At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire creative teams to elevate social-first and earned media strategies.
- Company: A top UK agency known for innovative earned-media and social content.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and a chance to shape the agency's future.
- Other info: Join a passionate team and redefine the creative landscape in media.
- Why this job: Be the creative visionary in a dynamic environment and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in creative leadership with a focus on social-first thinking.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 120000 £ per year.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a bold, instinctive creative leader to step into the most senior creative role at one of the UK’s leading earned-media and social content agencies - reporting directly to the Managing Director and sitting on the Operating Board from day one.
The Opportunity
Please note: this role is specifically for creative leaders with a background in earned media and PR. We are not looking for candidates from a pure advertising or creative agency background. This is not a creative director role with a fancier title. This is a newly created position designed to take the agency’s creative offering into its next phase - and to ensure it stays ahead of the curve as the media and content landscape continues to evolve. The person who takes this role will own every piece of work that leaves the building, set the standard others are measured against, and fundamentally shift how the business thinks: social-first and earned-first, from brief to delivery.
The agency is an established, serious player in the earned-media and content space. With a creative team of around 35 people structured across social content pods, strong commercial foundations, and ambitious leadership, this hire is about accelerating growth across social and earned creative work - and defining what great looks like for the next several years. There is a genuine appetite to broaden the agency’s reach further into FMCG, food and drink, and wider consumer sectors, alongside its existing strengths in broad consumer, travel, finance, and healthcare. The ECD will play a central role in making that happen.
The Role
- Own the overall creative output of the agency - final signoff on everything
- Reset and hold the creative bar across all work, all teams, all clients
- Make the agency genuinely social-first in its thinking - built into how ideas are conceived, not bolted on at the end
- Lead, inspire and provide clear creative direction to four Creative Pod Leads (including two Heads of News and two Creative Directors)
- Establish a distinctive, recognisable creative signature for the agency
- Sit on the Operating Board alongside the MD, Operations Director and Chief Commercial Officer
- Help futureproof the agency creatively and shape how it evolves over the next several years
- Maximise opportunities across the wider partner network
- Be externally visible - through thought leadership, speaking opportunities, industry presence, and positioning the agency as a creative pioneer in earned and social media
- Operate above the detail - direction, standards and outcomes, not day-to-day execution
What Success Looks Like
- Six months: Creative thinking across the agency is demonstrably social-first - in how briefs are approached, not just how work is presented
- Twelve months: A new, clear creative signature is established and being consistently delivered for major brand clients
What This Role Is Not
The ECD is not a project manager, a campaign executor, or an ideas-only advisory position. Execution sits with the Creative Pod Leads and delivery teams by design. This role is about creative authority, direction and standards - shown through decisions and outcomes, not commentary.
About You
- A senior creative leader with instinctive, social-first thinking baked in
- Confident making calls and standing by them - creative authority earned through delivery, not commentary
- Emotionally intelligent - big characters are welcome, but you need to be able to listen as well as lead
- Knows how to read the room and influence at senior level - with C-suite stakeholders, partner agencies and clients alike
- Deep experience across B2C brands - particularly in broad consumer, travel, finance, healthcare, FMCG, or food and drink
- Knows how to raise the bar without becoming a bottleneck or slowing teams down
- Has shifted the creative direction of a business quickly - you don’t need decades in post, but you do need proof
- Brings cultural awareness, strong opinions, fresh instincts and genuine momentum
- Comfortable being externally visible - whether already well established in the market, or looking to build your industry profile further
- Open to either an evolutionary or more revolutionary creative approach - the agency is genuinely open on this
Why Apply?
If you’re the most creative person in every room you walk into, if you know instinctively where the industry is going next, and if you’re ready to stop waiting for the permission to shape something properly - this is the role. The agency has the foundation, the ambition, the team, and the leadership to back you. What it needs now is the creative vision to match.
Executive Creative Director employer: People Like Us
Join a leading earned-media and social content agency in London, where creativity meets opportunity. With a vibrant work culture that champions innovation and collaboration, you'll have the chance to shape the agency's creative direction while working alongside a talented team of 35. The hybrid work model offers flexibility, and the agency is committed to your professional growth, ensuring you thrive in a dynamic environment that values bold ideas and social-first thinking.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Executive Creative Director
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for People Like Us and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like People Like Us are looking for.
✨Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase your passion for marketing communications. Share insights, articles, and your own content that resonates with the industry. Tagging or interacting with People Like Us on these platforms can catch the eye of recruiters and show you're genuinely interested in them.
✨Attend Industry Events
Keep an eye out for marketing conferences and workshops. These are great places to meet potential employers face-to-face and make connections that could land you a full-time role at People Like Us. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Executive Creative Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit People Like Us. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of People Like Us:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about People Like Us’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at People Like Us
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at People Like Us will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At People Like Us, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
