Associate Director of Performance Creative (1)

Creative Leader For Digital Paid Media Advertising

Darkroom is the leading next-generation growth marketing firm engineering the brands of tomorrow. Founded in 2017, we set out to redefine what a modern agency could be, by replacing the inertia of legacy advertising behemoths with a model built for speed, intelligence, and measurable impact.

We're looking for a visionary creative leader with deep experience in developing ad concepts for digital paid media advertising formats on Meta, TikTok, and other channels. You're able to dive deep into the pixels and give tactical feedback on design and video, but understand how to thread the needle between performance frameworks, creative testing, and world-building assets. You're likely a Creative Strategist by trade with a background in Design, Video Editing, or Performance Marketing. You are hyper-focused on paid media performance and developing advertisements that sell products and services.

This role is for individuals who want to be at the forefront of digital advertising, AI in marketing, and join a team that is building the best creative advertising culture in the business. You will work directly on our Creative Team, which works with our clients to enhance their Creative Output. You will also work with both our Social Commerce team to enhance UGC creative and our Paid Media team to plug into their ad scaling strategies. Generally, your work will be the lifeblood of our ad programs.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of creativity, AI, and performance - combining bold visual storytelling with data-informed design decisions. You'll report to the Director of Creative and lead the management of Designers and Editors to execute paid media assets across a variety of formats, including static ads, short-form videos, motion graphics, and UGC content. Your work will directly impact client performance by delivering a high-volume of ad concepts, elevated creative direction, and data-backed testing frameworks.

What you'll do:

• Lead high-tempo creative strategy and direction for full-funnel ad programs, typically Meta and TikTok, but also YouTube, Amazon, and Display Platforms.
• Deliver expert advice, concepts, directions, and briefs to sell products and services through short-form video.
• Translate client's marketing strategy and performance data into clear, compelling ad concepts.
• Brief Designers and Editors on the creation of assets including static ads, animations, mobile-first videos, and storyboards for short-form content.
• Present creative work to stakeholders and clients with clarity, confidence, and strategic rationale.
• Monitor performance data in collaboration with the marketing team to inform creative iterations and improve results over time.

You should apply if this sounds like you:

• Have 4+ years of creative strategy work on performance ad programs, with specific focus working on short form video and statics.
• Have a digital portfolio showcasing performance ad work that includes short-form video, motion, and statics.
• Can storyboard, cut, and ship ads. You can jump into Figma to fix hierarchy and pacing, and into Photoshop or Illustrator to polish assets.
• Speak in hooks, angles, and metrics. You know thumb-stop rate, 3-second hold, hook retention, CTR, and CPA, and you use them to decide what to test next.
• Already use tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Perplexity, Icon, Runway, or similar to increase speed and volume.
• Are an excellent communicator, both in writing and when presenting to clients.
• Can turn vague goals into testable concepts, track results, and call the next iteration without hand-holding.
• Deep in Figma including Auto Layout, Components, and handoff. Strong in Adobe Creative Suite.

Hard disqualifiers:

• No Meta performance creative ad experience.
• No portfolio link or no performance context.
• Strategy-only with no hands-on design ability.
• Not excellent in client presentation and salesmanship.

Working at Darkroom:

Darkroom is not a typical agency. We are looking for A players who want to build something great. We move fast, think deeply, and expect every team member to bring insight and rigor to everything they touch. We hold a high bar for performance, creativity, and ownership — but we also support each other relentlessly. No egos, no red tape — just world-class talent building something remarkable.

We believe in autonomy with accountability, truth over comfort, and outcomes over optics.

• Unlimited PTO + Local holidays (Relevant to your hub): Rebooting is part of the work. Take the time you need to stay sharp.
• Remote-First Culture: Many roles are fully remote. Employees based in or near our New York or Lisbon HQs are expected to work hybrid with weekly in-office time. Hub locations include the Brazil and Spain.
• Parental Leave: Flexible parental leave to support new parents during this important transition.
• Growth: Our interdisciplinary model gives every Darkroomer exposure far beyond their core role. Grow your skills, expand your influence, and stay at the forefront of the industry.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Darkroom is an equal opportunity workplace—we are dedicated to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national orientation, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.