📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Director of Creative Services
🔹 Company: City of Philadelphia
🔹 Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Government Administration
🔹 Date Posted: May 6, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Setting and driving the creative vision across all City communications, campaigns, and platforms.
- Leading the design strategy for Phila.gov, ensuring a cohesive, user-centered visual and interaction experience across the site.
- Championing the City’s visual and narrative identity while evolving it to meet modern needs.
- Supervising a creative team and managing workflows, creative processes, priorities, and timelines to deliver high-impact work across multiple platforms.
- Collaborating with various departments and agencies to develop creative strategies that serve public needs.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of creativity, strategic thinking, and leadership to effectively manage a team and drive the City's creative direction.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Set and drive the creative vision across all City communications, campaigns, and platforms.
✅ Lead the design strategy for Phila.gov, ensuring a cohesive, user-centered visual and interaction experience across the site.
✅ Champion the City’s visual and narrative identity while evolving it to meet modern needs.
✅ Supervise a creative team and manage workflows, creative processes, priorities, and timelines to deliver high-impact work across multiple platforms.
✅ Collaborate with UX partners to translate complex service needs into accessible, user-centered design solutions.
✅ Work cross-functionally with departments and agencies to develop creative strategies that serve public needs.
✅ Review and approve design work to ensure brand alignment and strategic impact.
✅ Monitor project budgets and resource allocation.
✅ Maintain and evolve brand guidelines for the City of Philadelphia across print, digital, and environmental formats.
✅ Serve as the lead advocate for quality design, storytelling, and innovation in civic communications.
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a wide range of responsibilities, requiring strong leadership, creative, and project management skills.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Digital Media, Marketing, Human-Centered Design, or a related field required.
Experience: 10+ years of experience in creative services, digital design, and visual communications, with 5+ years in a creative leadership role, including direct management of teams.
Required Skills:
- Creative Vision: Ability to craft and articulate a compelling visual and narrative direction aligned with organizational goals.
- Digital Design Expertise: Proficiency in UI/UX design, digital accessibility, and responsive design across web and mobile platforms.
- Strategic Thinking: Skilled in aligning creative output with broader policy, engagement, and communication strategies.
- Leadership & Team Building: Strong experience managing diverse, multidisciplinary creative teams in dynamic environments.
- Collaboration & Communication: Exceptional interpersonal skills; able to build trust and alignment across departments and stakeholders.
- Equity & Inclusion: Deep understanding of inclusive design principles and culturally responsive communication.
- Project Management: Capable of juggling multiple priorities and deadlines, with attention to detail, timelines, and resource management.
Preferred Skills:
- Additional leadership training and/or demonstrated experience leading multiple creative teams across different disciplines.
- Knowledge of government, nonprofit, or mission-driven environments.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong combination of creative, leadership, and project management skills, with a preference for candidates with experience in government or mission-driven environments.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $145,000 - $155,000
Benefits:
- Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
- Wellness program offering eligibility into the discounted medical plan
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
- Generous retirement savings options
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness program eligibility
- Free Commute on SEPTA through the SEPTA Key Advantage Program
- Tuition discounts and scholarships through partnerships with local colleges and universities
Working Hours: 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is based on the provided information, with the starting salary to be determined based on experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Government Administration, serving a population of over 1.6 million residents.
Company Size: 10,001+ employees, making it one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Founded: The City of Philadelphia was established in 1682 and has a rich history and diverse culture.
Company Description:
- Dedicated to effectively delivering services, resolving challenges, and providing opportunities for all residents.
- Operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity, and inclusion.
- Offers a wide range of job opportunities across 1,000 different job categories.
Company Specialties:
- Public administration and governance
- Community development and social services
- Public safety and emergency management
- Infrastructure maintenance and public works
- Education and youth services
Company Website: http://www.phila.gov
ASSUMPTION: The City of Philadelphia is a large, complex organization with a wide range of services and responsibilities, requiring a diverse set of skills and expertise from its employees.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior leadership role, reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT).
Reporting Structure: Oversees a creative team consisting of designers, writers, digital producers, and videographers.
Work Arrangement: On-site, with the possibility of occasional remote work for specific tasks or meetings.
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to grow within the creative services team or explore other leadership opportunities within the City.
- Chance to make a significant impact on the City's visual identity and digital presence.
- Opportunity to collaborate with various departments and agencies, gaining exposure to different aspects of city government.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential, both within the creative services team and across the broader City organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: The City of Philadelphia operates multiple offices across the city, with the main office located at City Hall.
Office Location(s): 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
Geographic Context:
- Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States.
- Known for its rich history, cultural attractions, and diverse neighborhoods.
- Offers a mix of urban, suburban, and rural living options within commuting distance.
Work Schedule: Standard full-time work hours, with the possibility of occasional evening or weekend work for events or projects.
ASSUMPTION: Philadelphia offers a vibrant, multicultural work environment with a wide range of cultural attractions and recreational opportunities.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission and resume screening
- Phone or video screening with the hiring manager
- In-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager and a panel of team members
- Final interview with the CIO of OIT
- Background check and onboarding
Key Assessment Areas:
- Creativity and strategic thinking
- Leadership and team management skills
- Digital design expertise and proficiency with relevant tools
- Collaboration and communication skills
- Alignment with the City's values and mission
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Include examples of your creative work and explain how your approach aligns with the City's visual identity and narrative.
- Demonstrate your understanding of the City's mission and values, and how your leadership style supports them.
- Prepare questions to ask the interview panel about the team, the role, and the City's creative vision.
ATS Keywords: Creative Direction, Digital Design, UI/UX, Brand Management, Team Leadership, Public Sector, Civic Communications, Strategic Planning, Project Management
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is likely to be competitive, with a strong focus on creativity, leadership, and digital design expertise.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects)
- Sketch, Figma, or other UI/UX design tools
- Responsive design frameworks (Bootstrap, Foundation)
- Content management systems (Drupal, WordPress)
- Project management tools (Asana, Trello, JIRA)
ASSUMPTION: Proficiency in industry-standard design and project management tools is required for this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Service: Dedicated to meeting the needs of Philadelphia's diverse communities
- Integrity: Upholding the highest ethical standards in all actions and decisions
- Respect: Valuing and appreciating the contributions of all employees and stakeholders
- Accountability: Taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions, and being transparent in all operations
- Collaboration: Working together across departments and with external partners to achieve common goals
- Diversity & Inclusion: Fostering an inclusive work environment that reflects the City's diverse population
Work Style:
- Collaborative and team-oriented, with a focus on collective success
- Adaptable and responsive to changing priorities and deadlines
- Data-driven and results-oriented, with a focus on continuous improvement
- Committed to public service and making a positive impact on the City and its residents
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do your creative vision and leadership style align with the City's values and mission?
- Can you provide examples of your ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a dynamic environment?
- How do you approach inclusive design and culturally responsive communication in your creative work?
ASSUMPTION: Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong alignment with the City's values, a collaborative work style, and a commitment to public service.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a diverse team with varying levels of experience and expertise
- Balancing multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Navigating the complexities of city government and working with various departments and agencies
- Adapting to changes in leadership, priorities, or resources
- Ensuring consistent branding and messaging across a wide range of communications and platforms
ASSUMPTION: This role presents both unique opportunities and challenges, requiring strong leadership, adaptability, and a strategic mindset.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to similar roles in the private sector, this role offers the opportunity to make a direct impact on a large, diverse population and to drive positive change in the public sector.
- Unlike roles in smaller organizations, this role requires a high level of strategic thinking, leadership, and project management skills to effectively navigate the complexities of city government.
- Career progression in this role may involve moving into other leadership positions within the City or exploring opportunities in related fields, such as consulting or academia.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers unique challenges and rewards, with the potential for significant growth and impact in the public sector.
📝 Sample Projects
- Reimagining the City's visual identity and digital presence to better reflect its diverse population and cultural heritage
- Developing a comprehensive brand guidelines document to ensure consistent and accessible design standards across all City communications
- Creating a user-centered design system for Phila.gov, improving accessibility and usability for all residents
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the range of creative and strategic challenges this role may involve, from brand development and digital design to user experience and accessibility.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the biggest challenges facing the creative services team currently, and how can this role address them?
- How does the City support the professional development and growth of its creative team members?
- What are the key priorities for the creative services team in the first 90 days, and how can this role contribute to their success?
- How does the City measure the impact and effectiveness of its creative communications and digital presence?
- What opportunities exist for collaboration with other departments and agencies, and how can this role facilitate those partnerships?
ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful, strategic questions demonstrates your interest in the role and your commitment to driving the City's creative vision.
📌 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, including examples of your creative work and your approach to inclusive design and culturally responsive communication.
- Prepare questions to ask the interview panel about the team, the role, and the City's creative vision.
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to confirm receipt and inquire about next steps.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
