📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Creative Director (6 months FTC)
🔹 Company: DEPT®
🔹 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
🔹 Job Type: Fixed Term Contract (6 months)
🔹 Category: Creative & Design
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-04-17
🔹 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (On-site 2-3 days per week)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading creative direction on projects to meet and exceed briefs
- Developing compelling paid social campaigns
- Collaborating across teams to maintain a culture of innovation
- Mentoring and guiding creatives to deliver high-quality work
ASSUMPTION: This role is part of the Personalized Creative team, focusing on hyper-personalized, digital communications at scale and speed.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead creative direction on projects, ensuring work meets and exceeds the brief through clear, strategic concepts
✅ Develop compelling paid social campaigns, with experience in Meta Ad Manager being a plus
✅ Confidently present ideas to clients and guide them through concept, production, and delivery
✅ Maintain a strong understanding of brand guidelines, identity systems, and organizational tools and practices
✅ Oversee creative quality across all workstreams, troubleshooting complex issues when needed
✅ Collaborate across teams, contributing to a culture of innovation, curiosity, and high-quality work
✅ Provide mentorship and guidance to team leads and senior creatives, ensuring strong creative output and professional development
✅ Push back on subpar work and inspire teams to deliver their best
✅ Support the agency’s growth through award-winning work, thought leadership, and participation in new business efforts
✅ Stay current on industry trends and best practices, actively participating in creative communities and events
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of creative leadership, team management, and client-facing responsibilities.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Fine Arts, or a related field
Experience: Proven experience (5-10 years) in a creative leadership role, with a strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking and creative excellence
Required Skills:
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma
- Strong leadership, mentoring, and team management skills
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
- Deep understanding of marketing, branding, and business objectives
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with Meta Ad Manager
- Fluency in additional languages
- Experience working in an agency environment
ASSUMPTION: A design background with a solid understanding of best-in-class copywriting is essential for this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: CAD 120,000 - 160,000 per year (Based on industry standards for a mid-senior level creative director in Toronto)
Benefits:
- Flexible, hybrid working policy (2-3 days on-site per week)
- Mental health support and company sick pay scheme
- 15 days paid holiday (plus Public Holidays)
- Refreshments provided in the office all week
- Social and cultural events, plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues
- Inspirational talks, bringing the outside in with regular guest speakers and events
- Learning and development, supporting your growth with continuous opportunities to learn and advance
- Buddy programme: You will be paired with a ‘Buddy’ to help you through your first weeks at DEPT®
- Global annual DEPT® Cares Month, enabling employees to donate their skills to support local charities
Working Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week), with flexible hours and remote work options
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a mid-senior level creative director in Toronto. Actual compensation may vary based on experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: DEPT® is a pioneering technology and marketing services company, creating end-to-end digital experiences for global brands.
Company Size: DEPT® has 4,000+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents, delivering pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture.
Founded: DEPT® was founded in 2006 and has since grown into a global agency with a strong focus on innovation and digital transformation.
Company Description:
- DEPT® is committed to making a positive impact on the planet and has been Climate Neutral and B Corporation certified since 2021
- The company invests in innovation, leveraging proprietary tech, data, and knowledge platforms for all clients worldwide
- DEPT®'s culture is 'big enough to cope and small enough to care,' offering the speed, agility, flexibility, and personal relationships of a boutique agency while working for any brand in the world
Company Specialties:
- Digital Craftmanship
- Campaigns
- Social
- Data Driven Marketing
- B2B Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Creativity
- Technology
- Strategy
- Digital
- Brand
- Advertising
- Design
- Data
- Intelligence
- Organisation
- UX
- Agency
- Content
- Digital Products
- and AI
Company Website: www.deptagency.com
ASSUMPTION: DEPT®'s global presence and commitment to innovation make it an attractive employer for creative professionals seeking to work on diverse, cutting-edge projects.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years of experience)
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Creative Director and oversees a team of creatives and designers
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (On-site 2-3 days per week, with flexible hours and remote work options)
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential extension of the 6-month fixed term contract, based on performance
- Opportunities to work on diverse, global projects and collaborate with international teams
- Access to learning and development resources to support professional growth
ASSUMPTION: This role offers growth opportunities through exposure to diverse projects, international collaboration, and access to learning and development resources.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: DEPT®'s Toronto office is a modern, collaborative workspace with a flexible, hybrid working policy
Office Location(s): 410 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1S8, Canada
Geographic Context:
- Toronto is a multicultural city with a vibrant arts and culture scene
- The city offers a high quality of life with numerous amenities, including parks, museums, and entertainment options
- Toronto has a thriving tech industry, with many digital agencies and startups calling the city home
Work Schedule: Full-time (37.5 hours per week), with flexible hours and remote work options
ASSUMPTION: DEPT®'s Toronto office provides a modern, collaborative work environment with a flexible, hybrid working policy, allowing employees to balance work and personal responsibilities.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume submission
- Phone or video screening with the HR team
- Creative brief and presentation task
- Final interview with the Creative Director and/or other team members
- Background check and onboarding
Key Assessment Areas:
- Portfolio presentation and creative brief solution
- Communication and presentation skills
- Problem-solving and strategic thinking
- Cultural fit and alignment with DEPT®'s values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight relevant skills and experiences for this role
- Prepare a strong creative brief solution, demonstrating your ability to meet and exceed client expectations
- Practice your presentation skills and be ready to answer questions about your creative process and problem-solving approach
- Research DEPT®'s company culture and values, and be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with the company's
ATS Keywords: Creative Direction, Team Leadership, Mentorship, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Paid Social Campaigns, Meta Ad Manager, Marketing, Branding, Business Objectives, Strategic Thinking, Creative Excellence
ASSUMPTION: DEPT®'s application process focuses on assessing creative skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit, with a strong emphasis on the creative brief presentation task.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects)
- Figma
- Meta Ad Manager
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, JIRA)
ASSUMPTION: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and Meta Ad Manager is required for this role. Familiarity with additional tools and technologies may be an asset.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Pioneering: Always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today
- Curious: Always seeking to learn and grow, both personally and professionally
- Self-driven: Taking initiative and responsibility for our own growth and success
- Collaborative: Working together to achieve extraordinary things and guide thinking and behavior in others
- Emotionally intelligent: Understanding and responding to the emotions of others, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment
Work Style:
- Fast-paced and dynamic, with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement
- Collaborative and team-oriented, with a strong emphasis on cross-functional collaboration
- Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to work in a changing environment
- Results-driven, with a focus on delivering high-quality work and achieving client objectives
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do your personal values align with DEPT®'s company values, particularly 'Pioneering' and 'Curious'?
- How do you approach collaboration and teamwork in a fast-paced, dynamic environment?
- How do you balance innovation and continuous improvement with delivering high-quality work and achieving client objectives?
ASSUMPTION: DEPT®'s company culture values pioneering spirit, curiosity, self-drive, collaboration, and emotional intelligence. Candidates should be able to demonstrate alignment with these values and a strong fit with the company's work style.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a team of creatives and designers, balancing individual growth with collective success
- Navigating a fast-paced, dynamic work environment with changing priorities and deadlines
- Balancing client expectations with creative vision and strategic thinking
- Adapting to a hybrid work arrangement, balancing on-site and remote work effectively
ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges related to team management, adaptability, and balancing client expectations with creative vision.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Creative Director vs. Art Director: Creative Director focuses more on strategic thinking, team leadership, and mentorship, while Art Director focuses on visual design and execution
- Creative Director vs. Copywriter: Creative Director oversees both visual and written content, while Copywriter specializes in crafting compelling narratives
- Creative Director vs. UX/UI Designer: Creative Director focuses on the overall creative vision and direction, while UX/UI Designer specializes in user-centered design and user interface development
ASSUMPTION: This role is distinct from related positions, requiring a unique blend of creative leadership, strategic thinking, team management, and mentorship skills.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a comprehensive brand identity system for a global tech company, including logo design, color palette, typography, and brand guidelines
- Creating a series of emotive, conversion-focused social media campaigns for an e-commerce retailer, targeting specific customer segments and driving sales growth
- Designing and art directing a series of print and digital advertisements for a financial services company, showcasing their unique value proposition and differentiating them from competitors
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the range of creative direction responsibilities, from brand identity development to campaign creation and art direction.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the biggest challenges facing the creative team currently, and how can this role help address them?
- How does DEPT® support the growth and development of its creative team members?
- What are the most important qualities you look for in a Creative Director, and how do you see this role fitting into the team's dynamics?
- How does DEPT® balance innovation and continuous improvement with delivering high-quality work and achieving client objectives?
- What are the most rewarding aspects of working at DEPT®, according to current team members?
ASSUMPTION: These interview questions help candidates understand the role's challenges, growth opportunities, and cultural fit with DEPT®.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight relevant skills and experiences for this role
- Prepare a strong creative brief solution, demonstrating your ability to meet and exceed client expectations
- Practice your presentation skills and be ready to answer questions about your creative process and problem-solving approach
- Research DEPT®'s company culture and values, and be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with the company's
- Follow up with the DEPT® HR team within one week of submitting your application, if you haven't heard back
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
