Creative Director

Job description

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum. At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging. Role Overview We are looking for a culturally fluent, Social Creative Director - an expert in Chinese Social Media to lead breakthrough ideas across integrated communications in China. This role sits at the intersection of earned and social media, digital experience, and brand storytelling, with a strong strategic understanding for shaping ideas that drive conversation, influence, and measurable business impact. You will be responsible for developing earned-first, social-by-design creative platforms that travel across channels, earned, owned and shared, while ensuring relevance within China’s fast-evolving digital ecosystem. Key Responsibilities 1. Integrated Creative Leadership Lead the development of big, earned-first ideas that can scale across, social, digital, experiential and PR. Shape strategic thinking that paves the way for breakthrough social first ideas Translate business challenges and insights into integrated creative platforms, not just executions Ensure creative output aligns with brand purpose, reputation goals, and audience engagement Champion “ideas that earn attention” rather than traditional paid-first campaigns 2. Social & Digital-First Thinking Engineer and drive social-by-design creativity, ensuring ideas are native to platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, Douyin and Xiaohongshu Leverage real-time trends, cultural moments, and community behaviors to shape creative direction Partner with social, content, and influence teams to develop always-on and campaign-based content ecosystems Integrate KOL/KOC and creator strategies into the core creative idea, not as an afterthought 3. Influence & Earned Media Integration Create ideas that are inherently newsworthy, shareable, and conversation-driving Collaborate with PR and media teams to ensure campaigns generate earned media impact and cultural relevance Design campaigns that work seamlessly across earned, owned, shared, (and paid channels) 4. Client Partnership & Thought Leadership Act as a senior creative partner to clients, shaping briefs and influencing marketing and communications strategy Present ideas with clarity, storytelling, and confidence to senior stakeholders Proactively bring innovative, culturally relevant thinking to clients 5. Creative Excellence & Future Team Leadership Develop and inspire a multidisciplinary team (art, copy, content, social creatives) Set high standards for craft across formats: short video, social content, interactive, experiential, and digital platforms Foster a collaborative, inclusive working relationship with integrated Edelman teams and a high-performing creative culture 6. Data, Insights & Effectiveness Partner with APAC strategy and data teams to ensure ideas are grounded in insights and audience intelligence Use performance data and social listening to optimize creative output in real time Focus on work that drives engagement, influence, and measurable business outcomes Qualifications & Experience 12-15+ years in creative roles, integrated communications, or PR and advertising agencies Proven experience delivering integrated, earned-led and or social campaigns in China Strong understanding of China’s media landscape, social digital platforms, and cultural trends Experience working with influencers, social ecosystems, and content creators Portfolio demonstrating earned-first, socially driven creative work Skills & Competencies Big idea thinker with strong executional oversight Strategically driven Deep understanding of China social and digital platform and strategy Deep understanding of brand, reputation, and communications strategy Strong storytelling and presentation skills Ability to collaborate across disciplines (strategy, PR, digital, data) Fluent in Mandarin and English, verbal and written communication What Sets You Apart You think earned-first, not channel-first You create ideas that people want to share, not just see You understand how creativity drives reputation, trust, and influence You thrive in a model where social, PR and digital are fully integrated We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.