Creative Director

Location: Remote – Must be in North America. Denver/Boulder/Carbondale/Aspen preferred.

Employment Type: Full-Time

About

client exists to elevate human-powered movement in the mountains. We design and build the highest-performing and most functional equipment and apparel for ski touring and running.

We are one of the fastest-growing brands in outdoor sports by defying industry norms and holding an uncompromising bar across product, storytelling, and how we operate internally. This is a rare opportunity to help build a generational brand from the ground up — where everything you create directly shapes how athletes experience the mountains.

This will be client’s third full-time hire, working closely with the Founder (background at SpaceX, Snap, and The North Face).

The Role

client is looking for a Creative Director to define how the brand shows up across product, content, and physical experience — from packaging and retail displays to long-form storytelling and digital touchpoints.

This is not a traditional campaign-only creative role. You’ll operate at the intersection of product, brand, and performance culture, translating client’s design philosophy into a cohesive creative system that scales across channels.

You will define creative standards, guide art direction, and ensure everything we produce — from athlete content to wholesale assets — feels unmistakably client.

This role is both strategic and deeply hands-on. You will concept, direct, critique, and build.

What You’ll Own

Brand Vision & Creative Direction

• Define and evolve client’s visual language and creative expression.
• Establish brand systems and guardrails that ensure cohesion across all touchpoints.
• Set and uphold the creative standard across product, digital, and physical environments.
• Translate technical product innovation into clear, differentiated storytelling.

Physical Design & Product Expression

• Design and implement client’s packaging systems.
• Define seasonal color and print direction in collaboration with product.
• Develop physical brand touchpoints across events, retail environments, and tradeshows.
• Ensure the physical experience of the brand feels intentional and elevated.

Campaigns & Product Launches

• Concept and direct seasonal launch campaigns (starting with SS26).
• Lead creative development from idea through execution — including shoots and asset creation.
• Craft culturally relevant ideas that position client as a leader in human-powered movement.

Content & Art Direction

• Define the creative direction across web, social, email, and digital environments.
• Build frameworks for athlete storytelling and long-form brand narratives.
• Direct photo and video shoots in mountain environments.
• Establish scalable creative systems that allow a lean team to execute consistently.

Creative Operations & Team Building

• Work with freelance designers, photographers, filmmakers, and collaborators.
• Build scalable creative workflows appropriate for a fast-growing startup.
• Use technology and AI tools to operate lean while maintaining a high production standard.
• Help define future internal creative hires as the brand scales.

Some of Your First Projects

• Define and formalize client’s creative world and visual systems.
• Lead and execute the SS26 launch campaign.
• Establish a cohesive visual system across web, social, and email.
• Direct early content shoots.
• Shape client’s presence at running and ski touring events.
• Improve client’s packaging.

Qualifications

Experience

• 6+ years in creative roles at high-growth consumer brands, agencies, or design studios.
• Proven experience leading creative direction for product launches and campaigns.
• Experience building or evolving a brand’s identity and systems.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating unique world-building, visual taste, and storytelling ability.
• Comfortable operating in lean, high-ownership startup environments.