Head of Creative Studio

The Head of Creative Studio, Japan plays a critical leadership role guiding the creative and content production teams in Japan, while supporting the Heads of Artistic Direction in Paris and partnering closely with the divisions (FBP and WFJ).

This position serves as the local creative and operations lead - setting Japan's visual communication and creative strategy, ensuring project management efficiency, and implementing a structured global creative operations model that elevates the department's capabilities. This leader drives operational excellence, fosters a culture of creativity, and oversees the production of creative and content.

This senior role requires an accomplished creative leader who combines strategic vision, content and digital/UX expertise, results-driven operational leadership, and exceptional collaboration skills to ensure the success of Artistic Direction at both a local and global level. Strong relationship-building across métiers, divisions, and global markets is a key success factor, ensuring seamless cross-functional collaboration and alignment.

BUSINESS CONTEXT

Japan is a Key Market and a strategic position for CHANEL - a demanding market with complex regulatory and legal infrastructure (Fragrance & Beauty), intricate trade partnerships, and aggressive competition. For Fragrance & Beauty, combining local and travel retail business, there are 140 retail points of sale nationally, with continued growth through the Department Store network and an expanding omni-channel strategy (owned e-commerce and e-retailers).

The Japan Creative Studio is a key function within the Japan team. It carries the brand's creative and digital standards holistically, putting customer experience at the center of everything produced, and plays a critical role in developing sales, image, and a seamless luxury experience online and offline.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Creative & Digital Strategy

• Define and establish visual communication and creative strategy at a high luxury standard, aligned with brand values and business strategy.

• Develop, maintain, and optimize online/offline campaigns by understanding current and upcoming trends in technology, UX/UI, and omni-channel design.

• Develop a local point of view with a prospective approach, feeding the Global AD team with local specificities and best practices.

• Promote and develop new levels of interactive and phygital experience for Japan customers, in partnership with the Architecture & Visual Merchandising team.

2. Process Management & Project Execution

• Optimize operational efficiency of the creative workflow using best practices and innovative tools.

• Manage and grow the project management team in developing creative timelines, production schedules, and resource planning.

• Take responsibility to improve efficiency of communication, creative reviews, and project management within the department.

• Guide project managers in facilitating creative project meetings, leading status updates, and troubleshooting production challenges.

• Ensure high standards of execution from initial creative concepting through final delivery.

3. Content Creation & Production

• Oversee development of 2D, 3D, digital, social media, video, podcast, and POS content for the brand, including copywriting across platforms.

• Work with internal stakeholders (Marketing, Retail, Digital/E-business, Division Event team, VM/Archi) to bring campaigns to life and contribute forward-thinking ideas during brainstorms and creative kick-offs.

• Lead the production process from concept to execution, ensuring seamless collaboration between teams.

• Curate and oversee Special Projects focused on Art & Culture content creation, reinforcing the brand's leadership in cultural storytelling.

• Lead the creative concept for Special Events (launches, VIP experiences, press and media events, seasonal activations):

• Own concept creation and storytelling that works consistently across all touchpoints (digital, print, in-store, media).
• Adapt and elevate global event concepts to make them locally relevant for the Japan market, and act as the local advocate to convince and align the international team on local event needs and specificities.

Note: physical production - architecture, build, and on-the-ground campaign orchestration - sits with the VM and Orchestration teams; this role owns the creative concept and storytelling, making close, collaborative project management with VM/Orchestration essential to smooth execution.

• Source and contract top-tier photographers, directors, artists, writers, and production partners aligned with the brand's artistic and financial objectives.

• Handle financial negotiations, legal approvals, and procurement coordination for creative production initiatives.

• Support creative teams during shoots, ensuring alignment with brand standards and operational efficiency.

4. Global & Local Creative Synergy

• Foster relationships with global Artistic Direction leaders to ensure worldwide creative synergy and knowledge sharing.

• Cooperate with the Global AD team to validate and implement campaign adaptations based on global creative guidelines and material requests.

• Advocate for the Japan creative team to be recognized as a leader in developing and producing globally and locally relevant campaigns.

• Partner with international counterparts to adapt and localize global creative initiatives to meet regional market needs.

• Train and oversee project management teams in synchronizing creative processes and ensuring timely asset delivery across global markets.

5. Full 360° Campaign Integration

• Ensure comprehensive execution of 360° campaigns.

• Collaborate closely with Brand Communication teams and the Global Image teams (F&B Artistic Direction and WFJ Image) to align content strategies.

• Lead cross-functional teams to develop and execute campaigns that integrate seamlessly across platforms while maintaining brand consistency.

6. Budget & Resource Management

• Oversee department budgets, production costs, and resource allocation (Headcount); track and report on all Japan digital and creative project budgets and deliverables.

• Work closely with the Head of Artistic Direction on annual financial planning for creative and production needs.

• Ensure teams adhere to budget tracking and financial reporting best practices.

• Continuously explore cost-effective production solutions while maintaining high artistic standards.

7. Talent Development & Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of project managers, content creators, copywriters, digital/UX creatives, and producers.

• Shape the team's capability in the digital and print environment, influencing new processes and ways of working.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation.

• Establish clear KPIs and professional development plans to support team growth.

• Champion change management and continuous process improvement.

• Stand as an inspiring team leader focused on the development of each individual.

REPORTING LINE & TEAM

• Reports to: Japan Communication General manager, with a functional reporting line to Japan divisions General Managers, and a functional reporting line to both Global FBP Head of Artistic Direction and Global WFJ Head of Image and communication

• Team managed: Project managers, content creators, copywriters, digital/UX creatives, and producers

• Key stakeholders: Global AD Teams; Japan leadership team; For each division: Japan Marketing, Communication, Digital/Ebiz, Media Planning, PR, Social Media, and Event teams; Japan WFJ team; Architecture & Visual Merchandising team; division event team

• Travel: This position requires travel inside and outside Japan, including to Paris

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• University graduate with strong experience in creative operations and/or digital creative leadership (15+ years), including UX/UI, web/mobile, and omni-channel design.

• Demonstrated experience in luxury creative production - content, digital, and campaign execution - with direct or close experience in the Japan market.

• Full understanding of omni-channel design, digital/social media design, copywriting, and digital production, paired with strong project management and creative operations expertise.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to translate business requirements into elegant, innovative creative solutions that protect and elevate brand image.

• Proven people leadership: experience managing and developing creative, digital, and production teams.

• Fluent in Japanese with excellent proficiency in English; French a plus.

• Experience working within a corporate/matrixed global structure; international living or work experience is an advantage.