Creative Director Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Idea Peddler (IP) is a boutique agency that does Good Work For Nice People.

We believe ideas move across the agency. That means our strategy and creative teams work really closely. Strategists do not hand off a brief and disappear. They stay in the room, leading and participating in brainstorms alongside the creative team.

Within that model, the Creative Director is our conductor: getting various teams playing together, keeping client deliverables running on time and positive energy flowing when projects get tight.

Are you a true dual threat? A strategic thinker who can concept and develop integrated campaigns and a hands-on designer who can help bring them to life. To be clear, this is NOT a captain's chair position. You must find joy in getting into it.

IP specializes in emerging tourism and hospitality brands, so hand-holding and a service-first mindset are essential. The right candidate will also help us work better without bringing big-agency bureaucracy or dogma with them. An entrepreneurial mindset is required.

What You'll Do

Creative Leadership and Execution

• Set the creative direction across client accounts, from the first brief through final delivery.
• Turn strategy into clear concepts and integrated campaigns across digital, social, print, outdoor, presentations and experiences.
• Invest real time in developing creative talent. Mentorship here means more than just leading by example. It means getting into the work, sharpening their craft and helping them reach the next level.
• Inspire the team and dazzle prospective clients during the RFP process with presentations that are sincere, seriously smart and, of course, memorably creative.
• Stay close to the work. Write, design, edit and/or art direct. Your involvement will make it stronger.
• Give team members clear direction and practical feedback that helps them move forward.
• Set the standard for concept, craft and execution, and hold that standard when timelines or feedback put pressure on the work.

Agency Operations and Pace

• Manage multiple projects, deadlines and shifting priorities without losing momentum or lowering the quality of the work.
• Work closely with account and project management to balance creative ambition with timelines, budgets and team capacity.
• Help improve how work moves through the agency, from briefing and concept development through review and delivery.
• Make clear decisions, raise issues early and keep the team focused when projects get tight.
• Advocate for your ideas, your team and the resources needed to deliver the work.
• Step up during the natural peaks of agency life, including pitches, launches, production trips and tight deadlines.

Team Leadership and Culture

• Lead and develop a team of staff and freelance creatives across disciplines.
• Give clear direction and useful feedback that makes the work better and helps people grow.
• Create accountability without creating fear, confusion or unnecessary drama.
• Build a culture of curiosity, ownership, collaboration and no B.S.
• Protect the team, address problems directly and keep the energy constructive when the work gets hard.

Who You Are

• You've lived the agency life long enough to know its peaks and valleys, and you're willing to surf both.
• You're kind and open-hearted, maybe with a little snark and edge. Jaded, judgy and anti-client energy are hard deal breakers.
• You still believe manifesting ideas and making the work is fun and a gift.
• You're nerdy in your own particular way. It's guaranteed we'll ask.
• You prefer small and mighty over large, loud and layered.
• You've played the game long enough to know that strong opinions do not require a big ego.
• You've moved past the phase where only famous brands and big budgets matter. Good work can be applied to any budget.
• You make clear decisions, handle pressure well and keep the work moving when priorities shift.
• You're curious, direct and open to better ways of working.
• You care about the quality of the work, the people making it and the business needs to support it.

Qualifications

Must-Haves

• At least 10 years of creative agency experience, including leading integrated campaigns across multiple clients.
• A portfolio that shows strong ideas brought to life across digital, social, print, outdoor, presentations and experiential work.
• A background in design or art direction, with the ability to write, edit and improve work across disciplines.
• Experience leading staff and freelance creatives from concept through final delivery.
• Confidence in presenting ideas, handling feedback and working directly with senior clients.
• Strong working knowledge of Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud.
• The ability to manage scope, timelines, budgets and resources without losing sight of the work.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with tourism, hospitality, hotels, resorts, attractions or travel brands.
• Experience helping emerging brands define their voice and build integrated campaigns.
• Practical fluency with AI tools and modern creative workflows.

About Idea Peddler:

What's it like to work at Idea Peddler?

We're the rehab for big agency life. If you love doing smart and thoughtful work, but hate the big agency B.S., Idea Peddler might be the place for you. With appreciative and purpose-driven clients, a caring and transparent team culture, and true work-life balance, Idea Peddler is a place where you can thrive based on your own drive; a true meritocracy. In addition to having the chops to concept and execute campaigns flawlessly, curiosity, adventure, and a damn good attitude will carry you far here. We are a team of self-starters who hold dear our core values of adventure, accountability, discernment, motivation and no B.S. Full-time members of our team are rewarded for hard work and have immediate access to a robust benefits package that includes health, vision and dental benefits; 401k matching; generous paid time off; tech kit; health club stipend; cell phone credit; catered weekly meal; recurring educational opportunities and more.

Idea Peddler, founded in 2011, is a full-service agency operating on a hybrid work model that offers big agency expertise with boutique agency service. We create bespoke campaigns that deliver on clients' unique goals and follow through with exceptional execution. In uncertain times, ideas win. Ideas that inspire. Ideas that shift behavior. And ideas that create growth. Idea Peddler holds true to the promise of doing good work for nice people. www.ideapeddler.com

Idea Peddler 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.