Director, Creative Services - Pottery Barn

About the role

Housed within Pottery Barn’s Creative department, the Photo Direction team translates the brand’s creative vision into compelling photography and videography that inspires customers to decorate, entertain, and live beautifully. The Creative Director is a senior creative leader responsible for driving and creating Pottery Barn’s seasonal photographic vision, ensuring that the brand’s visual expression is distinctive, inspiring and consistent across every customer touchpoint.

Working closely with the Senior Vice President of Creative and Vice President of Creative and Photography, the Creative Director translates brand, product and seasonal direction into compelling visual concepts and establishes the creative framework that guides photography, video and related content. This role sees the big picture and is also responsible for executing the details. You are a sophisticated visual storyteller with a strong point of view on interiors, decorating, photography, styling and culture—and understand where Pottery Barn sits in that intersection. You also understand how to translate product and brand ideas into imagery that creates emotion, communicates a clear point of view and ultimately builds desire for the Pottery Barn brand. You have the ability to create compelling individual images while simultaneously knowing how to create cohesive images that form a campaign.

The Creative Director leads and inspires Art Directors and extended creative teams while partnering with photographers, stylists, producers, set designers and cross-functional leaders to bring seasonal campaigns and ongoing brand storytelling to life.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the SVP and VP of Creative to establish the overarching photographic and visual direction for seasonal campaigns, brand initiatives and key storytelling moments.
• Participate in seasonal concept showroom walk-throughs and Product Development meetings to understand the product vision, key stories and priorities for each season.
• Translate seasonal product and brand direction into a clear creative vision that establishes the overall mood, storytelling approach, visual language and photographic point of view.
• With oversight from Vice President, Creative and Photography, lead the development and review of seasonal Creative Briefs, ensuring concepts reflect the intended brand vision and provide clear direction for Art Directors, photographers, stylists, producers and other creative partners.
• Establish and maintain Pottery Barn's photographic standards and overall visual "look and feel," ensuring consistency while continually evolving the brand's imagery.
• Provide creative leadership across multiple campaigns, shoots and seasonal chapters, maintaining a holistic view of how individual assets work together to create a cohesive customer experience.
• Guide Art Directors in developing decorating concepts, styling direction, camera approaches, lighting, set design and other visual elements that bring the approved creative direction to life.
• Partner with the VP Creative on photographer, stylist and creative talent selection based on the needs and visual objectives of each campaign.
• Review and guide set concepts and environmental storytelling to ensure rooms and spaces communicate a strong Pottery Barn point of view and appropriately showcase product.
• Provide senior-level creative direction during key photography and video shoots, guiding mood, tone, composition, lighting, styling and overall visual execution.
• Inspire and develop Art Directors and broader creative teams, providing clear feedback, mentorship and creative guidance while fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Build productive creative partnerships with photographers, stylists, producers, digital artists, set builders and other external and internal creative talent.
• Partner closely with Merchandising and Product Development to ensure creative storytelling and product representation are aligned while maintaining the integrity of the creative vision.
• Collaborate with E-Commerce, Social, Video, Marketing and other channel partners to ensure the photographic vision translates effectively across customer touchpoints.
• Partner with Pagination and Creative teams to ensure imagery supports compelling layouts, storytelling and seasonal content needs.
• Review photography and video throughout the creative process, providing senior-level direction on image selection, color, retouching, backgrounds, cropping, layouts and overall visual consistency.
• Anticipate creative challenges and proactively identify solutions that balance brand vision, product priorities, production realities and business needs.
• Champion a culture of creativity, collaboration, curiosity and excellence while helping evolve Pottery Barn's visual expression and brand relevance.

Requirements

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in a visual or creative discipline such as advertising, interior design, interior architecture, graphic design, fine art or photography.
• Significant progressive creative leadership experience within photography, art direction, styling, editorial, advertising or related visual disciplines.
• Deep experience within home furnishings, lifestyle, interiors, retail, editorial or a similarly design-driven industry strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate an overarching creative vision and translate brand-level concepts into compelling visual storytelling.
• Exceptional visual judgment with a sophisticated understanding of interiors, decorating, styling, composition, photography, color and design.
• Proven ability to lead, inspire and develop Art Directors and multidisciplinary creative teams.
• Experience directing photographers, stylists, producers, digital artists, set builders and other creative partners.
• Strong conceptual thinker who can move fluidly between high-level creative strategy and detailed visual execution.
• Ability to articulate creative ideas clearly and persuasively to creative teams, cross-functional partners and senior executives.
• Highly collaborative, with demonstrated success partnering across Product Development, Merchandising, E-Commerce, Social, Video and other functions.
• Resourceful and solutions-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple creative initiatives and changing priorities while maintaining a consistently high visual standard.
• Strong understanding of the home furnishings and décor landscape with knowledge of current and emerging trends in interiors, photography, design and culture.
• Proven proficiency working within a digital-first creative environment, including familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and contemporary creative workflows.
• Above all, you bring exceptional taste, strong creative instincts and a clear point of view, paired with the leadership skills to inspire others and translate Pottery Barn's brand vision into imagery that feels relevant, beautiful and unmistakably Pottery Barn.

Benefits

• A generous discount on all WSI brands
• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities
• Paid vacations, holidays, and time off to volunteer
• Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health

Pay

The expected starting pay range for this position is $140,000–$175,000. Applicable pay ranges may differ across markets. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to competitive pay, compensation may include a variety of other components like benefits, paid time off, merit, and bonus opportunities.