How to hire a creative manager

How to hire a creative manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step creative manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a creative manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new creative manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a creative manager do?

Post a creative manager job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your creative manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a creative manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a creative manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a creative manager that fits the bill.

   This list presents creative manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Creative Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Creative Manager	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.	$29-58
   Manager, Strategy	A strategy manager is a professional who reviews a company's objectives for growth and works with executives to formulate actionable plans to achieve these objectives. To make comprehensive recommendations, strategy managers must conduct data analysis of the organization as well as the overall industry... Show more	$37-73
   Marketing Manager/Project Manager	A marketing manager/project manager oversees a company's marketing programs and projects, aiming to attract more customers and increase the brand value of a business, product, or service. They primarily perform market research and assessments to identify marketing trends and opportunities, gather and analyze data to generate business leads, study the consumer and competitors in the industry, and identify the weaknesses and strengths of existing marketing projects, utilizing information to enhance operations... Show more	$26-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Digital Marketing
   • Graphic Design
   • Adobe Creative Suite
   • Creative Strategy
   • Creative Concepts
   • Creative Direction
   • Photography
   • PowerPoint
   • Creative Process
   • Creative Services
   • Email Campaigns
   • Integrated Marketing
   • WordPress

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage copywriting team and serve as lead copywriter on various projects from conception to execution.
   • Manage direct mail campaigns, RFP development, surveys, focus groups and market studies.
   • Deliver clear, concise copywriting and manage messaging for company as corporate direction and strategies change and grow into new markets.
   • Initiate RFP process for agency selection and manage all advertising agency activities.
   • Collaborate with CEO of RCI and other senior leaders to create powerful and innovative PowerPoint presentations and videos.
   • Produce visually stimulating proposals that include custom logos, floor plans, videos and PowerPoint or Prezi presentations.

   More creative manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your creative manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A creative manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a creative manager in Maine may be lower than in California, and an entry-level creative manager usually earns less than a senior-level creative manager. Additionally, a creative manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average creative manager salary

   $87,130yearly

   $41.89 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level creative manager salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average creative manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$114,940	$55
   2	Rhode Island	$103,496	$50
   3	North Carolina	$99,518	$48
   4	Virginia	$95,697	$46
   5	Maryland	$95,667	$46
   6	Pennsylvania	$92,912	$45
   7	New York	$92,163	$44
   8	Oregon	$90,955	$44
   9	District of Columbia	$89,197	$43
   10	West Virginia	$87,434	$42
   11	Ohio	$86,904	$42
   12	Arizona	$86,696	$42
   13	Nevada	$86,282	$41
   14	Massachusetts	$85,997	$41
   15	Florida	$84,952	$41
   16	Texas	$82,781	$40
   17	New Mexico	$80,631	$39
   18	Tennessee	$80,332	$39
   19	Colorado	$78,320	$38
   20	Alaska	$77,197	$37

   Average creative manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$143,303	$68.90	81
   2	Meta	$138,500	$66.59	435
   3	PVH	$131,011	$62.99	7
   4	Family Dollar	$123,037	$59.15	4
   5	Sandy Spring Bank	$121,522	$58.42
   6	Ziff Davis	$119,812	$57.60	1
   7	Netflix	$119,773	$57.58	56
   8	IGN	$119,273	$57.34	3
   9	Citi	$118,611	$57.02	17
   10	Uber Technologies	$114,756	$55.17
   11	Sally Beauty Holdings	$114,458	$55.03	1
   12	Gap Inc.	$113,133	$54.39
   13	Amazon	$112,446	$54.06	920
   14	Estée Lauder	$112,277	$53.98	16
   15	The Walt Disney Company	$109,944	$52.86	101
   16	Corsair	$107,969	$51.91
   17	Walmart	$105,427	$50.69	194
   18	Hasbro	$104,299	$50.14	28
   19	Wizards of the Coast	$102,958	$49.50
   20	Cengage Learning	$102,230	$49.15	79

4. Writing a creative manager job description

   A creative manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a creative manager job description:

   Creative manager job description example

   BE authentic. BE influential. BE the expert. Be all that and more at Colliers.
   
   At Colliers, we help leaders succeed by helping them build amazing workplaces, businesses and communities around the world. We do this by thinking differently, sharing innovative ideas and offering a unique and collaborative workplace where you can succeed.
   
   Who you are
   You're an experienced graphic design/marketing professional who is looking to take the next step in your career by leveraging your creative ideas into a growing industry. This role leads best-in-class creative direction for high-profile property campaigns and business development pursuits of a top-producing brokerage team.
   
   What you bring
   Bachelor's degree preferably in Business, Marketing, or related field required Minimum 5-7 years of marketing, graphic and digital design experience ; some experience in online design and email marketing preferable Experience with B2B marketing (via social media is a plus) Previous commercial real estate experience Advanced proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite 4: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat. Adobe Flash and/or Microsoft Silverlight expertise is a plus Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office SuiteAdvanced knowledge of printing technologies, including writing print specs, quote requests, and setting up print-ready files Strong solutions-oriented design aesthetic Exceptional customer service, organizational and prioritization skills Ability to work well under pressure, juggle multiple deadlines, handle stressful situations effectively and work with minimal direction/supervision
   
   Bonus skills and experience
   Experience with video editing Experience with web-based applications (Ceros, Brandcast) is preferred
   
   What success looks like
   You will serve as a brand champion by implementing and maintaining a high standard of design, format and production both within the team.You will provide creative leadership and direction on design, layout and production of marketing deliverables by thoughtfully integrating written and visual messages, managing the entire design process from start to end.You will provide project leadership You will collaborate with the wider marketing team to contribute to Business Development initiatives by providing strategic assistance and execution for design.You will oversee development of a variety of print and online marketing materials to include but not limited to: offering memorandums, BOVs, brochures, maps, advertising, postcards, presentations, proposals, etc.You will meet with broker teams to define project requirements and offer creative marketing solutions, then producing recommended materials to their clients' satisfaction You will source and work with external vendors to complete projects in a timely manner and within budget as required.You will drive innovation and skill development within the design team to develop property and pitch websites and presentations via preferred tools/platforms (i.e. Ceros, Brandcast).
   
   #LI-CB1
   BE who you are and what you want to be with Colliers. We'd love to meet you. Apply today to join our team.
   
   Please be aware that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colliers professionals in the United States are required to be fully vaccinated or engage in ongoing testing at regular intervals determined by Colliers in order to attend any Colliers workplace. As a condition of commencing any role, you will be required to self-report your vaccination status or testing results, as applicable, and provide verifying documentation. If you have any questions, please discuss with your Talent Acquisition Advisor.
   Direct applicants only please, no agencies.
   Colliers provides equal employment opportunity to all persons. No employee or applicant for employment will be discriminated against because of race, creed, origin, marital status, sexual orientation, age, otherwise qualified disabled or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find creative managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any creative managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level creative managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your creative manager job on Zippia to find and recruit creative manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with creative manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new creative manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the creative manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a creative manager?