Associate Creative Director

Please Note: Internal Employees, please access the Jobs Hub app on the Workday Dashboard homepage to apply for the position.

The University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global) is a private, nonprofit affiliate of the University of Massachusetts. Accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), the university offers undergraduate, graduate, credential, and certificate programs designed to be relevant to more than 90 career paths. UMass Global has ranked consistently among the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

The Associate Creative Director plays a key role in the university’s integrated marketing strategy, reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Marketing and leading a small internal team and external creative partners. This position offers an exciting balance of creative oversight, brand leadership, direct team management, and a strategic, data-informed approach to campaign collaboration and testing—especially in partnership with the media team and agency partners.

TYPE OF SUPERVISION:

Receive general direction from the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Marketing.

• General Direction — indicates that the incumbent receives guidance in terms of broad goals and overall objectives and is responsible for establishing the methods to attain them. Generally, the incumbent is in charge of an area of work; and typically formulates policy for this area but does not necessarily have final authority for approving policy

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Creative & Brand Direction:

• Lead and approve all creative and branded marketing assets for digital, print, collateral, and campaigns
• Act as chief brand steward to ensure consistency with institutional guidelines and accessibility standards
• Collaborate with internal teams and agencies to set creative vision and adapt work for a range of channels and formats (e.g., programmatic TV, social, Search/PMax, paid/organic), while continuously investigating evolving industry trends and technologies, including AI

Management & Leadership:

• Mentor and assign work to the Senior Graphic Designer and Marketing Copywriter, support their development and the team’s high-performance culture
• Manage freelance creatives and agency partners to ensure all output aligns with university brand and strategy
• Serve as a connective leader facilitating collaboration, efficient delivery, and transparency across marketing, sales, and media teams

Campaign Support & Channel Adaptation:

• Serve as a key creative leader and cross-channel expert in campaign planning and execution with the media team, agency, and creative partners
• Ensure all creative and copy is tailored to the strengths of each platform (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, programmatic TV, PMax)

Creative Testing:

• Champion and utilize campaign analytics and creative performance tools (such as iSpot) to track effectiveness and drive ongoing A/B and multivariate testing, maximizing creative results per channel and audience

Vendor & Collateral Program Coordination:

• Serve as primary point of contact for the university's sales collateral/event material vendor, overseeing program effectiveness and proper material use
• Coordinate closely with the Marketing Coordinator to plan inventory and lead annual reviews—making informed recommendations to retain, revise, or retire collateral based on usage and business needs
• Perform other duties, as assigned

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATION AND/OR LICENSES:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Marketing, Advertising, Fine Arts, or a related field
• At least 6 years of professional creative/marketing experience, including 2+ years in a supervisory or team lead role
• Hands-on experience developing and directing integrated, multichannel marketing campaigns, especially digital and social media
• Proven ability managing agency and freelance relationships, as well as leading creative testing and campaign performance optimization

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Advanced proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and strong understanding of digital channel requirements (web, social, video, etc.)
• Demonstrated skill in creative leadership, team development, and cross-functional collaboration
• Knowledge and ability to use creative analytics/testing (e.g., A/B testing, platform analytics tools like iSpot), and ability to adapt creative based on data and channel insights
• Up-to-date knowledge of current and emerging trends in marketing, design, media formats, and creative technology

Machines, Tools, Equipment, Electronic Devices and Software: Laptop computer running Mac OS, suitable for high-end graphic design and video editing; Design & Creative Software including Adobe Creative Suite and additional tools such as Figma for rapid prototyping and digital asset creation; Project Management & Collaboration Platforms; Digital Asset & Content Management systems and file-sharing platforms such as SharePoint for organizing and distributing creative files and collateral; Creative Testing & Analytics Tools.

Contact with Students: Occasional

Contact with Faculty and/or Staff: Frequent

Contact with Community and Vendors: Frequent

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The individual in this role is also expected to travel to bi-annual commencements and meet in person with vendors and/or agencies 1–4 times per year. Applicants for this position are subject to a background check and a criminal history review.

This position is a remote position located in the United States.

Eligible remote locations in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Employees must be available for collaboration during core hours from 10am to 3pm (PST).

The hiring range for this position is $89,769 to $101,000 per year. Offers are determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to geographical location, knowledge, skills, years & depth of experience, and equity with internal team members.

At the University of Massachusetts Global, we support your total well-being with flexible and meaningful benefits:

• Health: Medical, dental, and vision coverage with spending account options.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible schedules, 1/2 day Fridays (biweekly), remote options, generous time off, and a paid winter break.
• Financial Security: Life, disability, and supplemental insurance, legal and identity protection, and student debt support.
• Retirement: 403(b) plan with a Roth option. 3% non-elective contribution and up to a 6% match for a 9% total employer contribution!
• Education: Tuition discounts for employees and family and Tuition Exchange program with other universities.
• Wellness: Counseling services, Calm app access, and year-round wellness programs.

Please Note: Internal Employees, please access the Jobs Hub app on the Workday Dashboard homepage to apply for the position.

Equal Employment Opportunity – UMass Global is committed to providing an educational and work environment free of unlawful discrimination and harassment in any form. UMass Global prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of age, race (including hairstyle/texture, protective hairstyles, braids, locks, and twists), color, religion (including religious observance, belief, practice dress and grooming practices), citizenship, pregnancy (including temporary physical or mental limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or any related medical conditions), sex, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, legally-protected medical condition, military (past, present or prospective) status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by local, State or Federal law.

Reasonable Accommodation – UMass Global provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the recruitment department at recruiting@umassglobal.edu.