Group Creative Director

About R/GA

R/GA operates as an innovative creative company designed for the intelligence age, leveraging design and technology to craft meaningful experiences for people and brands. As a company committed to continual evolution, R/GA stays ahead by adapting as technology transforms the world and supports clients in doing the same.

The team comprises specialists working at the crossroads of brand design, experience design, technology, and communications. They function in a hybrid model within the MENA studio and remotely across EMEA, bringing together top talents to address complex challenges.

Position Overview

We seek a Creative Lead for the MENA region to co-direct the creative vision and output. This pivotal leadership role suits a conceptual and strategic design expert with wide-ranging experience covering brand, product, experience, and communications domains.

The successful candidate will partner with the MENA Lead to fuel regional growth, spearhead new business initiatives, and cultivate the creative culture and standards within the MENA studio. The candidate will integrate brand, experience, technology, and communications disciplines to build comprehensive and innovative brand experiences.

The role demands comfort in diverse settings including pitch presentations, managing multi-disciplinary teams, and overseeing creative outputs across various project types such as brand transformations, digital product launches, experience ecosystems, and communication platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the MENA Business Lead to stimulate new business and lead pitch efforts.
• Design and develop brand identities, products, experiences, and design systems driven by strategic narratives.
• Supervise design teams to ensure deliverables surpass R/GA quality standards and client expectations.
• Set and enhance creative standards across all regional projects, emphasizing innovation, cultural relevance, and excellence.
• Build and guide a diverse creative team fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration and professional development.
• Lead integration of brand identity, product design, and communications to create cohesive brand experience ecosystems.
• Work closely with Strategy, Tech, Experience, and Production leads for aligned project execution from concept through delivery.
• Champion AI-driven operational methods across pitches and projects, including prompt systems, asset-generation workflows, and evaluation criteria prioritizing innovation and quality.
• Develop playbooks, conduct training, and codify best practices to advance AI adoption throughout different disciplines.
• Lead persuasive new business pitches featuring compelling narratives, prototypes, and solutions demonstrating tangible brand and product benefits.
• Build and maintain senior client relationships, identify opportunities, navigate uncertainties, and guide long-term growth strategies.
• Deliver polished client presentations confidently and coherently.
• Express thought leadership on design trends, industrial shifts, and technology advancements.
• Represent R/GA at industry forums, thought leadership engagements, and public communications.

Candidate Profile

• Experience collaborating within global networks and diverse cultural environments, with preference for MENA familiarity.
• Proven leadership and inspiration capabilities in generating influential creative work across brand and experience sectors.
• Expertise in design fundamentals and interaction design encompassing brand, product, and experience.
• Ability to ensure top-quality outcomes across multiple workflows and workstreams.
• Track record of leading multidisciplinary teams spanning visual, experience, and communication spheres.
• Strong collaboration skills with strategic, creative, technological, and business teams.
• Proactive mindset, positivity, and capacity for independent work.
• Robust new business skills including pitching, winning contracts, and fostering enduring client relationships.
• Interest and openness towards emerging technologies and novel thought processes.
• Active advocacy for AI as a transformative tool and medium for superior creative outcomes.
• Capability to conceive and deliver award-winning creative projects.
• Confident and inspiring leadership presence and respected industry representative.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Over 10 years’ experience in agency or equivalent design leadership roles.
• Mastery in design principles and methodologies.
• Proficiency in connecting design thinking to brand strategy and technology innovations.
• Experience managing creative teams across various disciplines.
• Expertise with Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Keynote, and emergent AI tools.
• Experience with prototyping methodologies.
• Motion design expertise is advantageous.
• Passion for mentoring and nurturing creative talent.

Work Environment and Benefits

• Chance to establish the creative framework for R/GA MENA and influence regional impact.
• Collaborative, diverse workplace fostering innovation.
• Hybrid work culture based in UAE providing flexibility and autonomy.
• Access to a global network of experts in thinking, making, and technology.
• Resources and budget supporting health, wellness, and continuous learning.
• Inclusive, people-first, and supportive organizational culture.

Diversity and Inclusion

We welcome candidates regardless of identity, background, faith, disability, ethnicity, or gender. Please inform us of any requirements for accommodations throughout the recruitment process.