We’re looking for a

Creative Director

about the role

The Creative Director is responsible for inspiring, guiding, and empowering a multidisciplinary creative team: consisting of architects, illustrators, concept designers, and art directors. By fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence, the director ensures that the team consistently delivers world-class design work. With a strong focus on design quality and creative vision, the director sets and guards the standard for originality, storytelling, and craftsmanship, ensuring that every project reflects the highest level of creativity and design integrity.

If you are interested in this role, please send us your CV and portfolio of work to info@leisure-expert.com to the attention of Linda Verkerk. We look forward to your reply, preferably no later than October 31st, 2025.

The position is fully based on-site in Amsterdam. Therefore, it is important that you live in (or near) Amsterdam, or are able to relocate to the area in the near future.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leadership and Management

  • Lead, inspire, and support the creative design studio by cultivating a collaborative and innovative work environment.

  • Foster team engagement and ensure efficient task execution while providing guidance and encouragement.

  • Actively recognize individual strengths and identify opportunities for both professional and personal growth within the team.

  • Conducting annual performance evaluations of the creative design studio (17 p.).

  • Ensuring available knowledge and expertise of the designers is optimally utilized in projects.

Design Quality

  • Responsible for the team’s production of high quality design work company-wide.

  • Accountable for the overall design quality and consistency of all studio output.

  • Oversee the successful delivery of design projects, ensuring they align with creative objectives and meet high-quality standards.

  • Oversee design workflows and take responsibility for quality control.

Support on Projects

  • Intervene proactively and provide support on projects by identifying bottlenecks early, maintaining oversight of processes, and ensuring the quality of deliverables.

Design Vision and Strategy

  • Develop and implement long-term design studio goals in line with company vision and market trends.

Brand Identity and Consistency

  • Safeguard visual consistency across all projects and deliverables.

  • Optimize and guard presentation formats, design language, and documentation processes.

Cross-Department Collaboration

  • Act as a partner to the creative design studio, project management, operations, and executive teams.

  • Contribute to efficient workflows in multidisciplinary project teams.

Knowledge and Innovation

  • Keep the creative design studio up to date with industry developments, trends, and emerging design tools.

  • Encourage continuous learning and lead knowledge-sharing initiatives.

  • Introduce new design methodologies and tools where relevant.

required skills

  • Leadership and Team Management Skills: Proven ability to lead, guide, motivate, and mentor a creative team.

  • Design Skills: Deep knowledge of design methods, fundamentals and their application. Proven experience in design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud), Vectorworks or other architectural software.

  • Design Processes: A solid understanding of the process from conceptual to build-ready design is essential, along with the ability to guide designers in solving and developing designs – always with the creative intent as the foundation.

  • Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present and explain design ideas to stakeholders and clients. Skilled at facilitating open and clear communication within the team to ensure everyone understands tasks, expectations, and feedback.

  • Portfolio: A strong portfolio that demonstrates design experience on large-scale design projects, successful real-world implementations, and a solid understanding of design principles and project execution.

  • Business Acumen: Strong understanding of how design impacts both the business and the customer experience.

personal

  • Proven experience in leading and inspiring diverse creative teams.

  • Extensive experience in, and a strong passion for the leisure industry: themed entertainment industry, including attractions and experiences.

  • Creative and innovative thinker.

  • Highly organized and detail-oriented person.

  • Strong collaborator with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

  • Problem-solver: Strong analytical skills and the ability to approach design challenges from a strategic perspective.

  • Positive and flexible nature.

  • Initiative and self-starter, make things happen independently.

  • Work Experience: 10+ years in architecture, experience design or related, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role

  • Educational: HBO/WO in architecture, engineering, set design, themed entertainment design or related field.