Senior Creative Director, GQ & Vanity Fair

Condé Nast is one of the world's most renowned media publishing companies, creating and distributing every type of media today, spanning print and digital publishing in all formats. With a portfolio of some of today's most influential brands, the company continues to grow its audience through a global operational and content infrastructure across its 12 owned and operated markets. Headquartered in New York City, the company's owned and operated markets include China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico & Latin America, Spain, Taiwan, UAE/Dubai, the U.K., and the U.S., with additional local license partners in over twenty additional markets across the globe. Lead brands include Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Vanity Fair, Wired, Allure, Ars Technica, Bon Appétit, House & Garden, Pitchfork, Tatler, and Vogue Business.

Job Description

Location:
New York, NY

Overview:

The Senior Creative Director will lead integrated creative teams developing branded content and sponsored activations for GQ and Vanity Fair and our advertising partners. We are looking for an experienced creative leader with deep expertise in content and fashion storytelling, and a demonstrated ability to create audience-first work across platforms. You bring a clear creative point of view, strong editorial instincts, deep knowledge of the fashion industry, and the ability to translate brand objectives into compelling stories that feel authentic to GQ and Vanity Fair and their audiences.

The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in publishing or creative agencies, with significant experience developing content and overseeing multi-format, complex productions. You understand what makes a strong story, how audiences engage with content across different platforms, and how to use the distinct strengths of each format to bring an idea to life. You’re a versatile creative thinker who produces innovative, culturally relevant work—from print and digital storytelling to social-first content, commissioned illustration and photography, narrative video, and large-scale integrated campaigns and experiential activations. You understand how to tailor creative concepts to different production realities and maximize creative impact regardless of budget.

Reporting to the Executive Creative Director (Fashion, Luxury and Beauty), you’ll work closely with marketing, sales, editorial, and production teams to develop and deliver commercial creative for advertising clients of GQ and Vanity Fair. This role requires experience leading integrated campaigns from concept through execution, with the content judgment to balance advertiser objectives with audience relevance and each brand’s unique editorial sensibility and creative standards.

You will manage multiple projects simultaneously, guide creative teams through all stages of development and production, and help establish priorities across a busy workflow. Success in this role requires strong creative and editorial judgment, attention to detail, collaborative leadership, and a thorough understanding of the talent, formats, platforms, and cultural trends shaping fashion, sport, luxury, and entertainment.

Individual & Team Responsibilities:

- Partner with GQ and Vanity Fair marketing leads in responding to advertiser briefs for integrated creative campaigns and event integrations.
- Assign and direct the work of creative studio team members (art directors, writers, designers, and video creatives) on projects for GQ and Vanity Fair branded programs.
- Set the standard for innovative, impactful creative work that defines branded partnerships with GQ and Vanity Fair while delivering on advertiser KPI’s.
- Write and produce compelling pitch decks and creative materials to visualize your ideas for clients and editorial stakeholders.
- Function as a trusted creative partner and collaborator to GQ’s and Vanity Fair’s editorial creative teams in the process of creating commercial work.
- Guide the creative process from pitch through production of multi-channel campaigns with cross-functional stakeholders from marketing and sales teams.
- Drive brainstorms and work hands-on when crafting proposals and presentations.
- Apply strategic insights to deliver inventive content, campaign and experiential solutions for clients who want to integrate with GQ’s and Vanity Fair’s tentpole events.
- Provide creative leadership throughout photo, video, and experiential productions, collaborating with production teams to scope, budget, and execute ideas effectively.
- Pitch creative concepts directly to clients, and develop ideas that fit within the provided budgets and strategic objectives.
- Ensure all commercial ideas authentically balance the editorial voice of GQ and Vanity Fair with those of our advertising partners.

Essential Skills & Requirements:

- 5-7 years of experience as a creative leader in premium media, fashion or agency environments.
- Strong portfolio showcasing 360 campaigns spanning editorial and advertising, with culturally relevant work specific to premium brands and fashion/luxury storytelling.
- Passion for brand marketing, with a sharp cultural perspective that informs consumer-facing fashion campaigns.
- Must have a background in print and video production.
- Skilled storyteller with excellent written, visual, and verbal presentation abilities. A background in art direction and copywriting is strongly preferred, as is confidence in building content frameworks and franchises.
- Comfortable with Adobe Creative Suite and Google Slides, with a passion for creative copywriting, visual moodboarding and building elegant pitch materials.
- Extensive on-set experience and deep knowledge of video and photography production, from pre- to post-production (for digital and print), as well as experience working with celebrity talent.
- Strong familiarity with GQ and Vanity Fair brand styles and preferences, especially when it comes to fashion storytelling, casting and styling.
- Demonstrated success managing creative project teams and improving output and efficiency while pushing for innovation in the work.
- Highly organized, adaptable and adept at prioritizing a large volume of projects in a fast-paced environment with multiple layers of stakeholders.

Desired Qualities:

- Informed - Current on the fashion, luxury, sports, entertainment and beauty industries, as well as deeply knowledgeable about GQ and Vanity Fair audiences and culture.
- Imaginative - You’re a conceptual creative with innovative ideas that challenge traditional approaches to content creation and brand partnerships.
- Effective - You understand how to create beautiful and impactful work that solves our client’s challenges and supports desired strategic outcomes.
- Adaptable - Welcoming input from others, and willing to take on essential tasks to get the job done.
- Resourceful - You strive to come up with ideas that suit budgets and timelines, can manage multiple projects at once, and know when to pivot if something isn’t working.
- Ego-less - You give credit where credit is due, bring a positive attitude to work and support your team and peers in gaining visibility and opportunities.
- Mentor - You prioritize diversity, inclusivity, and representation in every stage of the creative process and empathy in team management style.

The expected base salary range for this position is from $175,000 - $185,000 . Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to relevant skills, training, experience, and education.

In addition to salary and a generous employee benefits package, successful candidates may also be eligible to receive discretionary bonus compensation.

What happens next?

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply below, and we will review your application as soon as possible. You can update your resume or upload a cover letter at any time by accessing your candidate profile.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics.