Associate Director of Creative Services
Access Your Potential.
Join us to create and deliver experiences that inspire people, spark connection, and bring imagination to life—while having a lot of fun doing it.
We’re hiring an Associate Director of Creative Services in California! The ideal candidate will live in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco or Wine Country.
About the Job
The Associate Director of Creative Services is a hybrid role, blending expert-level hands-on proposal production with emerging and developing leadership responsibilities. This position is a strategic leadership role that combines deep experience in crafting world-class proposals with a focus on strengthening exceptional team leadership. It emphasizes growth in managerial responsibilities, assisting with oversight of the Creative team workload, and the cultivation of emotional intelligence, team management and cross-functional leadership.
What You'll Be Doing
Management, Leadership Development & Team Growth
Collaborate with leadership to co-design a pathway for the creative team within your specific Office Codes and/or Territory.
Direct oversight and responsibility for Creative Department workflow, goal setting, Asana management, proposal review and overall Office Code and/or Territory revenue, team revenue and KPI targets.
Manage, mentor and coach Creative Managers and Associates through regular one-on-ones, feedback sessions and targeted development plans.
Support of personal and/or team direct sales through client and hotel interfacing opportunities.
Creative Thought Leadership
Drive innovation in event design, setting the conceptual vision and visual strategy that elevate our brand, including pricing and supplier strategies.
Lead by example in “Imagine First” thinking—experimenting with new design tools, storytelling techniques and client engagement methods.
People & Project Management
Oversee workload distribution for direct reports, ensuring realistic deadlines, high morale and quality output.
Facilitate cross-department collaboration—working closely with Sales, Operations and National Creative to deliver seamless client experiences.
Hold teams accountable for company goals: revenue targets, win ratios and client satisfaction metrics.
Personal Book of Business
Manage a personal portfolio of proposals and collateral, maintaining top-tier quality and client relationships.
Balance individual deliverables with leadership duties by leveraging strong organizational skills and efficient processes.
Growth & Performance Tracking
Monitor KPIs and metrics for your team: close ratios, on-time delivery, creative impact scores and professional development milestones.
Present quarterly progress reports to the Director of Creative, highlighting team achievements and growth opportunities.
About Access
Access is a women-owned and women-led destination management company that designs and delivers corporate events across the country. With expert teams in top destinations, we craft unforgettable experiences that connect and inspire.
About You
We know that there’s no one in the world like you. And we know that you have a lot to offer the next company you work with. Below is a list of “nice-to-haves”, but don’t let those deter you from applying. Access believes that an inclusive team and culture is important. We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team.
Nice-to-haves:
6+ years of creative experience in a Destination Management Company (DMC) or a related strategic proposal and design environment
Demonstrated leadership or mentorship experience, including formal training, coaching, and/or direct people management responsibilities
Proficient in Salesforce, with the ability to navigate the platform, interpret reports, and extract insights to inform decisions and identify trends
Deep knowledge of and established relationships within the local destination market
Proven negotiation and relationship-building skills with clients and partners
3+ years of experience leading high-performing sales teams, consistently meeting or exceeding KPI targets
Hands-on experience with Social Tables, Canva, AI tools, and event diagramming platforms
Solution-oriented mindset, with a proactive approach and strong initiative to contribute to team and personal success
Customer-focused, with a passion for delivering exceptional service in the hospitality and special events industry
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across internal and external stakeholders
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with the ability to adapt to change and consistently meet deadlines
Why Access?
CULTURE & EXTRAS
Certified as a Great Place to Work – 3 years in a row and counting!
50+ years in the industry!
Women-owned and women-led
Fun, creative, and supportive culture
Focus on recognition and employee value – including annual and quarterly awards
Paid day off to serve your local community
Annual all-company retreat to connect, learn, and have fun together
Annual qualifier-based incentive trip for top performers (certain departments eligible)
Regional team outings
Monthly companywide meetings to connect, learn, and celebrate wins
COMPENSATION
Highly competitive total compensation, including strong base salary and quarterly bonuses
Very strong performance-based quarterly commission plans
401k with company match (eligible after 1 year – up to 4% of salary matched, vested immediately
Monthly cell phone stipend
WORK LIFE BALANCE
Work from home opportunities and flexibility (including full home office setup)
Flexible schedule opportunities
Generous PTO
Sick days
9 full holidays
5 half days off prior to holidays to unplug early
2 floating holidays off to be used on holidays of your choice
½ day Fridays in July & August (based on achievement of goals)
HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND FAMILY
Extensive menu of health plans to choose from
Paid parental leave
Pet insurance program
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mentorship program
“Masterclasses” in industry/department-specific topics
State-of-the-art technology platforms and tools – including training
Annual and monthly meeting content that focuses on professional development
What are you waiting for? Scroll back to the top and apply!
Access is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at careers@accessdmc.com.