Associate Creative Director, Experiential (On-Site, New York)

MATTE is a 360° creative studio at the convergence of hype, storytelling and design. We bring people together to inspire new ways of engaging, to provoke long term progress, and to entertain audiences around the world, while helping forward-thinking brands and institutions nimbly and truly do the same. Our studio capabilities range from strategic ideation and insights, creative development, branding and identity, experiential, web design and development, campaigns and content creation, all the way through full-scale production and execution.

MATTE is seeking an Associate Creative Director with expertise in experiential and event design to join our fast-growing Creative team in New York. This is a hands-on creative leadership role for someone who can both concept and design—leading big ideas while also bringing them to life visually in 3D.

The ideal candidate is a fast, flexible creative leader who thrives in a collaborative environment. You bring strong client presence, are confident in building and delivering pitch presentations, and have a passion for developing talent while contributing to an evolving creative culture. You’re highly conceptual, grounded in strong art direction, and equally capable of executing design—translating ideas into tangible environments and experiences.

This role reports to the Head of Creative and will be responsible for:

• Lead the ideation and design of experiential brand and campaign concepts
• Develop spatial concepts and bring them to life through 3D design and visualization
• Collaborate with Copywriters, Experience Designers, Architects, and Art Directors
• Guide creative from concept through production in partnership with Producers and Project Managers
• Support new business efforts, including pitch development and presentations
• Partner with Creative and Account teams on client management and relationship building
• Present work clearly and confidently, articulating both concept and design rationale
• Contribute to MATTE’s evolving creative vision, tone of voice, and brand expression
• Support recruitment and development of creative talent

• Partner with Creative Directors to deliver thoughtful, high-impact creative solutions
• Ensure alignment with brand guidelines while pushing creative boundaries
• Maintain consistently high standards across both concept and design execution
• Collaborate cross-functionally to improve workflows and processes

• 7+ years of experience in a creative agency
• 4+ years leading creative projects and teams
• A strong portfolio demonstrating both conceptual thinking and hands-on design, particularly within experiential environments
• Proficiency in Rhino and Enscape (or comparable 3D modeling and rendering tools)
• Experience developing spatial design, environments, and experiential builds
• Understanding of both online and offline production
• Strong communication, presentation, and leadership skills
• Ability to work from our New York office as this role is 4x days per week in office