{"id":3168064,"url":"https://alion.io/job/mystic-aquarium-creative-director","title":"Creative Director","company":{"id":1832211,"name":"Mystic Aquarium","domain":"mysticaquarium.org","url":"https://alion.io/company/mysticaquarium","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"ADP","truth_index":null},"role":"Marketing","role_family":"Marketing","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Mystic, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":100000,"max":120000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":120000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Adobe After Effects","optional":false},{"name":"Adobe Photoshop","optional":false},{"name":"Instagram","optional":false},{"name":"YouTube","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T17:51:51Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-23","last_verified_at":"2026-10-30T21:23:06Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":7,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":7},"description":"Creative Director\nDepartment: Marketing\nReports to: Vice President of Marketing\nClassification: Full-Time, Exempt \nBenefits: This position qualifies for Medical, Dental, Vision, and all other Supplemental Insurances. 401(k) Qualified.\nSalary Range: $100,000-$120,000 based on experience and expertise.\nJob Overview: The Creative Director leads the development and execution of Mystic Aquarium’s visual storytelling, bringing our brand, mission, animals, people, and experiences to life through compelling video, design, and multimedia content. Serving as the organization’s lead creative voice, this role establishes visual direction and ensures creative work reflects Mystic Aquarium’s brand, strategic priorities, and mission. The Creative Director leads the video and graphic design functions and is responsible for delivering high-quality creative across social media, digital marketing, web, advertising, media relations, signage, events, fundraising, organizational communications, and other channels. The ideal candidate is both a creative leader and a hands-on storyteller - someone who can develop the big idea, lead a team in bringing it to life, and step behind the camera when needed - with significant professional video production experience, a strong creative point of view, and demonstrated experience leading and developing creative professionals.\nPrimary Functions:\nCreative Direction & Brand Stewardship\nServe as the lead creative voice for Mystic Aquarium, establishing visual direction across marketing and communications channels.\nTranslate organizational goals, marketing strategies, and campaign objectives into compelling creative concepts and visual storytelling.\nMaintain and evolve Mystic Aquarium’s visual brand, ensuring consistency across digital, print, and environmental applications.\nEstablish a high standard for creative quality while ensuring work remains authentic to Mystic Aquarium’s mission, audiences, and brand.\nDevelop creative concepts that balance mission-driven storytelling with organizational priorities, including attendance, membership, fundraising, events, education, and conservation awareness.\nStay current on creative, video, design, digital, and social media trends and identify opportunities to evolve Mystic Aquarium’s creative approach.\nVideo Production & Visual Storytelling\nLead Mystic Aquarium’s video strategy and production, from concept development and storyboarding through filming, editing, and final delivery.\nAlongside the Sr. Video Producer, create compelling video content for social media, digital advertising, web, public relations, fundraising, internal communications, and other organizational needs.\nProvide hands-on video production support, including filming, directing, lighting, audio, and other production needs.\nDevelop storytelling approaches that make complex topics, including animal care, research, conservation, rescue, and education, accessible and engaging to broad audiences.\nCapture planned and real-time moments across the Aquarium, including animal stories, events, interviews, conservation initiatives, behind-the-scenes activities, and breaking media opportunities.\nEnsure video content is appropriately developed and optimized for different platforms, audiences, and formats.\nGraphic Design & Multimedia\nLead and provide creative direction for Mystic Aquarium’s graphic design function.\nOversee the development of creative assets for advertising, social media, web, email, signage, events, exhibits, fundraising, presentations, and other organizational needs.\nEnsure consistency in visual identity, typography, imagery, photography, graphics, and other brand elements.\nReview and approve creative work while providing clear, constructive feedback that strengthens both individual projects and the overall brand.\nPartner with internal teams to identify the strongest visual approach to communicating their goals rather than simply executing individual creative requests.\nSocial & Digital Content\nPartner closely with the Digital Marketing Manager to develop creative concepts designed specifically for social and digital audiences.\nUnderstand the unique creative requirements and audience behaviors of platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other emerging channels.\nDevelop social-first creative that captures attention, encourages engagement, and strengthens the connection between audiences and Mystic Aquarium.\nIdentify opportunities to experiment with new formats, storytelling techniques, and creative trends while maintaining brand integrity.\nHelp build a strong and recognizable visual identity for Mystic Aquarium across digital channels.\nTeam Leadership\nLead, mentor, and develop Mystic Aquarium’s video and graphic design professionals.\nEstablish clear expectations, priorities, and creative standards for the team.\nAssign projects based on organizational priorities, team capacity, and individual strengths.\nProvide regular coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities.\nFoster a collaborative creative culture that encourages curiosity, experimentation, accountability, and continuous improvement.\nCreate an environment where creative professionals understand both what they are producing and the strategic purpose behind the work.\nCreative Operations & Project Management\nManage the creative process from brief and concept development through production, review, approval, and delivery.\nEstablish processes that allow the creative team to effectively prioritize requests and focus resources on the organization’s highest-impact needs.\nManage multiple projects simultaneously while balancing planned campaigns with time-sensitive and unexpected opportunities.\nDevelop and maintain production schedules and ensure projects are completed on time and to established standards.\nManage video and photography equipment, creative assets, file organization, and digital asset libraries.\nCoordinate external photographers, videographers, freelancers, agencies, and other creative vendors as needed.\nAssist with managing creative production budgets and equipment investments.\nCross-Functional Collaboration\nPartner with teams across Mystic Aquarium, including Animal Care, Research, Conservation, Education, Development, Guest Experience, Membership, and others, to understand their goals and identify compelling ways to tell their stories.\nCollaborate with subject matter experts to ensure creative storytelling is engaging while maintaining scientific and organizational accuracy.\nBuild strong internal relationships while helping stakeholders understand and follow established brand and creative standards.\nSupport media opportunities by helping develop and capture visual assets that strengthen earned media storytelling.\nRepresent Marketing and the Mystic Aquarium brand professionally in interactions with internal and external partners.\nKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities:\nEducation & Experience: 5-7+ years of professional experience in creative production, video production, multimedia, marketing, advertising, communications, or a related field. Bachelor’s degree in film/video production, design, marketing, communications, visual arts, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience and a demonstrated portfolio will be considered.\nVideo Production: Significant professional video production experience required, including experience working with professional video cameras, lighting, audio, and production equipment.\nLeadership Experience: Minimum 2-3 years of experience leading, supervising, or managing creative professionals.\nPortfolio & Creative Range: Strong portfolio demonstrating video storytelling, creative direction, and multimedia work across multiple platforms and audiences; demonstrated ability to move between strategic creative direction and hands-on production; strong understanding of visual storytelling, composition, brand development, and contemporary design principles; experience developing creative for social media and digital platforms.\nTechnical Skills: Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator, or comparable professional creative tools.\nProject Management & Organization: Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.\nCommunication & Collaboration: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to give and receive constructive creative feedback; demonstrated ability to collaborate with individuals across disciplines and translate complex information into engaging visual stories.\nPreferred Experience: Any of the following is a plus:Developing content for mission-driven, nonprofit, cultural, educational, science, conservation, tourism, or visitor-attraction organizations.\nProducing content in dynamic environments where opportunities may be unpredictable or time-sensitive.\nManaging freelancers, agencies, production vendors, or creative budgets.\nPhotography, motion graphics, animation, and/or other multimedia production.\nUnderstanding of digital marketing, audience engagement, and how creative contributes to organizational and revenue goals.\n\nKey Competencies: The following competencies are expected:Creative Vision: Brings fresh ideas and a strong creative point of view while understanding how creative work supports broader organizational strategy.\nStorytelling: Identifies compelling stories and translates them into content that creates emotional connections with audiences.\nLeadership: Inspires, develops, and provides clear direction to creative professionals while maintaining high standards and accountability.\nBrand Stewardship: Understands the importance of a cohesive brand and can protect, strengthen, and evolve it across a wide range of applications.\nStrategic Thinking: Connects individual creative projects to larger marketing, audience, revenue, and mission objectives.\nCollaboration: Builds productive relationships across departments and effectively balances stakeholder needs with creative and brand priorities.\nAdaptability: Thrives in a fast-moving environment and can shift between long-term campaigns, day-to-day production, and unexpected storytelling opportunities.\nHands-On Mentality: Comfortable moving between leading the creative function and actively participating in production when needed.\n\nPhysical Demands:\nThis position splits time between a typical office environment and active production work throughout Mystic Aquarium’s campus. Office work requires the ability to sit for extended periods, operate computer equipment for detailed editing and design work, and participate in meetings and phone calls. Production work requires the ability to stand, walk, kneel, crouch, and move for extended periods; navigate stairs, uneven terrain, and potentially wet or slick surfaces near marine habitats; and hold cameras or other equipment steady for sustained periods. Employees must be able to lift, carry, and set up video, lighting, audio, and event equipment weighing up to 40 pounds, and transport equipment across campus and to off-site locations. The role may involve working around animals, animal habitats, behind-the-scenes areas, events, and active guest spaces while following all established safety and animal welfare protocols. Some assignments involve outdoor work in various weather conditions including heat, cold, rain, and humidity, as well as travel, conservation or animal rescue activities, and other nontraditional production environments. The position requires flexibility to capture stories and events outside traditional office hours, including occasional evenings, weekends, and early mornings.\nThis job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Employment with Sea Research Foundation, Inc. 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