Assistant Vice President, Global Creative Director, Color Wow DMI

AVP, Creative Director – Color Wow

L'Oréal USA – Professional Products Division | New York, NY (Hybrid)

The Role

We are seeking an AVP, Creative Director to lead the visual and conceptual identity of Color Wow, a brand with immense cultural ambition and distinct architectural needs. This is not an agency role; you will not 'pitch' to a client. Instead, you will co-create alongside marketing and digital partners, sharing a P&L and an equal seat at the table.

In our global organization, ideas navigate complex layers of executive review before reaching the market. Success here requires a rare hybrid of conceptual brilliance and 'organizational fitness': the ability to build deep trust with non-creative peers while defending the integrity of an edgy idea.

The Operating Environment

You will lead a team of three as the senior creative voice across the brand.

You will partner directly with Brand Presidents and senior stakeholders. Decisions here are high-pressure, non-linear, and rarely made by a single person. If that complexity energizes you, you'll thrive.

Who This Role Is For

• A Matrixed Leader: You have led creative teams within a complex corporate structure. You understand that 'The Process' is not an obstacle to the craft. It is the craft.
• A Business Collaborator: You treat marketing partners as co-conspirators, not clients. You speak the language of growth and performance, using that fluency to strengthen your creative positions.
• A Battle-Tested Manager: You have real 'reps' in people leadership. You've mastered the art of the hard conversation, made exit calls, and coached high-potential talent through difficult seasons without becoming a bottleneck.
• A Multi-Hyphenate Thinker: You are equally fluent in 30,000-foot brand platforms and the granular realities of production at scale.
• A Cultural Scout: You have a working understanding of how beauty, music, fashion, and internet subcultures intersect. You know which trends are signals and which are just noise.

What the Work Actually Looks Like

In place of a generic list of duties, here are the situations you will navigate weekly. If these scenarios sound like a welcome challenge, you are the right candidate:

• Navigating Revisions: Guiding a partner through a third round of concept revisions so the work comes out sharper, not flatter.
• The 'Presidential' Room: Defending a creative stance to a Brand President while genuinely integrating their pushback. You know when to pivot and when to hold the line.
• Direct Feedback: Giving in-the-moment, 'kind-but-clear' feedback to a direct report whose work is missing the mark, and following through with accountability if it doesn't improve.
• End-to-End Execution: Leading everything from global hero films and retail vision to packaging direction and in-salon activations.
• High-Status Diplomacy: Sitting across from a difficult partner and finding the version of the conversation that moves the work forward rather than escalating the tension.
• Future-Proofing: Partnering with the SVP to evolve our capabilities in in-house production and AI-augmented workflows.

The Team and the Bar

You will lead a core team of 2 direct reports across Art Direction and Video/Photo. You are accountable for their growth, performance, and the ultimate quality of their output.

The standard for the work is:

• Resilience: Concepts that survive heavy review without losing their 'edge.'
• Craft Fluency: The ability to credibly direct film, photography, design, and emerging digital formats.
• Modern Sensibility: A curious, unafraid approach to AI and how it can sharpen our creative pipeline.
• Cultural Point of View: A clear stance on what is happening in the world and why it matters to our brands.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of creative direction experience, including meaningful time inside a global matrixed organization (CPG, beauty, fashion, luxury, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience managing creative teams of 4+ direct reports, including performance management.
• A portfolio that shows both conceptual range and the ability to scale ideas across a full campaign ecosystem.
• Strong, current point of view on the beauty and broader cultural landscape.
• Comfort presenting and defending work to senior executives.

Practicalities

• New York, NY (Hybrid). Some of the most important work happens in the room.
• Travel for shoots and on-location work as needed.
• Authorization to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent, ongoing basis is required. No immigration support/sponsorship offered for this role.
• Being present in the office three days a week is considered an essential function of all office-based roles for eligible full-time employees.

What's in It for You?

• Salary range: $147,100 – $213,300, based on work experience, education, and skill level
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid parental leave
• Hybrid work environment

Diversity and Inclusion

L'Oréal USA is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.