Creative Director

The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) include the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park. They operate under the collective vision to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. The museums hold one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history—more than 35 million objects—used for groundbreaking scientific and historical research, and community engagement. From NHM’s opening in 1913 as the very first museum in Los Angeles, the organization has entered an exciting new era of transformation with building projects and campaigns, exhibitions, community outreach and impactful audience engagement.

NHMLAC’s values—adventurous, inclusive, authentic, and intentional—guide our work and visitor experience, committing us to foster a welcoming, safe and respectful workplace environment where innovation and collaboration thrive and every team member can contribute their unique perspectives to advance our mission. NHMLAC seeks candidates who are aligned with our values and priorities, and are passionate about connecting science with the vibrant and diverse communities we serve throughout Los Angeles.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is seeking a Creative Director for our Creative Services department.  The Creative Director is responsible for leading the creative for brand strategy, design direction, and image content for the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC), strengthening the brand and achieving the organization's creative vision onsite, in print, online, on-air and in digital media. Includes the planning and implementation of strategies, concepts of all creative work for all branding and communications, including marketing concepts, collateral, advertising, signage, web, digital, video, social media and retail in collaboration with Marketing, Communications, Exhibitions, Education, Programs, Guest Relations, and Advancement departments. This position oversees the entire Creative Services division, including the Senior Designer and Associate Director, Creative Production, and reports directly to the Chief Communications Officer.

Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to: 

• Directs, plans and implements brand strategies, overall concepts and creative work for all Museum branding and visual communications, including marketing collateral, advertising, signage, web, digital, video, social media and retail. 

• Leads brand assessment, refresh, and implementation internally and externally. 

• Directs and evaluates the work of design staff and contractors to effectively translate the Museum's brand into visual communication, including marketing collateral, advertising, signage, web, digital, social media, etc.

• Directs the work of a highly efficient and creative environment, optimizes and tracks projects for the studio including assigning projects to staff, evaluating their work, ensuring smooth workflow, quality of work and refining production systems to ensure projects are delivered on time. Empowers creative staff, facilitating information flow between Creative team members and other departments. 

• Responsible for overall design brand management, ensuring all marketing materials are within NHMLAC design style guides.

• Manages design projects from concept through completion.

• Attends meetings as the creative representative and leads all design project kick offs.

• Develop and implement brand design strategies in branded communications.

This position has the following requirements:

• BA or BFA in Design or other relevant applied art concentration

• Experience working in-house for an institution overseeing their branding efforts   

•  8-10 years experience in the design field including experience art directing photo shoots

• 3+ years experience managing others and/or leading teams

• Excellent design skills with an eye for typography, color, photography and illustration; motion graphics experience a plus

• Excellent organizational and communication skills

• Ability to lead, problem solve and manage feedback

• Expert skill in Adobe Creative Suite; Figma a plus

• Strong record of collaboration ensuring completion of projects. Good track record of people development.

NHMLAC is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering a workplace and public environment that uplifts Kindness, Fairness, Openness and Dignity. These values extend not only to our employees, but to our guests, local community, and organizational partners. If you are interested in this position, we encourage you to apply!

The annual rate for this position is $167,400 - $180,000 yearly plus excellent benefits. This is a full time regular, exempt position. 

A cover letter, current resume, and list of 3-4 references are required for all applicants. Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. Interested candidates please visit www.nhmlac.org/careers-our-museums  and click the link of the position for which you are interested or go directly to the online application.