VP, Executive Creative Director

About the Role

Do you have a proven track record of developing creative that grows companies? Are you ready to inspire and drive the creative expression at the leading western and work apparel and footwear brand in the US? At Ariat, we’re seeking a highly strategic and accomplished Vice President, Executive Creative Director to unify and elevate Ariat’s brand expression across all categories.

The VP, Executive Creative Director will report to the Chief Marketing Officer and work closely across the Ariat marketing team and in partnership with Ariat’s product, ecomm, owned store and wholesale account teams to develop creative that shared our stories and grows the overall business.

You’ll Make a Difference by

• Owning the creative expression for the Ariat brand


• Inspiring the organization around Ariat’s unified creative vision   


• Proactively raising creative solutions and guiding solution implementation to generate brand visibility and business success


• Leading the development and presentation of high-level concepts with contagious enthusiasm and an understanding of the brand, the company and audience


• Setting clear expectations and aligning the team’s objectives


• Demonstrating a passion for innovation (insights, invention, hacks) and results (KPIs, analytics, optimization)


• Building trusting cross-functional and team relationships that power a high performing organization


• Decisively leading through change and advocating for process improvements and strategy refinement as needed


• Fostering Ariat’s culture of collaboration and affirming individual and team contributions


• Mentoring team members to develop the craft of creativity across functional areas


• Assisting with other responsibilities based on business needs

About You

• 10+ years of standout creative achievement as a creative leader


• Proven ability to craft and own creative campaigns and brand expression


• 5-7 years leading consumer-focused creative teams


• 3-5 years of in-house marketing experience


• 5 years of experience directing teams, growing talent and leading brand change (inside or outside of an agency)


• Bachelor's degree / design degree


• Strong competency in both conceptual thinking and execution


• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with high through-put requirements – nothing can be too precious


• Strong cross functional team player who challenges norms and also seeks to understand differing perspectives


• A curious tinkerer, quick to examine new trends, technologies and experiences, who can build strategies for testing and learning in new areas


• Strong background in video development – from TV to Tik Tok


• Prevailing knowledge of social media platforms and behaviors, interaction practices and modern production techniques


• An appetite for national and global impact


• High level of respect for existing leadership and cultural achievements


• Strong communicator


• Proficient in all the media crafts


• Direct Footwear/Apparel Industry experience preferred


• Experience in performance products and/or fashion is a plus

About Ariat

Ariat is an innovative, outdoor global brand with roots in equestrian performance. We develop high-quality footwear and apparel for people who ride, work, and play outdoors, and care about performance, quality, comfort, and style.  

The salary range for this position is $280,000 - $300,000 per year.

The salary is determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data for geographic locations. Ariat in good faith believes that this posted compensation range is accurate for this role at this location at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

Ariat’s holistic benefits package for full-time team members includes (but is not limited to):

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options


• Expanded wellness and mental health benefits


• Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and paid volunteer days


• 401(k) with company match


• Bonus incentive plans


• Team member discount on Ariat merchandise

Note: Availability of benefits may be subject to location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements. Ariat reserves the right to alter these benefits in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

Ariat will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws. Ariat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics or any other basis protected under federal, state, or local law. Ariat is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to candidates with disabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application process, email [email protected].

Please see our Employment Candidate Privacy Policy at www.ariat.com/careers to learn more about how we collect, use, retain and disclose Personal Information.

Please note that Ariat does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Agreement, Ariat will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter/agency placement fee. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed Agreement, Ariat explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted directly to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Ariat.