Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Creative Directors

Toptal is a marketplace for top creative directors. Top companies and start-ups choose Toptal creative direction freelancers for their mission critical design projects.

No-Risk Trial, Pay Only If Satisfied.

Clients Rate Toptal Creative Directors4.6 / 5.0on average across 34 reviews as of Feb 21, 2023

Hire Freelance Creative Directors

Dickon Kent

Creative Direction DesignerAdobe Creative SuiteAdobe PhotoshopApp UXVisual DesignResponsive Web Design (RWD)Responsive UIUser ScenariosBrand DesignWeb DesignWeb App UXWeb UX DesignWeb App Design

United StatesToptal Member Since February 28, 2018

With 23+ years of remote experience, Dickon is a digital leader in UX, product design, digital strategy, and team management. He has conceived, planned, managed, designed, and built digital products for Disney, OPI, Paramount Pictures, and the Television Academy, servicing over 50 million users. Dickon’s award-winning work has been twice nominated for a Webby as well as having been a Webby honoree.

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Tomass Sola

Creative Direction DesignerBalsamiqResponsive Web Design (RWD)eCommerceDashboard DesignMobile UXMobile UIiOS UI DesignAndroid UI DesignFigmaBalsamiq MockupsMobile DesignMobile UI Design

LatviaToptal Member Since August 16, 2016

Tomass is a senior-level UI/UX designer with over a decade of experience creating functional and beautiful user experiences that drive business success. He is a dedicated professional who strives to stay up-to-date with the latest design trends and techniques and is always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow as a designer. Tomass is a seasoned UI/UX designer with a proven track record in delivering successful projects.

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Jun Kim

Creative Direction DesignerResponsiveWeb DesignMobile UXMobile UIAndroidiOSAdobe CCWebMobilePrototypingMobile UI DesignMobile UX Design

South KoreaToptal Member Since April 28, 2016

With over a decade of experience in product UX/UI design and brand experience design, Kim has had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of teams and companies worldwide, including Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, U.A.E., Europe, and the U.S. In addition, he is well-versed in design principles, color theory, typography, and leverages these elements to create consistent and effective design solutions.

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Christina Barsan

Creative Direction DesignerDigital Product DesignApp UIBrand DevelopmentIcon DesignOutdoor GraphicsUser FlowsRebrandingSitemapsBrand GuidelinesProduct DesignWeb DesignMobile App Design

United StatesToptal Member Since August 23, 2016

Christina is a digital designer and creative director with over 15 years of experience as a visual thinker, problem solver, manager, collaborator, and technology lover. She constantly seeks to help her clients create the ideal brand for their business aligned with their big vision.

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Mike Slone

Creative Direction DesignerWebsitesiPhonePitch DecksWebsite RedesignInformation Architecture (IA)MVP DesignIdeationUI AuditsiOS UI DesignIcon DesignIconographyUser Personas

United StatesToptal Member Since March 16, 2017

Mike is a highly experienced and successful product, UX, UI, visual, and branding designer with many years of experience creating large and small-scale designs. He has worked for global clients in many industries, including ExxonMobil, Reebok, Taco Bell, Nike, and many others. Mike has also provided his design and leadership experience to startups in healthcare, higher education, and SaaS companies.

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Liz Young

Creative Direction DesignerAdobe IllustratorDigitalVisual DesigneCommerceeCommerce DesigneCommerce UIBrand BooksBrand DesignUI DesignMarketingPresentation DesignDigital Experience Design

United KingdomToptal Member Since March 29, 2018

Elizabeth is a highly experienced creative director who has defined experiences for global brands like Universal Records and PUMA while transforming many more. With expertise in branding, social media content, digital design, and UI/UX, she has helped launch startups in Silicon Valley and create integrated brand and website designs for well-established DTC, new tech and premium sportswear brands. Elizabeth takes a holistic and reductive approach, balancing design strategy with functionality.

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Pierre E. Poulin

Creative Direction DesignerInteractive DesignWeb DesignBrand GuidelinesMobile App DesignArt DirectionUI DesignUI AnimationBrandingMobile UIHigh-fidelity PrototypesFigmaAdobe After Effects

MexicoToptal Member Since August 20, 2019

With an early career woven into the rise of the internet, Pierre's experience in digital is vast. Over the last 20 years, he founded one of the first award-winning web shops in Montreal, crafting work for major accounts, such as Burger King. Pierre designed an event app used by Airbnb, Salesforce, and Cisco. He continues to serve on a jury at the prestigious FWA. Typography, smooth interactions, and a glimmer of sassy irony are the driving forces behind his elegant yet highly functional style.

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Sam Flaherty

Creative Direction DesignerAdobe SuiteAdobe PhotoshopAdobe IllustratorWebWebsitesVisual DesignLogo DesigneCommerceeCommerce UIShopify DesignLogotypeAdobe

United KingdomToptal Member Since February 4, 2016

A veteran Toptal designer with nearly two thousand completed hours under his belt, Sam collaborates globally with like-minded clients such as Google, Citibank, Hugo Boss, YouTube, and Levi's to ensure clear and effective communication with their audiences. He has over 15 years of experience in the fields of graphic design, brand creation, digital design, and creative thinking.

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David Fotherby

Creative Direction DesignerPhotoshop CCIllustrator 2017Adobe After EffectsUI DesignUX DesigniOS App DesignWeb DesignMobile Web DesignArt DirectionWeb App DesignIconographyLogo Design

United StatesToptal Member Since February 8, 2017

David has created exceptional, user-centered products for some of the top Fortune, healthcare, retail, and entertainment businesses worldwide. His approach of putting the user at the center of product design ensures that clients have a clear insight into their market potential and the technical requirements needed.

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Creative Direction Hiring Resources

Resources to Hire Creative Directors

Job Description Template

Interview Questions

Trustpilot
Toptal in the press

... allows corporations to quickly assemble teams that have the right skills for specific projects.

Despite accelerating demand for coders, Toptal prides itself on almost Ivy League-level vetting.

Our clients
Building a cross-platform app to be used worldwide
Thierry Jakicevic
Building a cross-platform app to be used worldwide
Testimonials

Michael is an incredible designer, and has been a great fit for our project. He just gets it in a way that can’t be taught. My goal was to pay Toptal to find me a high quality designer for my project, and that is exactly what happened. It was easy. Being able to see the portfolio work on Toptal’s platform is what gave me the infomation I needed to choose Michael. I have nothing but good things to say about Toptal and am looking forward to using Toptal for other projects in the future.

Edward Daniel, Co-Founder

improvemygun.com

I've worked very closely with Martina for over a year and have to say she is one of the best people I have ever worked with. Instead of simply following instructions blindly, she thinks through the task at hand, becoming a thought partner to help with whatever the project may be. Besides being super talented at design, she possesses specific qualities that make her exceptional to work with given the fast paced nature of being a startup. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a talented, professional designer who doesn't need much direction to hit the ground running.

Sahil Khanna, Sr. Manager, Marketing

LeanTaaS, Inc.

Darko did a great job figuring out the user architecture for our concept, which led him to produce terrific wireframes. His knowledge of usability and design was a perfect match for the outside voice we needed to help jumpstart our project. We would certainly recommend him and work with him again in the future.

Rich Danker, Founder

Prose Market

Carlos has the unique talent of blending both quantitative and qualitative research to keenly identify UX challenges and opportunities. He thinks methodically, emphatically, and holistically to produce data-driven strategies and well-executed designs. Over the past 8 years of working with fully or partially distributed teams, Carlos manages working remotely far better than anyone I've encountered because of his strong communication and presentation skills. He is the first on my list the next time I need a UX designer.

Michelle Krogmeier, Project Manager

Union Station

Rafael is an amazing designer. His aesthetic sense is spot on, and he seems to be able to anticipate our needs before we even know what they are. He's taken the time to understand both our company and our clientele, and his solutions are consistently in-line with our values, interests, and our customers' needs. He delivers on time (if not earlier), works quickly, is well organized, and very effective. He's a pleasure to work with, and we're very happy to have found him through Toptal.

Ethan Brooks, CTO

Langlotz Patent & Trademark Works, Inc.

Toptal gave us access to the best designers out there. They’re not easy to find. Those designers integrated very quickly with our existing teams. They very quickly understood our business case and the value of our solution. Toptal really allowed us to focus on building the best possible product and save a lot of time on the typical administrative pains that goes with it -- specifically, finding the best talent. Toptal designers were very responsive, always online -- and that made life very easy for us. We have ambitious goals on how to grow the application and already Toptal has been a key contributor to that success.

Thierry Jakircevic, General Manager, Digital Solutions, Bridgestone Head Office, Tokyo

Bridgestone Corporation

We had an amazing experience working with our Toptal designer. In only two weeks, we accomplished what would've taken most companies 3 months to complete. We also enjoyed working with the Toptal team to make sure we were paired up with the right designer that would fit both our company culture and working style.

Ted Blosser, Head of Sales and Customer Success

WorkRamp

Dean blew us away. He ranks right up there as one of the top five designers of the hundreds I have worked with in the past. He listened, was totally professional, and came up with a 3D rotating cube design completely on his own. We didn't even ask for it, and yet it has become the centerpiece of our app and how users engage with it right off the bat. What he produced inspired all of us at Votify, and put us on track for launch and investor funding.

Michael Lawrence, Founder & CEO

Votify LLC

How to Hire Creative Directors through Toptal

1

Talk to One of Our Industry Experts

A Toptal director of design will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2

Work With Hand-Selected Talent

Within days, we'll introduce you to the right creative director for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3

The Right Fit, Guaranteed

Work with your new creative director for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.

FAQs

  • How are Toptal creative directors different?

    At Toptal, we thoroughly screen our creative directors to ensure we only match you with talent of the highest caliber. Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, fewer than 3% make the cut. You'll work with design experts (never generalized recruiters or HR reps) to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics. The end result: expert vetted talent from our network, custom matched to fit your business needs.

  • Can I hire creative directors in less than 48 hours through Toptal?

    Depending on availability and how fast you can progress, you could start working with a creative director within 48 hours of signing up.

  • What is the no-risk trial period for Toptal creative directors?

    We make sure that each engagement between you and your creative director begins with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to confirm the engagement will be successful. If you're completely satisfied with the results, we'll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you'd like. If you're not completely satisfied, you won't be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another expert who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial.

Tap Into World-Class Talent

  • Trusted Experts Only

    All of our talent are seasoned experts who ramp up quickly, readily contribute as core team members, and work with you to minimize onboarding time.

  • The Right Fit

    We have a knack for matching you with the right fit. Start working with your new hire on a no-risk trial period, paying only if satisfied.

  • Scale as Needed

    Hire in under 2 weeks and scale your team up or down as needed, no strings attached.

  • Seamless Hiring

    We handle all aspects of billing, payments, and NDA’s. Let us take care of the overhead while you focus on building great products.

  • Flexible Engagements

    Choose the engagement type that suits your needs — hourly, part-time, or full-time — with the ability to change anytime.

  • Expert Talent Matching

    Focus on your project and enjoy support from your dedicated account executive and expert talent matcher.

Top Creative Directors are in High Demand.

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