You see the title “creative director” everywhere—at aesthetics-oriented brands like Glossier and Goop, but also Harvard Business School and Microsoft. There are 345,000 creative directors on LinkedIn, and while they often hold positions in design agencies or with product teams, they can be found at all kinds of institutions. It’s an executive-level position that’s centered on managing people, establishing a graphical vision, and providing creative direction.

Creative directors oversee the development of visual projects, whether they’re ad campaigns, marketing materials, or even videos and apps. They work to ensure that the branding and style of each project is consistent and aligns with the larger brand’s messaging and voice. They’re able to do this because they’ve mastered the delicate balance of being artistic pragmatists who can delegate effectively and create clear guidelines for their team members.

The creative process for a project typically begins with a brainstorming session that the creative director leads. They’re also responsible for collaborating with clients to understand detailed requirements and determining a creative vision that matches those client briefs. They must be able to communicate these concepts clearly, as well as the overall strategy, to both internal and external teams.

Having leadership and management experience is important to showcase on your creative director resume, so include any examples you have. Similarly, you can highlight software tools that are essential to your workflow, such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, or Canva. You can also highlight your ability to meet deadlines and budgetary constraints, as those are important skills for a creative director.