Freelance Chief Creative Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

ABOUT THE ROLE

Mansueto Ventures, parent of Inc. and Fast Company, is seeking a visionary and enterprising Chief Creative Officer to define and drive the creative direction of its editorial and publishing properties. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief Creative Officer will set the vision for visual identity and user experience across both brands, architecting the systems and structures that enable Fast Company and Inc. to deliver innovative, intuitive, and distinctive content and products across all platforms and touchpoints.

This full-time role is based in New York, with onsite presence expected at least 3 days per week (Tuesday–Thursday).

Salary range: $245,000 - $275,000 + bonus eligible. Compensation may vary based on relevant experience, skills, industry, and education. 

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Creative Vision & Brand Identity:
  • Define and steward the overarching visual identity and creative direction for Fast Company and Inc., ensuring each brand maintains a distinct, authoritative, and contemporary aesthetic
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive brand guidelines and design systems that scale across print, digital, social, video, and experiential channels
  • Champion a point of view on visual storytelling that reflects the editorial ambitions of both brands and resonates with their audiences
• User Experience & Product Design:
  • Create the structures, processes, and team capabilities that enable Fast Company and Inc. to deliver innovative and intuitive digital experiences for readers, subscribers, and partners
  • Collaborate with product, technology, and editorial teams to ensure design is embedded in every stage of product development—from concept to launch
  • Lead the ongoing evolution of the brands’ digital design language, balancing aesthetic ambition with usability, accessibility, and audience insight
• Editorial Design:
  • Oversee art direction and design execution for print and digital editorial, ensuring visual storytelling is compelling, consistent, and aligned with each brand’s editorial identity
  • Partner closely with the editors-in-chief and senior editorial leadership to bring stories to life through photography, illustration, typography, and data visualization
  • Drive innovation in formats and presentation, exploring emerging creative approaches that enhance reader engagement and reinforce editorial authority
  • Collaborate with video, audio, and events teams on platform-native art direction, branding assets, and other materials
• Commercial & Partnership Creative:
  • Collaborate with the revenue, custom content, and partnerships teams to ensure creative output in sponsored and custom programs meets the highest editorial and aesthetic standards
  • Contribute to the creative development of event experiences, branded activations, and franchise properties, ensuring they reflect and reinforce the brands’ visual identity
  • Help position Mansueto Ventures’ creative capabilities as a differentiator in partnership conversations and new business development
• Creative Team Leadership & Culture:
  • Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing creative team across design disciplines, fostering a culture of craft, experimentation, and accountability
  • Establish scalable creative workflows that serve both brands efficiently
  • Attract and develop top creative talent, mentoring team members and cultivating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives strengthen the work
• Innovation & Emerging Platforms:
  • Monitor trends in design, technology, and media to anticipate how emerging platforms—including AI-driven tools and interfaces—will shape visual content and user experience
  • Identify and pilot new creative approaches that keep Fast Company and Inc. at the forefront of media design and digital innovation
  • Evaluate and implement design tools, AI-assisted workflows, and production technologies that enhance team output and creative quality

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• A collaborative leadership style, with demonstrated experience working cross-functionally with product, technology, revenue, marketing, and, ideally, editorial teams
• A portfolio of creative leadership at the highest level—preferably in media, publishing, or digital content—demonstrating a sophisticated eye for design and a track record of building beloved brands
• Expertise in brand identity, editorial design, and digital/UX design, with the ability to evaluate and guide work across print, web, mobile, social, video, and experiential environments
• Proven ability to lead, build and scale creative teams and systems in fast-moving, resource-conscious environments
• Strong command of contemporary design tools and emerging technologies, including AI-assisted design workflows
• Exceptional visual communication skills, with the ability to articulate and defend creative decisions to senior leadership, editorial partners, and external stakeholders
• Data-informed approach to design—able to use audience insights, engagement metrics, and UX research to refine and strengthen creative output
• Strong understanding of the business of media and the role design plays in audience and client acquisition and retention
• Commitment to inclusive design practices and building diverse, equitable creative environments

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

ABOUT US

Mansueto Ventures’ mission is to empower and inspire innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders through compelling journalism, diverse conversations, and creative initiatives that celebrate excellence in business.

Our company’s greatest asset is our employees. Our workplace strives for excellence, respect, integrity, inclusion, and transparency in all we do. We value feedback from all corners of the organization, and we collaborate with colleagues to craft company policies and benefits.

At Mansueto Ventures, we prioritize diversity. We celebrate difference and try to embed it into every aspect of our workplace. We are committed to providing equal opportunity employment to all individuals regardless of race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.