1

Creative Development Manager Jobs in Lexington, KY

Develop and manage a rolling marketing calendar aligned to seasonal moments, new openings, and revenue priorities * Oversee campaign briefs, creative development, and approval workflows with internal ...

Develop and manage a rolling marketing calendar aligned to seasonal moments, new openings, and revenue priorities * Oversee campaign briefs, creative development, and approval workflows with internal ...

Account Manager

Lexington, KY · On-site

$20 - $27/hr

Company Description SixHorse Creative is a promotional products company based in Lexington ... This position offers meaningful challenges and opportunities for professional development in a ...

Account Manager

Lexington, KY · On-site

$20 - $27/hr

Company Description SixHorse Creative is a promotional products company based in Lexington ... This position offers meaningful challenges and opportunities for professional development in a ...

Are you a motivated and creative Site Development Project Engineer with a passion for innovation ... Project management experience working with a team of engineers and designers to complete successful ...

Prioritizes team growth by effectively scheduling time allocated for development; champions brand ... Guides and supports the creative process to ensure timely and effective execution of visual ...

Prioritizes team growth by effectively scheduling time allocated for development; champions brand ... Guides and supports the creative process to ensure timely and effective execution of visual ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Creative Development Manager information

See Lexington, KY salary details

$32.8K

$77K

$132.2K

How much do creative development manager jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for creative development manager in Lexington, KY is $76,967.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,100.00 and $89,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a creative development manager balance creative vision with project deadlines and client expectations?

A Creative Development Manager often serves as a bridge between creative teams, clients, and stakeholders. Balancing creative vision with deadlines and expectations requires strong project management skills, clear communication, and the ability to set realistic milestones. Regular check-ins with both the creative team and clients help ensure alignment and address any challenges early. By fostering a collaborative environment and prioritizing tasks, the manager can support innovative ideas while still delivering projects on time and within scope.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a creative development manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Creative Development Manager, you need expertise in project management, creative direction, and content strategy, often supported by a degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. Familiarity with design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite), project management tools (such as Asana or Trello), and digital marketing platforms is typically required. Outstanding communication, leadership, and collaboration skills help you guide creative teams and foster innovation. These abilities are vital to delivering effective campaigns, driving team performance, and meeting organizational goals in a dynamic creative environment.

What is the difference between Creative Development Manager vs Creative Producer?

AspectCreative Development ManagerCreative Producer
Primary FocusOversees the development of creative concepts, manages creative teams, and guides project visionExecutes creative projects, manages production schedules, and coordinates resources
Required SkillsCreative leadership, project management, industry knowledgeProduction management, budgeting, communication skills
Work EnvironmentOffice-based, collaborative with creative teamsOn-site or remote, involved in production phases
Common Industry UsageAdvertising, media, entertainmentFilm, television, advertising

The Creative Development Manager focuses on conceptualizing and guiding creative projects from inception, while the Creative Producer handles the execution, production, and delivery. Both roles require strong creative and project management skills but differ in their primary responsibilities and involvement in the project lifecycle.

Infographic showing various Creative Development Manager job openings in Lexington, KY as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $68,114 per year, or $32.7 per hour.

Marketing Director

Lexington, KY • On-site

Activate Games
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation • 1 - 10 employees

Full-time

Re-posted 9 days ago


Activate Games rating

7.1

Company rating: 7.1 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Job Description - Marketing Director
Activate Games America
Reports to: VP of Marketing
Location: Warehouse
Type: Full-time / 40-50 Hours Weekly
About Activate Games
Activate is the world's first active gaming facility where players move, compete, and problem-solve in immersive, tech-driven game rooms. With rapid expansion across North America, we're building a category-defining brand at the intersection of entertainment, fitness, and technology.
Position Overview
The Marketing Director is responsible for leading the day-to-day execution of Activate's marketing strategy — translating brand vision into campaigns, content, and programs that drive customer acquisition, repeat visits, and revenue growth across all U.S. locations. This role bridges strategy and execution, managing internal team members and agency partners while owning key marketing channels and performance outcomes. The Marketing Director works closely with the VP of Marketing, Operations team, and Sales team to ensure marketing activity is aligned with business goals and measurable at the location level.
Key Responsibilities
1. Campaign Strategy & Execution
  • Plan, execute, and optimize multi-channel marketing campaigns across paid, owned, and earned channels
  • Translate national brand strategy into actionable, location-level marketing programs
  • Develop and manage a rolling marketing calendar aligned to seasonal moments, new openings, and revenue priorities
  • Oversee campaign briefs, creative development, and approval workflows with internal and agency partners
  • Ensure campaigns are launched on time, on budget, and measured against clear KPIs

2. Brand & Creative Leadership
  • Serve as the internal steward of the Activate brand — ensuring consistency across all touchpoints including digital, print, in-store, email, and social
  • Partner with Mediocre Creative and other agency partners to brief, review, and approve creative assets
  • Oversee the internal production of marketing assets, ensuring quality and brand alignment from concept through delivery

3. Channel Ownership & Performance
  • Own performance across key marketing channels including email/SMS (Attentive), organic social, paid media support, and maintain website content in the new CMS
  • Monitor channel-level KPIs (traffic, conversion, repeat visit rate, booking revenue) and optimize based on data and provide regular reporting
  • Manage Lifecycle Marketing Manager on CRM and retention strategies
  • Review and validate agency-reported paid media performance against BigQuery data
  • Provide weekly and monthly performance reporting to the VP of Marketing and leaders

4. Grand Opening & Local Marketing
  • Lead marketing execution for new location grand and reopenings, including pre-launch awareness, influencer activation, and week-of programming
  • Build and maintain scalable local marketing playbooks that give operators clear guidance while maintaining brand standards
  • Support grassroots community partnerships, nonprofit collaborations, and market-level campaigns in accordance with the strategic execution guidance
  • Oversee and manage the local marketing budgets, approving and denying partnerships, managing the chamber relationships, ensuring local teams are trained on properly evaluating them for ROI

5. Team & Agency Management
  • Manage and develop marketing team members including the Marketing Specialist, Lifecycle Marketing Manager, and Production Graphic Designer
  • Set clear expectations, provide regular feedback, and build a culture of ownership and accountability
  • Manage day-to-day relationships with creative and media agency partners — including briefing, timeline management, and performance reviews
  • Identify gaps in team capabilities and make recommendations on resourcing

Required Experience
  • 7+ years of experience in marketing, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management role
  • Proven track record driving customer acquisition and retention in a multi-location or franchise environment
  • Strong background in brand management, creative direction, and campaign execution
  • Experience managing agency relationships and creative production workflows
  • Hands-on knowledge of email/SMS marketing platforms (Attentive or similar)
  • Proficiency with marketing analytics — comfortable working with Google Analytics, paid media dashboards, and data tools
  • Experience in entertainment, hospitality, fitness, or consumer brand marketing preferred
  • Excellent project management skills — able to manage multiple campaigns and deadlines across markets
  • Strong communicator and collaborator across marketing, ops, sales, and tech teams
  • Highly organized with a bias toward testing, iteration, and continuous improvement
  • Comfortable in a high-growth, fast-moving environment

What Success Looks Like
  • Campaigns launch on time and generate measurable lifts in traffic, bookings, and revenue
  • Brand consistency maintained across all locations and channels
  • Agency partners are well-managed, well-briefed, and delivering quality creative on schedule
  • Marketing team is clear on priorities, developing professionally, and executing at a high level
  • VP of Marketing has clear, data-backed visibility into marketing performance at all times

Learn more about us at: https://playactivate.com/
Activate provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, genetic information, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran in accordance with applicable federal laws. In addition, Activate complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location where Activate has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.

What Activate Games employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom