On-Site Events & Adoptions, enjoy community-building opportunities, including pet adoption days, seasonal celebrations, family events, art events, & holiday festivals
• “Top Dog” gym with equipment, fitness classes, massage therapists, personal trainers, and wellness spaces
• “Sit & Stay” Café serving fresh breakfast and lunch options, snacks, & more
• “Lil Paws” NAEYC-accredited onsite childcare facility providing high-quality early education
• Paid Volunteer Opportunities to spend time doing good for causes close to heart
• Print Center and Business Services, Dry Cleaning, Mother's Rooms, Sustainable Infrastructure & more

PetSmart provides an equal opportunity for all associates and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.