Director, Visual & Digital Storytelling

#MaesaMagic  

The next gen beauty company, Maesa is transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful, innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible. Maesa believes beauty ignites inspiration, creativity, imagination, and connection, sparking new ideas and possibilities, and meeting unmet consumer needs. Through best-in-class design, formulation, brand creation and marketing capabilities, Maesa delivers new, better and different products with an unsurpassed speed to market. Maesa works with a variety of retailers to create and launch brands across beauty and wellness categories. The current portfolio includes Kristin Ess, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Fine'ry, Being Frenshe, and Niches & Nooks among other brands. For more information, visit www.maesa.com.

We are seeking a highly creative, hands-on Director of Visual & Digital Storytelling to lead our in-house Studio team and shape the visual voice across our portfolio of beauty brands. This role blends creative leadership with execution and is ideal for someone who is equally comfortable directing a team, operating a camera, and crafting compelling visual stories from concept through final delivery.

The Director of Visual & Digital Storytelling will oversee a team of photographers, videographers, and video editors while actively contributing to content creation. This leader will partner closely with Art Directors and cross-functional teams across Brand, Marketing, and Social to deliver cohesive, breakthrough content that drives engagement and elevates brand identity.

The ideal candidate is a true visual storyteller with a strong editorial eye and deep expertise in both content capture and post-production. They are fluent behind the camera—whether creating fast-moving social content, creator-style assets, or elevated branded campaigns—and possess strong video editing skills to bring stories to life across platforms.

This individual should have a deep understanding of digital and social ecosystems, emerging content trends, and platform best practices, with the ability to adapt creative approaches accordingly. Equally important is a forward-thinking mindset that embraces AI-driven tools and workflows to enhance creativity, efficiency, and innovation.

This role is based in NYC and you will be expected in office 3 days a week, at minimum.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Creative Direction & Brand Vision

• Develop the visual identity and storytelling approach for each brand in our portfolio
• Partner closely with Art Directors to align on creative vision and execution across all touchpoints
• Translate brand strategy into compelling digital-first content across channels
• Conceptualize and execute innovative campaigns, product storytelling, and social content
• Build clear, differentiated visual directions tailored to each brand’s audience

Content Production (Hands-On Leadership)

• Lead end-to-end content creation: concepting, storyboarding, shooting, and editing
• Lead shoot photography and video content—from high-production campaigns to agile, scrappy social assets
• Help direct on-set production, ensuring creative vision is executed to the highest standard and that the content can be used as we see fit.
• Maintain a balance between polished brand campaigns and fast-paced digital content

Team Leadership & Studio Management

• Manage and mentor a team of photographer/videographer, video editor
• Set clear creative expectations, workflows, and standards across the Studio
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance, and creatively inspiring environment
• Allocate resources efficiently and ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Art Directors, Marketing, Brand, and Social teams to ensure alignment across campaigns and content initiatives
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business objectives into compelling creative output
• Serve as a key creative partner in campaign development and execution

Social, Digital & AI Expertise

• Lead content strategy with a strong understanding of platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging channels
• Ensure all content is optimized for engagement, performance, and platform-specific best practices
• Stay ahead of trends in beauty, content creation, and digital storytelling
• Leverage AI tools and technologies (e.g., generative imagery, video editing, automation, and content optimization tools) to enhance efficiency, scalability, and creativity
• Identify opportunities to integrate AI into workflows without compromising brand integrity

Storytelling & Presentation

• Develop compelling narratives and storyboards for campaigns and content initiatives
• Clearly articulate and present creative concepts to internal stakeholders and leadership
• Bring a strong point of view while remaining adaptable to feedback and business needs

Problem Solving & Execution

• Navigate challenges with creativity, resourcefulness, and a solutions-oriented mindset
• Operate effectively in both structured and fast-moving environments
• Continuously improve processes, workflows, and creative output

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• 8+ years of experience in digital content creation, with a strong background in photo and video production and video editing
• Proven experience leading creative teams in an in-house studio, agency, or brand environment (beauty/fashion preferred)
• Experience working closely with Art Directors and cross-functional teams
• Strong understanding of AI tools and creative technologies and how they apply to content creation and production workflows
• Expert-level understanding of production—from large-scale shoots to scrappy, real-time content creation
• Strong portfolio demonstrating both high-end campaigns and social-first content
• Deep knowledge of social media platforms, trends, and performance-driven content
• Exceptional storytelling skills with the ability to create compelling visual narratives
• Experience with editing tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Capture One, etc.)
• Strong communication and presentation skills

PAY RANGE:

$110,000/yr - $125,000/yr. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

PERKS AND BENEFITS

Maesa offers a variety of benefits to eligible employees. Employees can choose to enroll in health insurance coverage, wellness programs, life and disability insurance, and retirement savings plans. Through generous paid time off and a hybrid office setup, Maesa encourages wellness and balance among employees.

Our Commitment to You

At Maesa, we live by our values of collaboration, curiosity, game-changing, creativity, and discipline. We believe our people and partners are a creative force that catalyzes the possibilities in beauty to break through traditional limits and discover the “new” without restriction. We prioritize creating and fostering a welcoming environment for employees, partners, ideas, approaches, and endeavors — all through a spirit of warmth and inclusivity. As set forth in Maesa’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Our EVP

Maesa is the next-gen beauty company, where bold ideas become beautiful brands. We ignite the dreamer and doer in each of us. We move at the speed of culture to push boundaries and redefine possibilities unleashing #maesamagic everyday. By fostering a start-up spirit, we equip everyone to lead with accountability & execute with excellence. We champion each voice and empower every journey, creating an environment where we celebrate diversity of thinking, calculated risk taking, and cutting-edge innovation. Growth is personal, intentional, and limitless.

#LI-Hybrid