Associate Creative Director in Basildon

Nonsensical is the UK's leading TikTok agency and we're on the hunt for an Associate Creative Director who is TikTok native and can come in and drive our creative to the next level. You'll set the creative bar for the work we ship, run a team, and help shape what good looks like in a feed that shifts weekly.

What you’ll be doing:

• Sit at the heart of every brief, owning creative thinking from concept through to final output
• Lead and develop a team of creatives, creating the space, clarity and challenge needed to produce their best work
• Drive campaigns end to end from platform level ideas through to TikTok concepts, scripts, edits and rollout across launch windows
• Engineer consistently strong social performance, treating “what makes content take off” as a craft to refine and evolve
• Sign off on scripts, edits and posts pre-publication, maintaining quality and protecting the integrity of the work
• Workshop ideas and scripts with the team, sharpening hooks, pacing, structure and payoff to maximise impact
• Contribute standout creative thinking to new business pitches and existing client briefs
• Build TikTok-native creative strategies grounded in audience insight, platform behaviour and content formats
• Stay ahead of trends, formats, sounds and creator dynamics, proactively bringing emerging opportunities into the work
• Translate brand objectives into ideas that earn attention organically, not just rely on paid amplification
• Partner closely with strategy, production and client services to ensure ideas are delivered at pace and to a high standard
• Confidently present and sell creative ideas to clients, building trust and influencing direction
• Maintain awareness of performance data and campaign outcomes, using insights to refine and strengthen future work

What we are looking for:

• Strong social agency experience
• A reel of social media work you've personally led across multiple platforms, including campaign work
• A track record of work that has genuinely cut through, viral moments, breakout campaigns, or content that hit far beyond paid reach, with a real point of view on why it worked
• A deep understanding of social media strategy across the wider ecosystem, with TikTok as your specialism
• Strong fluency across the full social landscape (TikTok, Instagram, Reels, YouTube, Shorts, Snap etc), with a clear view on how the platforms differ, where culture starts, and how an idea should shift as it travels between feeds
• A strategic brain that can plug a creative idea into a wider brand or business problem
• Confidence signing off content and giving notes that actually make the work better
• Script craft, you know how to take a rough draft and turn it into something that lands in the first three seconds
• A genuine love of TikTok (the platform, the people, the chaos) and a sharp read on what's culturally relevant right now
• Strong taste, with the ability to articulate why something works (or doesn't)
• Calm leadership, the kind that makes a team want to follow you into a difficult brief
• Experience hiring and developing creative talent
• Strong client relationships and the confidence to hold the room in a senior pitch

What you get when you join us:

• Fully Remote Working – Work from wherever you’re happiest in the UK (with access to a co-working space in major UK cities if you like a change of scene).
• Pension Scheme – Helping you invest in your future while you shape your present.
• Company Socials – From virtual hangouts to IRL meetups, we love bringing the team together.
• Creative & Well-being Half-Days – Every quarter, take a half-day plus £50 to do something that inspires you, a class, gallery trip, pottery, spa, whatever frees your mind.
• Learning Fund – £200 a year towards books, audiobooks, courses or content that fuels your development.
• Bonus Leave Days – Birthday? Wedding? Moving house? Take the day off on us (no annual leave used).

What to expect in the recruitment process:

• Step 1: Apply - Show us who you are! Apply via LinkedIn OR you can submit a CV, social portfolio, a TikTok via go for it!
• Step 2: Screening Call - A 20–30 minute chat with our People & Talent Director to get to know you and answer any initial questions.
• Step 3: First Interview - A conversation with our Chief Content Officer (line manager for this role), diving into your experience, how you think about TikTok and creative ideation.
• Step 4: Second Interview + Task - You’ll complete a small strategic/creative task (nothing wild) and present it back to the CCO + one other SLT member, a chance to show how you think, lead and create.

Ready to join the team? Apply today. We can’t wait to meet the person behind the creativity. At Nonsensical, we believe great ideas don’t come from one place, one perspective, or one type of person - they come from everywhere. That’s why we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and identities. If there is anything we can do to make the application or interview process more accessible for you, just let us know. Should you need any adjustments throughout the application and interview process do let us know so we can best accommodate you. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every single requirement, please still apply. We care about potential as much as experience so we’d love to hear your story.