Head of Creative Direction (all genders)

Location
Berlin
Contract
Full time
Job Category
Creative Production

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

In 2025 and beyond, we aim to evolve our Content Strategies, doubling down on creating innovative and exciting content experiences that delight our customers with joyful, inspiring, and engaging moments when connecting with our Platform.

While we will continue to excel in our functional customer promises (choice and convenience), we need to further develop and invest in creative and emotional drivers (inspiration and personal relevance).

The role of the Head of Creative Direction is pivotal in this evolution. Specifically, this leader will:

  • Set the creative direction for Zalando Content Experiences and nurture a vibrant creative culture across multiple teams leveraging and amplifying Zalando’ Brand DNA.

  • Our mission is to develop creative strategies and solutions that have high visibility and a significant positive impact on Zalando - both when it comes to Brand Perception as well as Customer Engagement.

  • Bring a unified creative direction across various creative teams that contribute to or influence Zalando's content strategy and creation.

Furthermore, this role will champion innovative, technology-driven, and data-driven content strategies and creation methods.

  • Empower Zalando teams to improve collaboration, innovate, and increase creative quality and consistency across our B2C and B2B content businesses.

  • This includes launching large-scale Brand Partner campaigns, enhancing our "always-on" Proposition content experiences, and elevating our Product Detail Pages to inspire and inform our customers better.

  • This also includes interactive content experiences, personalized recommendations, AR/VR applications, and innovative creator led content formats across multiple touchpoints and moments in the customer journey.

The Head of Creative Direction is envisioned as a creative visionary and innovator who pushes boundaries.

  • Enjoy diving into design and execution, be excited by ambitious creative briefs and ambiguous starting points, and possess exceptional communication skills to effectively interface, influence, and collaborate across all levels of Zalando.

  • While we embrace ambiguity as a catalyst for creativity, we also provide a supportive framework and access to resources to help navigate complex challenges.

  • Continue to evolve and strengthen Zalando’s creative (new style of entertainment)

This leader will have extensive experience in leading and mentoring creative teams, as well as providing creative guidance and direction to cross-functional teams involved in content creation and strategy in the fashion and lifestyle environment.

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

  • Work with leadership and teams to consult on collaboration opportunities and assess potential impact.

  • Lead the development of creative solutions and manage the strategic briefing and execution necessary to demonstrate market and industry impact.

  • Effectively communicate creative strategies to creative teams and provide constructive feedback on projects (e.g., on and off-site activations, large-scale campaigns, cultural moments).

  • Your work will significantly impact strategic investments, creative execution, organizational structures, resource allocation, product priorities, brand direction, go-to-market strategies, and more.

  • You are bold and out-of-the-box in your creative thinking, yet pragmatic in crafting and executing solutions.

  • You are an innovator who embraces technology and innovation, and you can inspire this enthusiasm in others.

  • You are an attentive listener with a proven ability to transform high-stakes business use cases into compelling and differentiating brand-building opportunities.

  • You have the ability to amplify your impact and skills through others.

  • Your proof of concept is designed to be integrated into business, product, and creative processes.

  • Use creative strategies to explore uncharted creative territories.

  • Lead and conduct creative studies, including developing and communicating practical implications to senior leadership.

  • Mentor and develop junior creative teams and designers.

  • Develop new repeatable creative strategies and guidelines that can be utilized across various teams, including those outside of the core creative department.

  • Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of creative initiatives, such as brand engagement, conversion rates, customer satisfaction scores, and overall campaign performance. Utilize data analysis and reporting to monitor progress and inform future strategies.

WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

  • 10+ years of professional creative experience in the creative industry, with 5+ years of managerial experience.

  • A problem solver who understands the complexities of today’s content/media/marketing landscape and identifies market gaps.

  • An ability to and excitement for building relationships from scratch and communicating confidently with the C-suite, navigating complex stakeholder ecosystems, with a keen eye for budgets and holistic planning.

  • A strong ability to understand and interpret research (both quantitative and qualitative) and translate raw data into actionable strategic solutions using proprietary approaches.

  • Empathy: Actively put yourself in the shoes of others to ensure we are presenting relevant and achievable solutions to the right people in the right way.

  • Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex creative strategies to both expert and non-expert audiences, and to lead strategic conversations with stakeholders at all levels.

  • Strong creative track record with a proven ability to drive results.

  • Hands-on experience with digital formats, content and campaigns, the design of new brand identities, and demand generation mechanisms.

  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced business environment.

  • Exhibits high creative judgment.

  • Dives deep, thinks big, and has strong convictions.

  • Evidence of driving positive impact.

OUR OFFER

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

  • Employee shares program

  • 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners

  • 2 paid volunteering days a year

  • Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration

  • Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year

  • 27 days of vacation a year to start for full-time employees

  • Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

  • Family services, including counseling and support

  • Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub)

  • Mental health support and coaching available

  • Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review

 

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce - one that is inclusive by design. We only assess candidates based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applications from people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, personal expressions, racial identities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, and disability statuses. We only want to know why you’re great for this role, so please avoid including your picture, age, and marital status in your CV as well.

We want to provide you with a great candidate experience. Please feel free to inform us of any accommodations you may need, so we can best support and assist you throughout the hiring process.

do.BETTER - our diversity & inclusion strategy: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion

Recruiter

Madalina Negrila

madalina.negrila@zalando.de

Please note that all applications from this job page must be completed using the online form - we do not accept applications via e-mail. Once reviewed, our recruiters will contact applicants via an official Zalando email address (@zalando.de).

In some cases we also work with a selection of headhunters and agencies to fill specific roles. Please note that neither Zalando nor our recruiting partners will ask for any kind of payment to apply for a job or attend an interview.

If you have any questions about our recruitment process, please take a look at our FAQ page.

About Zalando

It’s the perfect time to join Zalando on our journey to build the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce. Help us offer an inspiring and quality multi-brand shopping experience for fashion and lifestyle products to about 50 million active customers in 25 markets. Or be part of our logistic infrastructure, software or service capabilities to help brands and retailers run and scale their entire e-commerce business, on or off Zalando. Join our Zalando ecosystem, to enable positive change for the fashion and lifestyle industry. 

Learn more about our culture