Creative Director | Mat Leave Cover | Retail Brand

Overview

Partnering with Aquent, a premier retail brand is seeking a visionary creative leader to champion their brand identity and drive commercial success. This household name has established itself as a market leader, dedicated to delivering exceptional customer experiences across multiple channels. By joining forces with Aquent, you will gain access to premier career opportunities and support, while helping this dynamic retail giant continue to innovate, inspire, and connect with millions of customers.

The Opportunity

Step into a pivotal senior leadership role where your creative vision will directly shape the future of a beloved retail brand. In this highly collaborative position, you will lead an established, talented in-house design team and collaborate closely with executive leadership, including the CMO and CEO, to translate commercial objectives into stunning visual campaigns. This is your chance to make a lasting impact by steering the brand’s creative direction, balancing big-picture strategic thinking with a hands-on approach to design excellence during an exciting 12-month maternity leave cover.

What You Will Do

• Lead, mentor, and nurture an established in-house Creative and Design team to foster a collaborative and high-performing culture.
• Set the overarching creative direction and ensure brand consistency across all customer touchpoints and retail channels.
• Translate marketing strategies and commercial goals into highly effective, visually compelling creative campaigns.
• Partner closely with the CMO, CEO, and the broader senior leadership team to influence business and brand strategy.
• Maintain exceptionally high creative standards while ensuring the team consistently delivers against business priorities and deadlines.
• Roll up your sleeves when needed, providing clear, actionable creative direction and hands-on design guidance.

What You Will Bring

• Over 10 years of experience in creative, design, and brand environments, with proven experience operating at a senior creative leadership level.
• A strong graphic design and visual creative background, with a deep understanding of visual communication and brand consistency.
• Demonstrated experience leading, developing, and inspiring creative teams to produce their best work.
• A proven track record in retail marketing, brand strategy, and aligning creative output with commercial objectives.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to present ideas and influence C-suite executives.
• The ability to balance ambitious creative ideas with practical delivery and business priorities.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Prior experience working within the fashion or retail sectors, either agency-side or within a large in-house brand environment.
• A genuine passion for retail trends and a deep understanding of customer behavior and engagement.