Associate Director of Creative

Access Your Potential. Join us to create and deliver experiences that inspire people, spark connection, and bring imagination to life—while having a lot of fun doing it. Associate Director of Creative - Arizona We’re looking for an Associate Director of Creative to join our team! This position will be based in Arizona and work closely with our Director of Creative in Denver. The Associate Director will manage their own book of business while also supporting and leading a team. Candidates should be comfortable traveling throughout the territory as needed to meet with vendors, collaborate with team members, and support business needs. About The Job The Associate Director of Creative Services (Live Events) is the senior leader responsible for defining, scaling, and driving the creative vision, strategy, and execution standards for live events, meetings, and experiential programs across all markets. This role ensures that all creative output is grounded in real-world event execution, translating bold ideas into experiences that can be successfully produced on-site. The Associate Director leads the organization in designing immersive, scalable, and operationally sound event experiences that drive revenue, client satisfaction, and brand differentiation. As the creative authority for live events, this role partners closely with Sales, Event Operations, and Executive Leadership to ensure all concepts are not only innovative, but feasible, profitable, and executable within venue, budget, and production constraints. What You'll Be Doing Live Event Creative Leadership & Execution Define and lead the creative vision for live events, meetings, and experiential programs across all marketsEnsure all creative strategies are rooted in how events are physically built, produced, and experienced by guestsEstablish standards for immersive environments, staging, entertainment, guest flow, and multi-day program designDrive innovation in event formats, environments, and experiential storytelling, not just visual designTranslate industry trends and cultural insights into real-world event applications that elevate the guest experienceEnsure consistency in delivering high-impact, executable event concepts across all destinations Proposal & Experience Strategy For Live Events Oversee the creative direction of high-value, complex event proposals, ensuring they clearly communicate the live experienceEnsure proposals demonstrate how ideas come to life on-site, not just how they look on paperGuide teams in developing guest experience narratives, spatial layouts, and experiential momentsPartner with Sales and Events to align on scope, feasibility, and pricing for live programsElevate proposal quality by reinforcing execution confidence, operational clarity, and storytelling impact Operational Alignment & Feasibility Serve as the executive bridge between Creative, Sales, and Event OperationsEnsure all creative concepts align with venue capabilities, production timelines, labor, and logisticsEstablish frameworks that require creative teams to design with execution, safety, and guest flow in mindOversee alignment between creative vision, budget, and operational deliveryAnticipate execution challenges across markets and implement scalable solutions and best practices Creative Partner & Production Partnerships Lead the national strategy for event-focused creative partners, including production, entertainment, fabrication, and technical partnersBuild partnerships that support large-scale, high-quality live event executionDrive initiatives around exclusive offerings, custom builds, and scalable event solutionsPartner with Procurement and Finance to ensure creative partner strategies align with creative ambition and financial performanceEnsure all partners are equipped to deliver experiential programs, not just design services Team Leadership & Development Lead and develop a national team of creative leaders with a focus on live event expertise and experiential thinkingEstablish a culture where teams design for real environments, real guests, and real-time executionMentor Associate Directors and senior leaders to balance creative vision with operational accountabilityImplement training programs that deepen team knowledge in event production, logistics, and experiential designBuild a leadership pipeline of talent capable of delivering complex, high-value live programs Strategic & Business Impact Lead the long-term creative strategy to support revenue growth, client retention, and market differentiation through live experiencesEnsure all creative output contributes to winning business and delivering exceptional on-site executionPartner with Executive Leadership to position Access as a leader in experiential design and live event innovationDrive consistency in how we deliver high-quality, executable event experiences across all marketsInfluence company strategy by aligning creative direction with operational realities and financial goals Productivity & Scalability Establish systems and processes that support efficient, scalable development of live event programsLead capacity planning and resource allocation across markets to support complex event pipelinesDrive consistency in tools, workflows, and creative systems that improve speed-to-market and execution qualityAnticipate shifts in client demand and industry trends, ensuring the team is prepared to adapt and deliver at scaleChampion continuous improvement in how we design, sell, and execute live experiences Access Values Consistently displays the Access Values (Imagine First, Demand Integrity, Embody Excellence, Always Collaborate, Service Obsession) About Access Access is a women-owned and women-led destination management company that collaborates with clients to design and execute corporate events and programs. Our expert teams are in coast-to-coast destinations, designing and producing ultimate experiences for our clients. About You We know that there’s no one in the world like you. And we know that you have a lot to offer the next company you work with. Below is a list of “nice-to-haves”, but don’t let those deter you from applying. Access believes that an inclusive team and culture is important. We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team. Nice-to-haves 5+ years of proven success in a creative-focused role in a DMC or related industry.Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in the DMC or hospitality industry.Advanced understanding of client strategy, creative leadership, and operational impact.Proven ability to mentor, coach, and manage Creative team workloads, training, and KPI performance.Strong financial and pricing strategy capabilities, including budgeting, vendor negotiations, and profitability management.Ability to lead teams through innovation, brand alignment, and creative excellence.Experience collaborating with Sales, Events, and vendor partners to develop creative solutions that meet client expectations and business goals.Familiarity with Salesforce, creative presentation tools, and event design platforms.A collaborative, culture-driven leadership style aligned with Access Values. Why Access? We’re a women-owned, award-winning destination management company with teams in cities coast to coast. For 50+ years, we’ve been producing high-impact events and experiences for global brands—and we’re just getting started. CULTURE & EXTRAS Certified as a Great Place to Work – 3 years in a row!55+ years in the industry!Women-owned and women-ledFun, creative, and supportive cultureFocus on recognition and employee value – including annual and quarterly awardsPaid day off to serve your local communityAnnual all-company retreat to connect, learn, and have fun togetherAnnual qualifier-based incentive trip for top performers (certain departments eligible)Regional team outingsMonthly companywide meetings to connect, learn, and celebrate wins Compensation Highly competitive total compensation, including strong base salary and quarterly bonusesVery strong performance-based quarterly commission plans401k with company match (eligible after 1 year – up to 4% of salary matched, vested immediatelyMonthly cell phone stipend WORK LIFE BALANCE Work from home opportunities and flexibility (including full home office setup)Flexible schedule opportunitiesGenerous PTOSick days9 full holidays5 half days off prior to holidays to unplug early2 floating holidays off to be used on holidays of your choice½ day Fridays in July & August (based on achievement of goals) HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND FAMILY Extensive menu of health plans to choose fromPaid parental leavePet insurance programEmployee Assistance Plan (EAP) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Mentorship program“Masterclasses” in industry/department-specific topicsState-of-the-art technology platforms and tools – including trainingAnnual and monthly meeting content that focuses on professional development Ready to ACCESS your next big opportunity? Apply today! Access is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at careers@accessdmc.com.