Creative Lead, Photo at Airbnb | USA | $180K/yr – $217K/yr

Airbnb

Creative Lead, Photo

USA (Remote)

$180K/yr – $217K/yrSenior Level10+ years expFull time

Posted 2 months ago

Top 1% of applicants do these two things.

The other 99% submit and hope. You're about to do something different.

Job Summary

Drive Airbnb’s visual storytelling by leading a Photo Creative team to deliver brand-aligned photography across campaigns, product, and social with strong cross-functional collaboration.

Must-have: 10+ years of art and creative direction with a global portfolio and leadership of photography-driven campaigns.
Standout: Proven cross-functional leadership across Marketing, Product, and agencies to elevate craft and authenticity.

Job Description

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of Photo Art Directors, Editors, Retouchers, and Researchers — providing clear creative direction, ongoing feedback, and fostering an environment where individuals are empowered to do their best work
Concept and develop strategically informed, channel-agnostic photo ideas that are deeply integrated across all brand and product touchpoints, from campaign to social to product marketing
Oversee and art direct photo shoots end-to-end, ensuring all deliverables align with the strategic brief, Airbnb's visual identity, and overall brand intention
Uplevel creative output across the organization by consistently bringing innovative, high-impact ideas to the table and setting a high bar for craft and authenticity
Collaborate cross-functionally with a diverse mix of internal teams — including Marketing, Product, and Brand — as well as external agencies and international partners, balancing stakeholder needs while always seeking to elevate the work
Communicate and align with creative teammates and company partners to ensure Airbnb's photo-driven creative work maintains the highest standard of quality and consistency across global markets

Requirements

10+ years of art and creative direction experience within an agency or in-house brand environment, with demonstrated experience working with global companies
A strong portfolio showcasing your ability to lead teams in creating photography-driven communication campaigns that resonate culturally and drive measurable business results
Deep expertise in Photo Art Direction as a storytelling tool — with a nuanced understanding of how photography communicates brand narrative both in marketing and within product experiences
Proven people leadership and management skills , with experience inspiring and empowering creative teams through a strong, clear vision
Exceptional communication and presentation skills , with the ability to passionately and clearly articulate and defend creative decisions to internal stakeholders and external partners alike
Outstanding cross-functional collaboration skills , with a track record of establishing and meeting shared, outcome-based goals across diverse teams
Proficiency in Figma is required; comfort working within collaborative, tool-driven creative workflows
Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and progressive experience
A CURRENT PORTFOLIO OF WORK IS REQUIRED FOR EACH APPLICANT

Airbnb

4.2 Glassdoor

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

Founded in 2007

San Francisco, California, USA

64K employees (7,318 in marketing)

airbnb.com

82% recommend to a friend

91% CEO approval