Senior Creative Director

About the role

The Sr. Creative Director leads creative direction and design execution across BlackLine's external marketing surfaces, with a digital-forward emphasis on web experience, motion graphics, and visual storytelling that makes complex, technical product capabilities feel simple, human, and compelling to the market.

This role brings BlackLine's brand identity to life in market; applying and evolving the standards set by Brand Strategy across campaigns, web, social, video, and brand experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the in-market expression of BlackLine's visual identity, applying and evolving brand standards set by Brand Strategy across campaigns, web, social, video, and events with consistency, distinctiveness, and craft.
• Lead creative direction on flagship campaigns (e.g., the Agentic Financial Operations launch), including hero deliverables, supporting collateral, and cross-channel adaptation.
• Establish creative standards, briefs, review processes, toolsets, and approval workflows that govern how creative work moves through the marketing organization.
• Promote design thinking as a working method, bringing structured creative problem-solving to how the team approaches concepting, not just execution.
• Partner with Brand Strategy to ensure creative execution stays true to brand standards and evolves them thoughtfully, and partner with Product Marketing to translate technical product stories into accessible, visually compelling creative.
• Partner with VP, Demand Generation to ensure creative supports performance objectives and campaign optimization.
• Partner with VP, Brand to research, identify, and adopt SaaS products and applications for the Design and Video tech stack that enables best in class execution by the team (emphasis on AI-enabled tools).
• Partner with regional marketing leaders to ensure creative scales appropriately across geographies and audiences.
• Represent the creative function at MLT planning sessions, strategic reviews, staff performance & compensation reviews, and executive presentations.
• Partner with Content and Campaigns to ensure creative direction supports awareness objectives and translates complex product narratives for a broad, upper-funnel audience.
• Lead the creative direction for BlackLine's flagship customer events, including BeyondTheBlack — owning event identity, on-stage creative, audience experience design, and the integration of brand narrative through the live format.
• Partner directly with event production agencies and stage technical teams on creative concept, staging, lighting, scenic design, and audiovisual integration — operating at peer level with theatrical and event production specialists rather than in a traditional client-vendor dynamic.
• Steward the visual and experiential consistency of BlackLine's presence across global customer events.
• Represent BlackLine creative externally at industry conferences and brand-defining moments.
• Lead and develop the in-house creative team spanning design, video, motion, and supporting craft disciplines.
• Recruit and retain senior creative talent required to execute at the level the brand demands.
• Manage workload allocation, performance assessment, and career development for direct reports.
• Own and manage the annual operating budget for the Creative function, including expenditures on freelance talent, external agencies, production companies, studio maintenance, and general operating costs.
• Build the operational maturity of the creative function: documented standards, briefing processes, performance measurement, vendor and agency management.

Requirements

• 10+ years progressive experience in creative leadership roles within enterprise software, agency, or comparable environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading creative direction on cross-portfolio, multi-channel campaigns.
• Proven ability to operate at executive level, partnering with C-suite and peer marketing functions to align creative with business strategy.
• Track record of building and leading creative teams, including hiring, mentoring, and retaining senior talent.
• Strong craft foundation in design and visual communication; ability to lead by example as well as by direction.
• Experience working with creative agencies, freelance specialists, and external production partners as part of an integrated operation.
• A strong, digital-first portfolio demonstrating range across web design, motion graphics, and visual storytelling, including clear evidence of translating complex or technical concepts into simple, compelling creative.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Advertising, or related field.
• Professional Certifications: Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) or equivalent certifications in design and/or video.

Skills

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically and creatively to solve complex problems.
• Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, able to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Adaptability: Ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines while maintaining high-quality output.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and other relevant design tools.
• Project Management: Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Client Relationship Management: Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills, including the ability to mentor and develop junior designers.

Benefits

BlackLine offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Health Insurance
• Retirement Savings Plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Wellness Programs
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Professional Development Opportunities

Pay

$224,000.00 - $280,000.00

Schedule

Full-time