Director of Creative Services

About the Role

The Director of Creative Services at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi provides strategic creative leadership and serves as the university’s lead art director and visual storyteller. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications, this role leads a cross-functional team of creative professionals responsible for graphic design, photography, videography, and social media. The Director establishes the creative vision and standards that define and strengthen the Islander brand, collaborating with Marketing, Communications, Web Services, and campus partners to translate institutional priorities into compelling creative content.

Responsibilities

• Creative Direction & Visual Brand Leadership (30%):
  • Establish and lead the university's long-term creative vision and visual identity.
  • Serve as the lead art director and visual storyteller, defining the Islander brand through design, photography, videography, and social media.
  • Develop, maintain, and enforce university visual brand standards and the brand style guide.
  • Lead creative concepts for institutional marketing, student recruitment, and advancement.
  • Provide creative counsel to university leadership and present concepts to stakeholders.
  • Monitor industry trends to strengthen the university's creative presence.
• Integrated Creative Content & Production (25%):
  • Provide strategic direction for graphic design, photography, videography, and social media content.
  • Lead the creative development process from concept to final delivery.
  • Art direct major campaigns and high-visibility projects.
  • Direct visual development of institutional publications and materials.
  • Ensure creative assets are brand-aligned, accessible, and appropriate for various channels.
  • Partner with Marketing to optimize campaign creative based on performance.
• Social Media & Digital Storytelling (15%):
  • Provide strategic leadership for the university's social media presence.
  • Develop content strategies to showcase campus life, academic excellence, and student success.
  • Establish social media policies and best practices for decentralized accounts.
  • Monitor social media performance and emerging platforms.
  • Collaborate on social listening and reputational considerations.
• Creative Operations & Resource Management (15%):
  • Oversee creative workflows, production schedules, and project assignments.
  • Manage creative requests based on institutional priorities and team capacity.
  • Establish creative briefs, review processes, and production standards.
  • Manage budgets and external creative vendors.
  • Evaluate emerging creative technologies and production methods.
• Team Leadership & Campus Collaboration (15%):
  • Lead, supervise, and mentor creative professionals.
  • Foster a collaborative and high-performing creative environment.
  • Build partnerships across academic and administrative units.
  • Collaborate with Marketing leadership on campaign objectives.
  • Serve on university committees and represent the university at events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, fine arts, communications, marketing, or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in creative direction, graphic design, branding, or related fields.
• Additional education may substitute for experience:
  • Master’s degree + 8 years of experience.
  • Doctoral degree + 6 years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing creative professionals.
• Experience establishing creative direction and visual brand identities.
• Strong understanding of print and digital production processes.
• Knowledge of social media platforms, analytics, and content trends.
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud or comparable platforms.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Creative leadership experience in higher education or large organizations.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary creative teams.
• Experience with large-scale institutional marketing campaigns.
• Experience managing organizational brand standards.
• Experience with digital asset management and project management platforms.
• Experience developing social media content strategies.

Pay

$85,000 - $95,000/annually, approximately $7,083.34 - $7,916.67/monthly

Benefits

• Insurance: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Accidental D&D, Long Term Disability.
• Wellness: On-campus opportunities and Work Life Solutions counseling.
• Tuition Benefits: Available for employees.