Ralph Appelbaum Associates

Ralph Appelbaum Associates is seeking a full-time Creative Director (remote optional) to join our team.

Creative Directors at RAA establish, articulate, and implement the creative vision for every project. Serving as the primary client liaison and team lead, the Creative Director guides multidisciplinary teams of Physical Designers, Visual Designers, Content Strategists, and Media Designers. This role demands a passionate, visionary leader committed to creating museum experiences that embody justice, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity across exhibition content, design, and community engagement. You will blend bold creative direction with strong interpersonal leadership to elevate our practice.

Nearly a half century ago, Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) pioneered a new approach to learning in public. RAA is now the world’s largest practice dedicated to the planning and design of museums and narrative environments.

Today, we work on commissions of all sizes to use physical space as a medium for communication and dialogue. Our comprehensive creative and technical offerings uplift the missions and ideas of our clients. Past and current projects include many of the world’s most recognizable cultural attractions. Our studios are diverse and interdisciplinary: we draw together designers, architects, artists, historians, educators, media-makers, technologists, writers, and poets that are passionate about encouraging a mindful connection to the world around us.

Our work has been honored with every major award for design and communication, including the first-ever National Design Award for Communications Design. Connective and transformative experiences in public spaces are essential for individuals, communities, cities, and nations — now more than ever.

More than 75,000,000 people encounter our work every year.

• Project Direction: Leads museum and cultural institution projects as Design Director.
• Promotes Design: Promotes the highest quality in design within the practice and invigorates it with vision, new ideas, high standards of excellence, and gravitas; Inspires impeccable craft and functionality for the creative presentation of ideas and messaging.
• Studio Culture: Demonstrates the practice’s cultural values both globally and domestically; Fosters EDAI and a respectful working environment, in hiring practices and daily culture, operations and delivery.
• Talent: Utilizes effective leadership practices to attract, mentor and identify talent.
• Communications and Marketing: Works in collaboration with Marketing colleagues on the development and execution of proposals.
• New Business Development: Actively seeks out and cultivates new potential clients and projects.
• Creative Partnerships: Identifies and manages creative resources as needed for collaborations and outside partnerships, including external design resources.

• Leads multiple large and complex museum and cultural institution projects driving creative visions and processes
• Leads the client communications of major projects, client presentations and workshops
• Provides input and development to the visitor experience, including key program elements and anchor experiences
• Develops projects’ key positioning and messaging during the formative phases
• Manages creative teams (team management, client management, creative collaborator and sub-consultant selection and management)
• Promotes design across projects and invigorate teams with vision, new ideas, high standards of excellence, and gravitas; inspiring impeccable craft and functionality for the creative presentation of ideas and messaging
• Works in collaboration with Marketing colleagues on the development and execution of proposals
• Identifies and manages creative resources as needed for collaborations and outside partnerships.
• Supports Project Management in maintaining project costs, schedule and resourcing to budget

• Visionary: brings creative and transformational thinking to projects, processes and studio development.
• Communicative: brings transparent, confident and thoughtful leadership and communication to projects, processes and studio development.
• Organized: manages multiple project processes, teams, and clients.
• Enterprising: eager to think about new opportunities and approaches to this work.
• High-achieving: sets and maintains high standards of performance for themselves and others.

• Advanced degree in Architecture, Exhibition Design, Interior Design, Industrial Design, or, alternatively, other related fields in the arts, humanities, or cultural heritage with combined work experience in designing three dimensional spaces
• 6-10+ years of in-depth experience at museums or in the cultural heritage or exhibit design field at a Creative Leadership level
• Progressive responsibility within highly complex, dynamic and narrative environments
• Strong professional contemporary design background evidenced by a recognized and distinguished body of work in a range of contexts
• Experience developing physical environments and digital exhibits
• Proven success building and leading award-winning, multi-disciplinary creative teams
• Collaborative and inclusive work style with the ability to mandate and implement decisions
• Executive’s capacity for multi-tasking, project management and presentation to multiple constituencies, with the ability to acknowledge constraints
• Substantial experience managing large-scale projects, of a high volume and pace, within specified budgets
• Ability to provoke thought and push the comfort of convention while exhibiting a sense of humility and a self-reflective demeanor
• Excellent communication skills, interpersonal dexterity, approachability, and diplomacy
• Deep engagement with history and culture from a global perspective together with active knowledge of current design strategies
• Highest standards of personal and professional integrity
• Interest in and experience with the promotion and realization of sustainable design strategies
• Proficiency with some of the following programs will be expected: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Rhino, BIM 360, and/or Vectorworks, depending upon background and experience

RAA offers a competitive benefits package to our full-time staff, including: medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; 401k enrollment; generous paid time off. Additional benefits are offered at no cost to employees, including short- and long-term disability and life insurance. Flexible benefits are also available for employees to make tax-advantaged contributions toward medical expenses, transportation and parking costs, and childcare.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications we receive, we cannot personally respond to each applicant. Qualified candidates will be contacted via email regarding our interview process. To apply for this role, please send a cover letter, CV, and portfolio to humanresources@raai.com. 

RAA is an equal opportunity practice that is committed to furthering diversity and inclusion in our studio. RAA does not discriminate in employment or access to its programs or activities on the basis of: race; color; creed; religion; gender; gender identity or expression; sex; sexual orientation; national origin or ancestry; citizenship status; health or genetic information; age; marital status; mental or physical disability; pregnancy; political affiliation; arrest record; past, present, or future service in the uniformed services; or any other legally protected status. Our policy of non-discrimination applies to all personnel practices, including, but not limited to, recruitment, project assignments, professional development, compensation, or any other employment practice. We strongly encourage women, people of color, and candidates from other underrepresented communities to apply.

All applicants for RAA open positions based in the United States have rights under federal employment laws. Links to the pertinent postings follow.

Notices:
Employee Rights: Employee Polygraph Protection Act
Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
The Family and Medical Leave Act