Who We Are
VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human‑first, award‑winning work for blue‑chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate‑Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca‑Cola Company, and Wendy’s. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave Reports as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.
About WPP
WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting‑edge media intelligence and data solutions, world‑class creativity, next‑generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.
Creative Director, Social
Company: VML
Hybrid working: Working from home or Sea Containers office, London, SE1
At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever‑evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy and part technology powerhouse. Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. We do this by leveraging our three core practices: Brand experience, Customer experience and Commerce. Within these practices we offer expertise across communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, data, production, and technology. We deliver end‑to‑end solutions that result in revolutionary work.
The Role: Creative Director (Social)
We are looking for a Creative Director who doesn’t just “do social” — but sets the standard for what social creativity should be. This role is for someone who lives at the intersection of culture, creativity, and platform behaviour — and knows how to turn that into ideas that move both audiences and brands. You’ll be responsible for defining the creative vision for social across a high‑profile client account, elevating everything from always‑on content to large‑scale cultural campaigns. You won’t just respond to briefs — you’ll help shape them. You’ll lead the thinking, raise the creative ambition, and ensure the work is consistently culturally sharp, platform‑native, and strategically sound. You’ll lead and inspire multidisciplinary teams across strategy, design, copy, motion, and production, creating an environment where social‑first thinking is the default, not the exception.
Key Responsibilities
Social Creative Leadership
- Define and lead the social creative vision across a major client account
- Set the standard for social‑first thinking across campaigns, content, and always‑on activity
- Champion bold, culturally relevant ideas that earn attention rather than interrupt it
- Lead creative development from concept through to execution at scale
Platform & Cultural Authority
- Maintain a deep, instinctive understanding of how platforms evolve and how audiences behave across them
- Translate cultural insight, trends, and internet behaviour into powerful brand opportunities
- Proactively identify how brands should show up in real‑time culture — not reactively, but ahead of it
- Guide teams in building work that feels native, not adapted
Creative Direction & Craft
- Oversee the development of ideas across copy, art direction, motion, and content
- Uphold a high creative bar across all social outputs, ensuring consistency and craft excellence
- Shape storytelling across multiple formats, from short‑form content to integrated campaigns
- Partner closely with production and design leads to ensure ideas are executed with precision and intent
Leadership & Collaboration
- Inspire and mentor creatives, helping develop strong social‑first thinking across the team
- Work closely with strategy, account, and production leadership to shape output and direction
- Lead client conversations with clarity, confidence, and strong creative rationale
- Create a culture of fast, sharp, collaborative idea development
Executional Ownership
- Own the creative output across social content calendars and campaign rollouts
- Ensure all work is strategically aligned, culturally relevant, and platform‑native
- Balance long‑term brand building with real‑time, reactive opportunities
- Maintain consistency of creative quality across fast‑moving, high‑volume output
The Ideal Candidate Will
- Be a proven creative leader with experience shaping social, digital, or integrated campaigns at scale
- Have a deep, instinctive understanding of internet culture, platforms, and audience behaviour
- Be equally comfortable setting vision and rolling up sleeves in idea development when needed
- Have led and inspired multidisciplinary creative teams in fast‑paced agency environments
- Know how to translate strategy and culture into standout, platform‑native creative work
- Have a portfolio that demonstrates strong conceptual thinking, cultural relevance, and executional excellence across social
- Be excited by speed, experimentation, and pushing the boundaries of what social creativity can be
Desirable (but not essential)
- Previous Creative Director or Associate Creative Director experience on social‑first or integrated accounts
- Experience leading work for globally recognised brands in fast‑moving categories
- Strong understanding of production, content ecosystems, and creator‑led storytelling
What’s in it for you?
- Life Assurance
- Permanent Health Insurance
- BUPA
- Flexible hybrid‑working schedule
- Enhanced family‑friendly policies
- Well‑being Programme
- Employee Assistance Support
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Eye Care and Glasses Vouchers
- Season Ticket Loans
- WPP Discounts
You will also have a clear long‑term career development plan and access to our learning and development activities and online learning platforms.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, colour, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal. If you are unable or limited in your ability to access our career site as a result of a disability, we will be happy to assist you. Please contact our People Team at melissa.morton@vml.com to request an alternate accommodation. We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That is why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
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