Creative Director

Responsibilities

• Define and evolve Northwood’s visual identity, ensuring it reflects the vision, ambition, and clarity of the systems we build.
• Concept and art direct major external touch points—from investor materials and announcements to customer-facing collateral, recruiting assets, and web presence.
• Translate complex technical systems into clear, compelling visual narratives that can be understood by diverse audiences, including customers, partners, regulators, and talent.
• Partner closely with the Head of Communications to bring Northwood’s narrative to life visually, ensuring alignment between what we say and how we show up.
• Direct photo, video, and design production, working with external creatives (photographers, filmmakers, illustrators, agencies) to execute at a high level of quality.
• Decide when to build in-house versus through external partners, and lead external engagements as the creative authority—setting direction, giving feedback, and maintaining a consistent standard.
• Develop repeatable visual systems and frameworks that allow Northwood to scale its output without losing coherence or quality.
• Act as a creative partner to leadership, shaping how the company communicates in high-stakes moments where clarity and credibility matter.
• Establish and uphold a high bar for craft across all outputs, from small artifacts to flagship moments.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in visual design, brand, or art direction, with a portfolio that demonstrates a high bar for quality across different mediums.
• Experience defining and evolving visual identity systems, not just executing within existing ones.
• Strong conceptual thinking paired with the ability to carry ideas through to high-quality execution across formats (presentation, web, print, photo, video).
• Hands-on proficiency in design tools and workflows; you are comfortable making the work yourself when needed.
• Experience directing external partners (agencies, photographers, filmmakers, etc.) and maintaining creative control through production.
• Ability to translate complex or technical concepts into clear, credible visual narratives for sophisticated audiences.
• Strong creative judgment and the confidence to make decisions with incomplete information, especially in high-stakes or ambiguous situations.
• Experience working closely with senior leadership or founders, with an understanding of how to shape company-level communication and perception.