CREATIVE DIRECTOR CONTRACTOR ROLE

BUCK is a talent-driven, global creative company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, Amsterdam and London. Since 2004 we have been building a home for the world’s most talented dreamers, makers, and doers in a collaborative, ego-free culture that breeds partnership and creative ambition.

Contract: This role will commence with a two-week trial period within an initial four-month contract, with potential for incremental extensions that may continue for a year or more.

Location: Sydney, Australia (Please indicate if you can work on-site at Buck Sydney with appropriate working rights.)

Schedule: Buck Sydney operates Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm AET. Some work may occur outside standard business hours depending on project and client needs. Additional hours are compensated according to applicable local working-rights standards and BUCK’s normal practices and procedures.

Job Description:

As a Creative Director at BUCK, you play a pivotal role in shaping the artistic direction and creative output of the studio. You lead a team of talented designers, animators, and creatives, guiding them to produce innovative and visually stunning work across various platforms and mediums. You have your finger on the pulse of contemporary trends but are also dedicated to honing your craft and are unafraid of exploring new mediums, styles, and emerging technologies. This position requires a visionary leader with a keen eye for design, a passion for storytelling, and the ability to inspire and motivate others.

Responsibilities:

Creative Leadership

• Creative vision and strategy: Develop and maintain a cohesive creative vision for the brand, campaign, or project, ensuring strong alignment with overall business strategy.
• Working closely with Strategy Director, Production and Art Directors - provide visionary leadership to the creative team, inspiring them to push the boundaries of design and animation.
• Provide direction and feedback on client projects, including delegating tasks, motivating team members, and resolving conflicts.
• Set the creative direction for all projects, ensuring alignment with client briefs and brand guidelines.
• Foster a collaborative and supportive creative environment where team members feel empowered to share ideas and contribute to the creative process.
• Direct through design - sketch, draw over, or jump into Photoshop or 3D tools to clarify intent and communicate vision.
• Understand how design choices connect to overarching strategy and narrative, contributing to strategic conversations even if not leading them.
• Communicate clearly and calmly under pressure, maintaining clarity of vision and leadership even when projects become complex or unclear.

Project Management

• Oversee the entire lifecycle of projects from concept to delivery, ensuring deadlines are met and budgets are adhered to.
• Involved in the evaluation and bidding process of complex briefs.
• Work closely with clients to understand their needs and objectives, providing creative solutions that exceed their expectations.
• Collaborate with Producers, Craft Leads, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth project execution and client satisfaction.
• Be comfortable with constant feedback loops - via calls, Slack, and live reviews - translating insights into actionable next steps.
• Skilled at team direction - understand the strengths of individual artists and allocate work efficiently, adapting quickly as project timelines shift.

Team Development

• Mentor and develop team members, providing guidance on creative techniques, industry trends, and career growth opportunities.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback to help team members reach their full potential.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development within the creative team.
• Encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration and empower team members to bring their full creative potential to each project.
• Quality Assurance
• Maintain high-quality standards across all creative output, reviewing work to ensure it meets client expectations and aligns with project objectives.
• Implement processes and workflows to streamline production and improve efficiency without compromising on quality.
• Stay up-to-date with industry best practices and emerging trends in design and animation, incorporating them into our work where relevant.
• Be familiar with the 3D pipeline - not necessarily as a practitioner, but with enough fluency to communicate effectively with 3D teams and guide creative integration.

Client Relations

• Act as a confident and articulate client-facing lead - able to present work clearly, respond to feedback thoughtfully, and provide rationale in real time.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with clients through transparency, responsiveness, and clear communication.
• Represent the studio at client meetings, presentations, and industry events, showcasing our creative capabilities and expertise.
• Listen carefully and digest client feedback quickly, translating it into actionable steps for the team.
• Experienced in deck writing and presentation - able to craft strong rationales for visuals and structure them effectively for client presentations.

Requirements:

• Proven experience in a creative leadership role, preferably within a design and animation studio or creative agency.
• Exceptional portfolio showcasing a range of design and animation work across various mediums, styles, and platforms.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a team.
• Strong communication and comprehension skills - listen actively, absorb client feedback quickly, and turn it into actionable direction.
• Proficiency with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Figma a plus.
• In-depth knowledge of animation techniques, visual effects, and motion graphics.
• A first-hand understanding of a range of pipelines is highly desired in order to navigate our wide range of projects.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines.
• Experienced in structuring and presenting decks and creative rationale for clients.
• Strategic thinker with a creative mindset, an expert eye for design and a passion for storytelling.
• Strong client-facing skills, with experience presenting and pitching creative concepts.
• Calm and adaptable under pressure, maintaining composure in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced collaborative, multidisciplinary teams across time zones and adapt to changing priorities and requirements.
   

Apply for the job

Do you want to join our team as our new Creative Director contractor? Then we'd love to hear about you!