Creative Associate Jobs in McLean, VA (NOW HIRING)

Description

We’re seeking a dynamic Creative Director to shape and elevate the creative output of Streetsense’s client work, translating the macro creative vision of the company’s Creative Agency into day‑to‑day excellence across brand design, visual storytelling, and digital expression.

This is a role for a creative leader with impeccable taste, storytelling intuition, and cultural fluency – someone who can inspire bold ideas, refine the details, and at once champion creative bravery and cultural cohesion across teams.

• Interpret and activate the creative vision set by the Head of Creative, ensuring alignment between strategic ambition and daily execution.
• Lead the creative process from concept to delivery, ensuring every idea embodies excellence, originality, and a distinct point of view.
• Champion a culture of creative risk‑taking and diverse storytelling — elevating both aesthetic and emotional impact across brands and platforms.
• Balance innovation with strategic clarity, ensuring that creative ideas are purposeful and on brand.
• Participate in high‑profile project pitches and new business opportunities.
• Manage client projects from pitch to delivery across multiple client types, real estate sectors, and project typologies.

Creative Direction & Collaboration

• Oversee the Design and Visual Media teams, setting standards for taste, craft, and conceptual strength.
• Partner closely with Accounts, Strategy, and Deployment leads to develop integrated, cross‑disciplinary concepts and deliverables.
• Act as a trusted creative partner to clients — shaping narratives that inspire confidence, align with business goals, and move audiences.
• Encourage cross‑team collaboration, cultivating an environment where creativity thrives through shared ideas, mutual respect, and accountability.

• Maintain creative consistency and quality across all deliverables — digital, experiential, and visual — resulting in imaginative, relevant, and market‑leading work.
• Ensure deadlines and deliverables are met with excellence and efficiency, balancing creative ambition with practical execution.
• Hold teams, vendors, and collaborators accountable to the Agency’s creative vision and process standards.
• Translate feedback into action, guiding teams clearly toward refined, impactful solutions.

• Provide management and mentorship across teams, and day‑to‑day managerial oversight of Associate Creative Directors and Visual Media Director.
• Inspire, coach, and elevate emerging talent across the Agency.
• Model curiosity, cultural awareness, and an openness to new perspectives.
• Encourage creative bravery – helping teams push beyond the expected to create work that resonates deeply and endures.

• Work that reflects both the vision of the Agency and the individual’s ability to translate that vision into award‑worthy execution.
• A creative culture defined by collaboration, curiosity, and risk‑taking.
• Measurable enhancements to the quality, cohesion, and impact of creative deliverables.
• A growing roster of clients who see Streetsense as a creative partner – not a vendor.

Requirements

• 10‑15 years in creative leadership roles within agencies, studios, or brand environments.
• Proven ability to direct and inspire multidisciplinary teams across design, interactive, and visual arts (photography and video).
• Strong creative portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, aesthetic refinement, and storytelling range.
• Mastery of key creative tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, etc.) and deep understanding of digital‑first creative production.
• Exceptional communication, pitching, and presentation skills; ability to connect deeply with both clients and internal teams.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, cultural curiosity, and a collaborative spirit.
• Real estate and hospitality industry experience a plus.

Streetsense is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Base salary is just one component of Streetsense's total rewards philosophy. We offer a wide range of benefits and perks that appeal to the variety of needs across our diverse employee base. This may include Medical Dental & Vision Insurance, paid time off, 401k match, wellbeing resources, and more.