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
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks, attend events, and engage on social media. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your creative flair! When you get the chance to meet potential employers, bring your best ideas to the table. Share your vision for how you can elevate their agency's creative output.
✨Tip Number 3
Be bold in interviews! Don’t just answer questions; use them as an opportunity to showcase your unique perspective on earned media and social-first strategies. Make them see why you're the perfect fit.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’re all about finding the right talent, and applying directly gives you a better shot at standing out. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Executive Creative Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Creative Spark:When you're writing your application, let your creativity shine through! Use engaging language and showcase your unique perspective on earned media and social content. We want to see how you think outside the box!
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in earned media and PR. We’re not looking for just any creative background; we want to see how your past roles have prepared you for this specific opportunity. Connect the dots for us!
Be Authentic:Don’t be afraid to show your personality in your application. We value emotional intelligence and genuine passion, so let us know what drives you and how you can bring that energy to our team. Be yourself!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our community!
How to prepare for a job interview at People Like Us
✨Know Your Creative Vision
Before the interview, take some time to articulate your unique creative vision. Think about how you can make the agency genuinely social-first and earned-first in its approach. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully shifted creative direction in previous roles.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As an Executive Creative Director, you'll be leading a team of Creative Pod Leads. Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you inspire and motivate teams. Share stories that highlight your ability to influence at a senior level and how you've raised the creative bar without slowing down progress.
✨Showcase Industry Knowledge
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in earned media and social content. Be prepared to discuss how these trends can shape the agency's future. This will not only demonstrate your expertise but also show that you're genuinely invested in the agency's growth and evolution.
✨Be Ready for Thought Leadership
The agency is looking for someone who can be externally visible and position them as a creative pioneer. Think about how you can contribute to thought leadership in the industry. Prepare ideas on how you could engage in speaking opportunities or other platforms to elevate the agency's profile.
