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Creative Director

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid – 4 Days On-Site)
Salary: $70,000 annually
Department: Creative / Content / Brand Innovation
Reports to: Head of Original Content, Digital Growth Lead
Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

HOT 97 and WBLS are seeking a culture-driven Creative Director to lead the visual evolution of two of the most influential brands in music, media, and New York culture.

This role is responsible for shaping, guiding, and executing creative across radio, digital platforms, social media, FAST TV, live events, and experiential marketing—ensuring the brands remain culturally resonant while evolving for modern, multiplatform audiences.

As Creative Director, you will set creative direction, design high-impact visuals, and collaborate closely with programming, on-air talent, production, marketing, and digital teams. You’ll balance hands-on creative execution with high-level vision, helping translate legacy brands into bold, future-facing visual systems.

This position follows a hybrid work model, with four days per week required on-site at our Manhattan headquarters.

Why You’ll Love This Role

• Lead Iconic Brands: Define and elevate the visual identity of HOT 97 and WBLS—cornerstones of Hip-Hop, R&B, and urban culture.
• Culture at the Core: Your work will live at the intersection of music, media, and real-time cultural moments.
• Creative Ownership: Own visual direction across platforms—from social and broadcast to FAST TV and live events.
• Massive Reach: Your creative will be seen by millions of listeners, viewers, and fans nationwide.
• Influence & Collaboration: Work directly with talent, executives, producers, and partners to shape how culture is presented and experienced.

What You’ll Do

Creative & Visual Direction

• Lead the evolution of HOT 97 and WBLS visual identities across all platforms
• Define creative direction for campaigns, programming, and brand initiatives
• Ensure consistency and excellence across digital, broadcast, social, and experiential creative
• Translate station legacy and culture into modern, culturally impactful visual storytelling

Digital & Social Creative Leadership

Oversee and design creative supporting station and talent-led programming, including:

• Mornings with Mero
• Nessa On Air
• Funk Flex programming and freestyles
• DJ Camilo mixes
• Weekend specialty programming
• Interview series and talent-led content
• Podcast visuals and episode packaging
• Artist announcements and music releases

Key deliverables include:

• YouTube thumbnails and channel branding
• Instagram and TikTok graphics
• Web editorial visuals
• Promotional templates
• Multi-platform campaign rollouts

FAST Channel & Broadcast Creative

Lead creative direction and visual standards for HOT 97 TV and FAST channel programming, including:

• Lower thirds and chyron systems
• Show title cards
• Promotional graphics and brand toolkits
• Transition and branding elements

The FAST channel expands the station’s cultural reach beyond radio into national streaming audiences.

Experiential & Event Creative

Lead creative development for major events and activations, including:

• Summer Jam
• Circle of Sisters
• Concerts and station events
• Sponsor activations and branded integrations
• Community initiatives and pop-ups

Editorial & Campaign Leadership

Drive creative across marketing and content initiatives, including:

• Artist interview and content launches
• Seasonal and tentpole programming campaigns
• Cultural moments and heritage storytelling
• Sponsorship and partner integrations
• Station-wide announcements and brand moments

Core Responsibilities

• Set and execute creative direction across platforms
• Design and approve campaign key art
• Maintain brand systems and visual consistency
• Lead talent-driven branding and show identities
• Develop scalable design templates and toolkits
• Create sponsorship-ready layouts and creative systems
• Support merchandise and brand extension concepts
• Build presentation decks for executives and partners
• Collaborate cross-functionally with producers, editors, marketers, and digital teams

Ideal Candidate Profile

You are:

• Deeply embedded in music, culture, and visual storytelling
• Fluent in social-first, digital creative leadership
• Comfortable leading creative across multiple platforms and formats
• Skilled at evolving iconic legacy brands into modern visual systems

Bonus if you understand:

• Hip-Hop visual language and cultural aesthetics
• Urban lifestyle branding
• Broadcast and FAST channel packaging workflows
• Youth audience and internet culture trends
• Event, experiential, and moment-driven campaign creative

Required Skills

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop & Illustrator required)
• Strong typography and visual system design
• Social-first creative workflows
• Broadcast-safe asset development and delivery

Preferred / Bonus Skills

• After Effects and motion design
• Figma for collaborative design systems
• 3D design or animation
• UI / web design experience
• AI-assisted creative workflows

Experience & Portfolio

• Media or entertainment
• Music platforms or labels
• Broadcast environments
• Digital publishing
• Culture-forward consumer brands

Portfolio required, demonstrating:

• Campaign creative
• Brand systems and visual direction
• Social and digital storytelling visuals
• Show and talent branding
• Event graphics

What You’ll Help Build

You’ll help define creative supporting:

• HOT 97 programming
• WBLS programming
• Summer Jam and signature events
• FAST channel visual systems
• Talent-driven and original content
• Sponsor and brand partner campaigns
• Next-generation multicultural storytelling

Together, these platforms reach millions of listeners, viewers, and fans across radio, digital, streaming, and live experiences each year.