Creative Art Director, Marketing & Communications

Founded in 1995, KIPP NYC Public Schools is a non-profit network of 18 free, public charter schools located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. We partner with families and communities to create joyful, academically excellent schools where every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities. Our network includes eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and one high school, providing students with engaging academics, arts, athletics, and social-emotional learning that prepare them for college, career, and beyond. Through KIPP Forward, we support over 4,700 alumni as they navigate college, career, and life, helping them define success on their own terms.

About the role

The Creative Art Director is a key leader within KIPP NYC's Marketing and Communications team, responsible for shaping and elevating the visual identity of the KIPP NYC brand across all channels and audiences. This role requires a highly creative, strategic, and systems-oriented leader who can translate bold campaign ideas into compelling, high-performing creative assets across digital, print, social, video, and experiential platforms. The Creative Art Director will strengthen KIPP NYC's presence in a competitive educational landscape through emotionally resonant, NYC-centered storytelling that connects authentically with families, students, staff, and community members.

Reporting to the Managing Director of Marketing & Communications, this individual will lead the creative execution of regional marketing campaigns, oversee external creative and media agency partnerships, and ensure all visual storytelling reflects the vibrancy, excellence, and cultural richness of KIPP NYC schools and communities. This is a full-time, hybrid position requiring a minimum of three in-person days per week at our Midtown Manhattan office, with travel to KIPP NYC campuses across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

Responsibilities

• Brand Leadership & Creative Direction
  • Lead the evolution and execution of a unified, premium KIPP NYC visual identity across all marketing and communications materials.
  • Develop and maintain brand guidelines that balance regional consistency with school-level authenticity and flexibility.
  • Ensure all creative work reflects KIPP NYC's mission, values, and commitment to educational equity.
  • Serve as the internal creative lead and primary point of contact for external creative and media agency partners.
  • Provide strategic creative direction and actionable feedback to ensure agency deliverables align with KIPP NYC brand standards and organizational goals.
• Campaign Strategy & Execution
  • Lead creative development for student recruitment, staff recruitment, enrollment, fundraising, and regional awareness campaigns.
  • Oversee the creation of high-impact, multi-channel marketing assets, including:
    • Social media campaigns
    • Video storytelling
    • Out-of-home (OOH) advertising
    • Transit campaigns
    • Digital advertising
    • Print collateral
    • Event branding and experiential materials
  • Ensure creative assets are optimized for platform performance, audience engagement, and brand consistency.
  • Design scalable "grassroots" templates and tools that support school-based outreach and recruitment efforts.
• Storytelling & Content Production
  • Partner with school communities and regional teams to identify and elevate authentic stories that highlight the excellence, joy, and diversity of KIPP NYC students, families, alumni, and staff.
  • Translate organizational priorities and campaign goals into compelling visual narratives and creative concepts.
  • Oversee photography, video, and creative production efforts to ensure high-quality execution across campaigns.
  • Manage and organize the regional creative asset library to maximize accessibility and effective use of brand materials.
• Community & Cultural Relevance
  • Ensure all creative work demonstrates deep cultural responsiveness and reflects the lived experiences of NYC communities.
  • Collaborate with agency and internal partners to develop Spanish-language and multilingual creative that is culturally nuanced and community-centered.
  • Bring a strong understanding of NYC neighborhoods, culture, and audiences to all campaigns and storytelling efforts.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operations
  • Partner closely with Recruitment, Talent, Development, Academics, School Leadership, and Regional teams to support organizational priorities through creative strategy.
  • Manage timelines, workflows, approvals, and creative project execution across multiple stakeholders.
  • Support creative direction and branding for high-profile regional events, campaigns, and internal communications.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of marketing systems, processes, and creative operations.

Requirements

• 5-7 years of experience in art direction, creative leadership, or brand design roles.
• Experience working within a creative agency, mission-driven organization, consumer-facing brand, or high-growth environment.
• Proven experience managing creative campaigns from concept through execution across multiple platforms.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality visual storytelling, campaign execution, and creative leadership.
• Deep understanding of social-first creative, digital marketing trends, and audience engagement strategies.
• Experience developing creative for NYC-based campaigns, including hyperlocal and multicultural audiences.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
• Experience collaborating with photographers, videographers, editors, and production teams.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred.
• Experience creating culturally responsive or multilingual campaigns preferred.
• Knowledge of education, nonprofit, or community-centered organizations is a plus.
• Deep commitment to KIPP NYC's mission and belief in educational equity and opportunity.
• Passion for celebrating and amplifying the brilliance of students, families, educators, and communities.
• Demonstrates KIPP NYC's core values: zest, grit, hope, social intelligence, gratitude, and a sense of humor.
• Thrives in a collaborative, feedback-driven, and mission-oriented environment.

Portfolio Requirement

A portfolio is required for consideration for the Creative Art Director role. Your portfolio should include examples of work that demonstrate your creative direction, visual storytelling, brand development, and experience bringing creative concepts to life across multiple channels and mediums. Applications submitted without a portfolio will not be considered complete.

Pay

KIPP NYC offers a salary ranging from $115,360 to $144,200. Salary ranges are standardized based on role level and function, with individual salaries determined through a lens of equity, accounting for years of experience and scope of responsibilities.

Benefits

• Robust medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 50% match after 6 months.
• Generous time-off aligned with the school calendar.
• Up to 12 weeks of 100% paid parental leave.
• Bright Horizon Back-up Child and Elder care.
• Employer-paid Life Insurance and Short-term/Long-term disability.
• Employee incentives including:
  • 8-week paid Sabbatical after 10 years.
  • Annual professional development funds.
  • Tuition reimbursement.