📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Creative Lead (Art Direction / Graphic Design)
🔹 Company: Johnson Controls
🔹 Location: Glendale, WI, USA (Hybrid)
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Creative & Design
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-05-23
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (Glendale, WI office)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving creative strategy for content marketing initiatives
- Leading a team of creatives and fostering a culture of innovation
- Collaborating with marketing and business stakeholders to elevate the Johnson Controls brand
- Developing content strategies across digital, social, video, and experiential formats
- Ensuring creative work is strategically sound, brand-aligned, and emotionally resonant
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of strategic thinking, creative direction, and team leadership. Candidates should have a strong portfolio showcasing strategic thinking and creative excellence across content formats.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Define and drive the creative strategy for content marketing initiatives
✅ Lead the development of content strategies across digital, social, video, and experiential formats
✅ Mentor and inspire a team of creatives, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence
✅ Guide the conceptual development and execution of creative work, ensuring it is strategically sound, brand-aligned, and emotionally resonant
✅ Collaborate with marketing, product, and communications teams to translate business objectives into creative strategies and content plans
✅ Champion the role of creative strategy within the organization, staying ahead of trends in content marketing, storytelling, and brand experience
✅ Review and approve creative work, maintaining high standards of quality, consistency, and effectiveness
✅ Allocate creative resources effectively, balancing priorities and timelines across multiple projects
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a mix of strategic planning, creative direction, and team management. Successful candidates will have experience in creative strategy, content marketing, or brand storytelling, with a proven ability to drive engagement and business results.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Design, or a related field
Experience: Minimum of 7 years in creative strategy, content marketing, or brand storytelling, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to develop and execute content strategies that drive engagement and business results
- Strong portfolio showcasing strategic thinking and creative excellence across content formats
- Deep understanding of brand development, audience segmentation, and content performance metrics
- Proficiency in creative tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) and content planning platforms
- Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in an in-house creative agency or global brand environment
- Familiarity with motion design, video storytelling, and digital content ecosystems
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a strong background in creative strategy, content marketing, or brand storytelling, with a portfolio that demonstrates their ability to develop and execute effective content strategies.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $120,000 - $160,000 per year (Based on industry standards for a Senior Creative Lead role in the United States)
Benefits:
- Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time
- Comprehensive benefits package including 401K, medical, dental, and vision care
- On-the-job and cross-training opportunities
- Encouraging and collaborative team environment
- Dedication to safety through the Zero Harm policy
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week) with flexible hours and remote work options
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is based on industry standards for a Senior Creative Lead role in the United States. The benefits package is comprehensive and includes health, retirement, and professional development opportunities.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Industrial Machinery Manufacturing
Company Size: 10,001+ employees (Large enterprise)
Founded: 1885 (Over 135 years ago)
Company Description:
- Johnson Controls is a leading pure play buildings business serving a wide range of diverse customers in more than 150 countries
- The company advances the safety, comfort, and intelligence of spaces and places, with a purpose to power the success of customers and protect the environment
- Johnson Controls offers a comprehensive digital offering, OpenBlue, which delivers the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing, and beyond
Company Specialties:
- Engineering
- Manufacturing Operations
- Sales
- Building Automation
- Fire & Hazard Protection
- Industrial Refrigeration
- HVAC
- Security
- Sustainability
Company Website: www.johnsoncontrols.com
ASSUMPTION: Johnson Controls is a large, established company with a global presence and a focus on sustainability and innovation in the building automation and industrial machinery sectors.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior (Experienced professional with significant leadership responsibilities)
Reporting Structure: Reports to the Group Creative Director in Cork, Ireland
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (Glendale, WI office with remote work options)
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to grow into a more senior leadership role within the Global Creative team
- Opportunities to work on high-profile projects and collaborate with diverse teams across the organization
- Chance to develop skills in content marketing, brand storytelling, and team leadership
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to take on more senior leadership responsibilities and work on high-profile projects within the Global Creative team.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid (Glendale, WI office with remote work options)
Office Location(s): Glendale, WI, USA
Geographic Context:
- Glendale, WI is a suburb of Milwaukee, with a population of approximately 12,000 people
- The area offers a mix of urban and suburban living, with easy access to outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, and entertainment options
- Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin, with a population of over 590,000 people, and is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, professional sports teams, and historic architecture
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week) with flexible hours and remote work options
ASSUMPTION: The Glendale, WI office offers a hybrid work arrangement, with the option to work remotely. The area provides a mix of urban and suburban living, with easy access to cultural attractions and outdoor recreation.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume submission
- Phone or video screening with the hiring manager
- In-depth interview with the Global Creative team and other stakeholders
- Final interview with the Group Creative Director
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Candidates' understanding of the role and Johnson Controls' mission and values
- Candidates' strategic thinking and creative direction skills
- Candidates' ability to lead and mentor a team of creatives
- Candidates' communication and presentation skills
- Candidates' cultural fit with the Global Creative team and Johnson Controls' organization
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Include examples of your creative strategy and content marketing work in your portfolio
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, strategic thinking, and creative direction skills
- Research Johnson Controls and the Global Creative team to demonstrate your understanding of the organization and its mission
ATS Keywords: Creative Strategy, Content Marketing, Brand Storytelling, Team Leadership, Creative Direction, Stakeholder Management, Audience Insights, Brand Positioning, Performance Metrics, Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Creative Tools, Innovation
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role involves several interviews with the Global Creative team and other stakeholders. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their strategic thinking, creative direction, and team leadership skills, as well as their cultural fit with the organization.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
- Content planning platforms (e.g., Asana, Trello, Monday.com)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
- Project management tools (e.g., JIRA, Confluence)
ASSUMPTION: This role requires proficiency in creative tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and content planning platforms. Candidates should have experience using these tools to develop and execute creative content strategies.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Integrity
- Customer focus
- Inclusion
- Sustainability
- Continuous improvement
Work Style:
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Innovative and forward-thinking
- Data-driven and results-focused
- Adaptable and responsive to change
- Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with Johnson Controls' values, particularly in terms of integrity, customer focus, and sustainability?
- How do you approach leading and mentoring a team of creatives, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence?
- How do you ensure that your creative work is strategically sound, brand-aligned, and emotionally resonant?
ASSUMPTION: Johnson Controls values integrity, customer focus, inclusion, sustainability, and continuous improvement. Candidates should assess their alignment with these values and be prepared to demonstrate their fit with the company's culture.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Balancing strategic planning, creative direction, and team management responsibilities
- Working with a diverse range of stakeholders across the organization
- Managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Adapting to a hybrid work arrangement and remote team dynamics
- Meeting the high standards of quality, consistency, and effectiveness required for Johnson Controls' global brand
ASSUMPTION: This role presents several challenges, including balancing multiple responsibilities, working with diverse stakeholders, and maintaining high standards of quality and consistency. Candidates should be prepared to manage these challenges effectively and demonstrate their ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other senior creative roles, this position places a greater emphasis on strategic thinking, content marketing, and team leadership
- In the content marketing industry, this role offers a unique opportunity to work on a global scale with a well-established brand
- Career-wise, this role provides a strong foundation for growth into more senior leadership positions within the Global Creative team or the broader organization
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of strategic thinking, creative direction, and team leadership responsibilities, with the potential for significant career growth within the Global Creative team or the broader organization.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a comprehensive content strategy for a global marketing campaign, including digital, social, video, and experiential formats
- Leading a team of creatives to design and produce a series of brand-aligned videos for a product launch event
- Collaborating with a cross-functional team to create a suite of on-site graphics and signage for a trade show booth
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the range of responsibilities and skills required for this role, from strategic planning and creative direction to team leadership and collaboration with cross-functional teams.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30-60-90 days?
- How does this role fit into the broader organizational structure and strategic goals of the Global Creative team?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the Global Creative team, and how can this role help address them?
- How does the Global Creative team collaborate with other departments and stakeholders within Johnson Controls?
- What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the Global Creative team or the broader organization?
ASSUMPTION: These interview questions help candidates assess the fit of the role with their career goals and understand the dynamics of the Global Creative team and Johnson Controls' organization.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare a portfolio showcasing your creative strategy and content marketing work
- Research Johnson Controls and the Global Creative team to demonstrate your understanding of the organization
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, strategic thinking, and creative direction skills
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to inquire about the status of your application
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
