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Senior Creative Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Kikoff

Senior Creative Strategist

San Francisco, CA

Senior Creative Strategist About Kikoff Kikoff is a high growth consumer fintech startup offering ... Comfortable leading brainstorms, managing timelines, and collaborating across creative and growth ...

Kikoff

Senior Creative Strategist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$127K - $184K/yr

Senior Creative Strategist About Kikoff Kikoff is a high growth consumer fintech startup offering ... Comfortable leading brainstorms, managing timelines, and collaborating across creative and growth ...

HIGHSCALE

Sr. Creative Strategist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$80K - $100K/yr

We need a Sr. Creative Strategist who is tired of "brand awareness" and ready to drive "brand ... Deep dive into Meta/TikTok Ads Manager to diagnose creative health. You analyze Hold Rates, Hook ...

Dr. Squatch

TikTok Creative Manager

Marina Del Rey, CA · On-site

$100K - $115K/yr

This role will report to the Sr. Social Media Manager. This is a full-time role with company ... Creative Direction * Develop concepts, moodboards, and briefs to guide content production.

Dr. Squatch

TikTok Creative Manager

Los Angeles, CA · Hybrid

$100K - $115K/yr

This role will report to the Sr. Social Media Manager. This is a full-time role with company ... Creative Direction * Develop concepts, moodboards, and briefs to guide content production.

Gap, Inc.

Sr. Creative, BRFS OMNI

San Francisco, CA · On-site

About the Role We're seeking a Senior Creative to elevate Banana Republic Factory's OMNI presence ... Art direct and manage creative for photography and video shoots for Factory OMNI channels * Partner ...

Dr. Squatch

TikTok Creative Manager

Los Angeles, CA · Hybrid

$100K - $115K/yr

This role will report to the Sr. Social Media Manager. This is a full-time role with company ... Creative Direction * Develop concepts, moodboards, and briefs to guide content production.

Centr

Sr. Creative Project Manager

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

$115K - $130K/yr

About the Role Centr is looking for a skilled Senior Creative Project Manager to own the planning and delivery of our creative and content initiatives. You'll drive projects from brief to final asset ...

Road Runner Sports

Sr Creative Design Manager

San Diego, CA

$108K - $116K/yr

Overview Road Runner Sports is looking for a Sr. Creative Design Manager to join our Marketing team. As the most senior creative leader in our company, you will be the standard-setter for the Road ...

Road Runner Sports

Sr Creative Design Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $135K/yr

Overview Road Runner Sports is looking for a Sr. Creative Design Manager to join our Marketing team. As the most senior creative leader in our company, you will be the standard-setter for the Road ...

Sans

Sr. Creative Strategist

Culver City, CA · On-site

$125K - $142K/yr

Manage the concept-to-launch pipeline: timelines, asset volume, revisions, and delivery, so nothing stalls between idea and live ad * Partner & Team Management * Serve as the day-to-day owner of our ...

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All JobsCreative JobsSenior Creative Manager JobsSenior Creative Manager Jobs in California

Senior Creative Manager information

See California salary details

$29.9K

$84K

$143K

How much do senior creative manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior creative manager in California is $84,018.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $63,160.00 and $102,819.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior creative manager?

Senior Creative Managers are experienced professionals responsible for overseeing the creative direction of projects within organizations or agencies. They lead creative teams, develop and execute innovative concepts, and ensure that all creative output aligns with brand guidelines and business goals. Their role often involves collaborating with clients, managing budgets, mentoring team members, and staying updated on industry trends to drive successful campaigns. Senior Creative Managers bridge the gap between vision and execution, ensuring high-quality and effective creative deliverables.

How does a senior creative manager typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during large-scale campaigns?

As a Senior Creative Manager, collaboration with cross-functional teams—such as marketing, product, and sales—is essential for executing large-scale campaigns. You will often lead brainstorming sessions, coordinate timelines, and ensure that creative visions align with strategic goals across departments. Clear communication and strong project management skills are necessary to balance feedback from multiple stakeholders while maintaining creative integrity and meeting deadlines. This role often requires adaptability and proactive problem-solving to navigate differing priorities and ensure cohesive campaign delivery.

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

To thrive as a Senior Creative Manager, you need extensive experience in creative direction, project management, and a strong portfolio showcasing leadership in design or advertising campaigns, often backed by a degree in design, marketing, or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard design software (such as Adobe Creative Suite), presentation tools, and project management systems is typically expected. Exceptional leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills help in guiding creative teams and collaborating with stakeholders. These abilities are crucial for delivering innovative campaigns on time and within budget while elevating brand identity and team performance.

What is the difference between Senior Creative Manager vs Creative Director?

AspectSenior Creative ManagerCreative Director
CredentialsBachelor's degree in design, marketing, or related field; experience in creative project managementBachelor's or master's degree in design, advertising, or related field; extensive portfolio and leadership experience
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with creative teams, manages projects, and ensures deadlinesOversees overall creative vision, leads creative teams, and interacts with clients and stakeholders
Industry UsageCommon in advertising, marketing, and media agenciesPrevalent in advertising agencies, branding firms, and large media companies

The main difference is that a Senior Creative Manager focuses on managing creative projects and teams, ensuring timely delivery, while a Creative Director sets the overall creative vision and strategy for campaigns. Both roles require strong leadership and creative skills, but the Creative Director typically holds a higher-level, strategic position.

How much does a senior creative manager earn?

A senior creative manager typically earns between $80,000 and $150,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. They often oversee creative teams, develop branding strategies, and use tools like Adobe Creative Suite or project management software, with higher salaries generally associated with larger companies or more specialized skills.

What are the most commonly searched types of Senior Creative jobs in California?

The most popular types of Senior Creative jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Creative Manager jobs in California?

For Senior Creative Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Creative Manager jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Creative Manager jobs in California are:

Senior Creative Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Creative Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $84,018 per year, or $40.4 per hour.

Senior Creative Strategist

Kikoff

San Francisco, CA

Full-time

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

Senior Creative Strategist

About Kikoff

Kikoff is a high growth consumer fintech startup offering credit-building solutions that are affordable, accessible, and educational. Our core product, the Kikoff Credit Account, has helped over 1 million customers build better credit. Kikoff has been featured by Nerdwallet, Forbes, Buzzfeed, Business Insider, CNBC, and others; and our app has a 4.9 rating amongst thousands of reviews. But Kikoff is more than just a credit builder: we are a long-term financial partner for our customers, and we have an exciting product roadmap of solutions to help our customers reach their financial goals.

We're looking for a Senior Creative Strategist to help shape and scale the next generation of performance-driven advertising at Kikoff. You'll own the end-to-end creative process-from concept to production-creating ads that not only stop the scroll but drive real results. You're as comfortable using AI tools to push creative boundaries as you are producing traditional, high-performing spots that convert-bridging storytelling, strategy, and innovation across every format.

Please include a portfolio of your work.

What You'll Do

  • Lead the ideation, scripting, and creative development of high-performing creatives across digital and paid channels.

  • Translate growth goals and audience insights into compelling creative strategies and test plans.

  • Monitor creative performance, analyze results, and iterate quickly based on learnings to surface insights and optimize creative direction.

  • Drive testing and experimentation, moving fast to uncover insights and scale what works.

  • Build AI-native and human-led workflows for content creation leveraging tools for ideation, scripting, video generation, and editing.

  • Partner closely with production and post-production teams to bring concepts to life, ensuring creative excellence and efficiency across both AI-assisted and traditional productions.

  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Growth, Brand, and Product Marketing to align creative testing with business objectives.

  • Stay ahead of industry and platform trends, acting as a thought leader in AI-driven creativity, emerging formats, and performance storytelling.

Who You Are

  • 6-9 years of experience in creative strategy, advertising, social media or content marketing. Ideally both agency and in-house experience

  • Strong creative writing skills and a passion for storytelling, the creative process, and solving puzzles.

  • Proven track record of concepting, writing, and producing ads that convert.

  • Fluent in AI tools for creative production (e.g., VEO 3, Sora 2, Higgsfield, Midjourney, etc.).
    Deep understanding of social and performance marketing channels, from TikTok and YouTube to Meta and CTV.

  • Creative and analytical in equal measure-you can identify what works and why, then scale it.

  • Comfortable leading brainstorms, managing timelines, and collaborating across creative and growth functions.

  • Obsessed with culture, trends, and storytelling that connects with real people.

Bonus Points

  • Experience with direct response creative, user acquisition campaigns, or B2C brands.

  • Familiarity with editing software (Premiere, CapCut, Final Cut Pro or similar)

  • Strong presentation skills and ability to sell creative ideas internally.

Apply