Creative Director (Freelance)

Words may start the story, but visuals are what get people to stop long enough to feel something. To see themselves in it. To believe it. And "stop + feel + believe" is what we are aiming for right now at Tote + Pears, which is why we're looking for you.

As the Creative Director, you'll build brands and run campaigns that help us navigate big moments. Supporting those of us caring for aging parents while raising children. Helping us find our way back to each other during one of the most divided times in American history. Ensuring technology doesn't overtake our humanity.

About us

Tote + Pears is a strategy studio. We study how societal shifts affect how people live and work, then turn those insights into campaigns that get people what they need. Since 2012, we've worked with leaders and brands of all sizes to help them understand their audiences and meet them.

We've erased the lines, thrown out the org chart and built a team of smart, kind people who see the world differently. We have no boundaries, but we do have a few rules.

• Treat people the way you want to be treated.
• Do what you say you're going to do and do it well.
• Care.
• Find a way.

About you

You'll guide a global team of thoughtful and talented creatives. From designing the visual identity for a brand that helps our loved ones age with dignity and grace to leading the creative campaign that elevates women athletes ahead of the 2028 Olympics, you'll be at the center of it all.

What you'll do

This is a leadership position for someone who is equal parts creator and big thinker. You lead and you do. In a small, fast-moving environment where everyone plays a role, that balance matters. We've given you a template, but you'll really be writing your own job description, and that inspires you. You've been here before, you know what works, and you're ready to bring all of it to Tote + Pears.

You'll work alongside our founder and head of strategy to reimagine the creative studio and what it looks like when it's used to inject good into society.

• Lead the creative vision for client engagements from brief to delivery, ensuring every campaign is strategic, specific and true to each client's mission.
• Own campaigns end-to-end, including managing production partners and holding the standard across everything that goes out.
• Manage and mentor a distributed creative team, giving clear direction and making space for people to do their best work.
• Oversee brand identity, campaign development and execution across the portfolio.
• Contribute to new business by translating strategy into compelling creative concepts.
• Build the systems, processes and culture that make the studio run well.

What you bring

• Ten or more years of experience leading creative work, in-house, at an agency or both.
• A portfolio that shows range across brand identity, campaigns, content and digital.
• Experience managing creative teams and owning the quality of the work.
• The ability to think strategically and execute precisely.
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to present, defend and evolve ideas.
• Experience working with clients in sports, healthcare, tech or social impact is a plus.

We want to hear from you

If this sounds like you, but you don't check all of the boxes, apply anyway. We read every application, and experience is only one of the factors we consider when looking for our next teammate. So say hello.