Contract Creative Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. In service of that mission, we have a journalism operation that includes thousands of people reporting on the ground from most countries around the world, producing journalism with the independence, accuracy, depth and authority for which The Times is famous.

Marketing plays a key part in extending this journalistic legacy into the future. Our job is to answer the question, "Why is quality journalism worth paying for?" We create award-winning marketing that builds our brand and deepens affinity for our journalistic offering. Above all, we strive to be timely, straightforward and relevant - illustrating in new and creative ways how The New York Times can enrich the lives of our readers.

We are seeking an Associate Creative Director, Earned Activations (Contract) to lead the creative vision for our specific "earned" marketing initiatives. This is a critical leadership role for a creative strategist who can move beyond traditional advertising to produce culturally resonant work that drives organic press and social conversation.

Reporting to the Creative Director, Design, with a dotted line to the Executive Director, Brand Marketing, you will serve as a creative partner to our marketing, editorial, comms, commerce, photo, external agency partners, Games and The Athletic creative teams. You will be responsible for dreaming up and executing ideas that turn the value of our world-class journalism and lifestyle products into shareable experiences. You will focus exclusively on creating a cohesive but distinct earned lens for our core products: News, The Athletic, Games, and Cooking.

We will look to you to bring unexpected, deeply resonant thinking to how we market our journalism, championing creative ideas that can break through the noise of the modern media landscape.

This is a temporary hybrid role based in our New York City headquarters, reporting to the the Managing Director of Marketing Operations. You can typically expect to come into the office 3 days per week.

Responsibilities:

• Concept and lead the development of brand-building activations, partnerships, and communications content designed specifically to generate earned media and social sharing.

• Direct the day-to-day work of a Senior Designer, Earned providing clear conceptual vision to guide projects from strategy to launch. You will oversee the translation of earned media concepts into high-quality design solutions, ensuring that every deliverable-from seeding kits to social assets-upholds The New York Times's rigorous brand standards.

• Translate marketing strategies into clear, provocative creative directives that excite internal teams and external partners.

• Develop creative ideas tailored to the unique audiences of our core products, ensuring a cohesive visual and conceptual narrative for News, The Athletic, Games, and Cooking.

• Create work that natively integrates celebrities, influencers, and culturally noteworthy subscribers to amplify our mission in ways that feel authentic and newsworthy.

• Guide the creation of "social-first" activations designed to thrive on digital platforms and spark community engagement without relying solely on paid media or editorially motivated social media handles.

• In partnership with the Director, Creative Strategy and Earned Production and Director, Brand Earned Activations, guide external agency relationships to ensure top-notch quality and brand/product standards are enforced.

• Work closely with the Executive Director of Brand Activations and Talent to ensure earned ideas align with broader business goals.

• Act as an ambassador for earned thinking across the organization, engaging the right stakeholders in productive conversations to build alignment.

• Execute high-concept ideas, balancing quality with the demands of the news cycle.

• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.

Basic Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in creative leadership, with a heavy focus on earned media, PR-led activations, or non-traditional advertising.

• A portfolio that demonstrates "work the world talked about"-campaigns that broke through via PR, social trends, or cultural moments.

• Deep understanding of how to leverage Social, Celebrity, and Influencer ecosystems to drive brand discovery.

• Experience translating marketing strategies, product roadmaps, and the news cycle into clear creative directives.

• Service diverse categories across the NYT portfolio, from the rigor of News to the fandom of The Athletic and the community-driven spaces of Games and Cooking.

• Cultivate trusted relationships across the organization and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics.

• Operational agility to navigate the time sensitive requirements of earned media while maintaining high standards of craft.

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