VP, Creative Director - INQ Studio

VP, Creative Director- INQ Studio
Reports to: CEO & Publisher
Location: Philadelphia, PA - Hybrid

The Philadelphia Inquirer is seeking an experienced leader to oversee INQStudio, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s in-house creative team that supports the work of Consumer Marketing, Advertising Sales and overall Brand initiatives, from our brand campaign to the Inquirer Food Festival. This role is responsible for leading the operations and execution of the team’s creative output while ensuring work is aligned with business objectives, brand standards, and stakeholder expectations.

Our ideal candidate is a bold, creative thinker who is also highly organized, an effective communicator, and a strong collaborator — someone capable of building and leading a high-performing team.

What You'll Do

• Lead and oversee the team and all creative output produced by INQStudio - design, copy, events - ensuring high standards of quality, consistency, and brand alignment.
• Develop and maintain Inquirer brand standards, including visual marks, tone of voice, and overall communication style.
• Partner closely with the Chief Marketing Officer and Advertising Sales leadership to develop and execute on work that drives revenue goals
• Collaborate with stakeholders across the company from Product, Engineering & Design, Newsroom Design, to People & Culture to ensure a cohesive and compelling expression of the INQ brand.
• Serve as the lead creative consultant on strategic brand initiatives, including work produced by external agencies, providing creative direction, feedback, and guidance to ensure alignment with The Inquirer’s brand vision.
• Oversee workload management, creative priorities, and identify tools, technologies, and vendor partnerships that improve workflow, efficiency and creative output.

Who We're Looking For

• 10+ years of leadership experience in design in media or a related creative field, with proven success leading multidisciplinary creative teams and managing high-volume, high-visibility projects.
• Strong track record of leadership skills and managing creative teams
• Strong operational and communication skills to manage creative workflows, meet deadlines and simplify processes
• Executive presence to work with CEO, CMO and VP Sales on various projects and initiatives
• Strong Design skills in a variety of mediums to provide vision, direction and hands on work as needed
• Proficiency in industry-standard design tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma), along with a creative and bold portfolio that demonstrates design expertise and vision across print, digital, and brand identity.

About Us.
The Philadelphia Inquirer is the media brand of record in Philadelphia and the region, and the largest news media organization in the state of Pennsylvania. A daily habit for almost 200 years, The Inquirer delivers Pulitzer Prize-winning news, sports, food, and lifestyle journalism multi-platform: Inquirer.com, Inquirer newspaper, e-editions, apps, newsletters, social, video, podcasts, and live events, generating 15M monthly impressions. Locally owned and headquartered in Philadelphia, no media brand is more deeply connected to the city or better understands what drives it. Our influence also extends across key drive markets, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York, as well as to Philadelphia expats who live across the country and root for the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, and the Union.

The Inquirer is an equal opportunity employer for all regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, and any other category protected by federal, state and/or local law.