Creative Director
Reports to: Global Executive Creative Director
Location: Bristol UK
Hybrid is seeking a UK based Creative Director to lead the development and delivery of ambitious creative work across brand campaigns, content and digital experiences for our higher education clients. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring someone who can move comfortably between creative direction, client engagement, and team mentorship.
While grounded in strong design craft, the position extends into workshop facilitation, film and photography art direction, and senior client engagement.
The successful candidate will bring an excellent understanding of visual communication and the confidence to lead creative discussions to both the Hybrid team + our partners.
Key Responsibilities
Creative Leadership
* Lead the development of creative concepts for brand and campaign projects
* Lead campaign ideation and narrative development
* Direct multidisciplinary teams across design, film, photography and digital
* Maintain creative quality and coherence across large campaign rollouts
* Translate strategic insights into compelling creative ideas
* Work closely with the Client Services Director to ensure prioritisation of work, project planning and team wellbeing
* Support new business development through creative input into pitches, proposals and tenders
* Support the development and guardianship of Hybrid’s own brand and internal creative output where required
Client Engagement
* Present and confidently articulate creative work to senior clients
* Facilitate creative workshops and ideation sessions with clients
* Respond confidently to feedback and evolve ideas in real time
* Act as a trusted creative partner to clients across long-term relationships
Team Mentorship
* Provide creative guidance, mentorship and oversight to designers and junior creatives in Hybrid’s Bristol and Kuala Lumpur studios
* Foster a culture of trust, creativity and constructive critique
* Know when to step in with guidance and when to empower the team to lead
* Support teams in resolving creative challenges during fast-moving projects
Travel & Production
* Travel regularly for client meetings, workshops and production shoots
* Lead on-site creative direction for photography and film where required
Skills / Experience
Essential
* Strong background in graphic design and visual communication
* Proven experience developing creative campaigns
* Experience art directing photography and video production
* Confident presenting creative work to senior stakeholders
* Ability to think creatively and respond quickly under pressure
* Strong understanding of brand systems and visual identity
* Workshop facilitation experience
Nice to haves
* Understanding of UX/UI design and digital experience
* Experience contributing to brand strategy development
* Excellent storytelling and narrative development skills
* Experience working with higher education or complex organisations
* Business leadership and acumen
Leadership Qualities
* Ability to foster an environment where creatives feel challenged and empowered to do their best work
* Comfortable articulating ideas and responding to feedback in real time
* Able to shape concepts quickly and refine thinking collaboratively
* Able to adapt quickly to evolving client needs and project challenges
* Mentor, support, and foster the growth of a dynamic design team
* Has an understanding of design trends both within the Higher Education sector, and marketing industry as a whole
* Maintaining and building client relationships, being on the forefront of new business opportunities
What’s in It for You
* Work with an ambitious, collaborative, and growing paid and strategic partnerships team.
* Lead delivery for impactful, international web and technical projects across the education sector.
* £25 monthly wellbeing allowance (e.g. gym membership).
* Matched pension
* Paid training for career accreditations.
* Internal mobility options and established career paths.
* Incentive schemes and company pension contributions.
* Hybrid working (minimum 3 days in Bristol office).
The Hybrid Difference
We don’t just run ads, we create change.
Join us in driving innovation in how education brands reach and inspire the students who will shape tomorrow.
Hybrid Media is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential - regardless of background, identity, or circumstance.
We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives, stronger creativity, and better outcomes for our people and our clients.
If you’re excited about this role but feel you don’t meet every single requirement, we’d still love to hear from you. Please reach out to our Recruitment Team () to discuss your experience or to enquire about other opportunities across our growing business.