Creative Director

About the role:

We are looking for a visionary, experienced Creative Director to champion our fresh new brand and drive breakthrough creative that delivers measurable business results. This is a high-impact role with the opportunity to shape the future of our company at an exciting inflection point. Reporting to the SVP Brand, you will take the creative reins for a compelling new brand in its infancy to shape the story and set the creative vision to ensure its success in the market. You will lead a talented in-house creative team and partner with external agencies to bring the new brand to life through compelling campaigns, creative, and experiences.

About us:

At 8am, our vision is to power a world where professionals thrive. We start every day on a mission to empower professionals with the most trusted, innovative technology to deliver world-class outcomes for their clients and exceptional financial results for their business. They count on our purpose-built solutions to simplify operations, ensure compliance, and fuel profitable growth, so they can focus on their clients and do more of the work that matters.

Founded in 2005, 8am™ (formerly AffiniPay) is the professional business platform built to help legal, accounting, and other client-focused professionals run stronger, more profitable businesses. Today, more than 250,000 professionals across the U.S. trust 8am to help them work smarter, serve clients better, and unlock their full potential. We have been recognized as one of Inc 5000’s fastest growing companies in the U.S. for 13 years in a row, and as a result, our teams continue to grow as well!

What you'll do:

• Creative strategy and execution: As a master of your craft, you will define and execute a cohesive creative strategy for our new brand. Building on the North Star for the brand, you will shape and nurture how 8am comes to life across all creative components and campaigns. You will both lead from the front and roll up your sleeves to build a unique and compelling brand experience that resonates with target customers and drives business results.
• Brand stewardship: Champion our brand expression across the company and to all stakeholders. Ensure its compelling and consistent application across touchpoints, including marketing campaigns and assets, internal and external communications, social media, video, content, events, and product experiences.
• Creative team leadership: Lead, mentor, and inspire a talented team of designers, copywriters, and other creatives, fostering a best-in-class culture of collaboration and creative excellence.
• Compelling storytelling: Define a clear, compelling brand narrative and creative vision that can be integrated and executed across channels and campaigns.
• Brand campaign development: Oversee the creation and execution of high-impact, award-winning brand campaigns across all channels.
• Creative innovation: Explore and experiment with new formats, content, and technologies to engage our target audience, build brand equity, and elevate our brand presence.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Partner closely with Marketing, Product, Corporate Communications, People, and other internal teams to ensure brand consistency and alignment across all initiatives.
• Agency partnership: Build and manage relationships with external creative agencies for brand campaigns and creative asset development.

About you:

• Transformative leader: 10+ years of experience in creative direction, with a track record of leading, inspiring, and developing high-performing creative teams.
• Master of your craft: Your broad portfolio demonstrates a mastery of storytelling, design, and conceptual thinking. You have deep experience directing and producing award-winning brand campaigns and digital experiences with both in-house and agency talent. 
• Master of mediums: Expertise in a wide range of creative disciplines, including visual design, copywriting, video production, content, and digital media. You personally possess advanced skill in at least one creative discipline (writing, design, art, etc.).
• Strategic mindset: A deep understanding of brand strategy, with proven success delivering market-leading creative work that is on strategy and drives results.
• Agency collaboration: Experience managing and collaborating with external agencies to deliver on-brand campaigns, communications, events, and sponsorships. 
• Passionate about process: You naturally create efficient and effective creative processes and systems that enable your creative team to do nothing but their best work. Ensure that creative projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Collaborative spirit: Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with a positive, motivating attitude. You forge strong relationships across teams and with external partners. You build credibility and influence with stakeholders and senior executives.

Bonus points:

• Industry knowledge: Experience and/or a strong understanding of the B2B SaaS, LegalTech, or payments landscape.
• Broad experience: Experience working both in agency and client-side roles is a plus.
• Austin, TX preferred (open to remote candidates).

Why 8am 

At 8am, our culture is shaped by the people who bring it to life every day. Together, we build a company rooted in continuous learning, genuine community, holistic wellness, and meaningful engagement—values that empower us as individuals and unite us as a team. Our culture is grounded in our core values: Work Smart, Win Fast; Outshine Ordinary, and We Find a Way. These values drive how we serve our customers and work with each other in a collaborative, inspiring, and empowering environment, every day.

Here’s how we support our 8Team:

• Health Insurance Coverage: We offer our 8Team a variety of medical, dental, and vision plans, designed to fit your needs, including a 100% company-paid HDHP plan for employees.
• Financial perks: We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package including annual bonuses, equity options and 401(k) or RRSP if in Canada, with a company match for all team members.
• Time for what matters: Flexible Time Off, paid holidays, and a parental leave program for our new parents.
• Wellness: Wellness stipends, mental health support, and one-on-one nutrition coaching.
• Learning and Development: Continuous learning through 8am.edu, leadership programs, professional development funds, and individually focused talent development.
• Giving back to the communities around us: Participate in our charitable matching gift program, paid time off for volunteer service, and company-sponsored volunteer events (both local and virtually).
• Engagement: Virtual and in-person team-building events, quarterly award recognition through our Rise & Shine Award of Excellence Program, and our peer-to-peer appreciation platform.

At 8am, we don’t just offer benefits—we create an environment where people can thrive, grow, and make a real impact every day.

Diversity, equity & inclusion at 8am

At 8am, we recognize that innovation occurs with a strong team of people who are diverse in background, personality, talent and ideas. Experience comes in many forms and ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace where we continue to learn from each other is an integral part of our culture. We are committed to creating a welcoming and transparent environment for all that embraces those differences through education, equal access to opportunities and information, inclusionary programs, and community outreach. 

Security advisory

Our hiring teams at 8am are dedicated to recruiting top talent that share our passion for serving the professional services industry through innovative financial technology.  As such, our Talent Acquisition Team only follows legitimate hiring practices.  We will always communicate with our candidates using emails with the 8am domain and will never ask for sensitive/personal data during the application process.  All interviews take place over phone call, Zoom/Google Meet or in person.  All offers are communicated verbally by our Talent Acquisition Specialists with a written offer letter as a follow up.