Creative Manager

About the role

As a Creative Manager at Access, you will partner with Sales and Creative teams to develop strategic, experience-driven proposals and client presentations. You will shape the creative vision for corporate events, translating client goals into environments, moments, and experiences that are both compelling and executable. This role operates in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment and requires strong organization, prioritization, and adaptability. You know how to paint a picture clients can step into. You don't just describe what an event will look like. You explain why it works, how it supports the audience, and how it comes together within real-world budgets and logistics. This is not a graphic design or marketing role. It is an experiential role rooted in live events.

Responsibilities

• Event Design & Concept Development
• Develop event themes aligned to destination, audience, and client objectives
• Design guest environments including layouts, lounges, table scapes, entry moments, and custom elements
• Translate client goals into cohesive, end-to-end guest experiences
• Ensure concepts are both inspiring and operationally feasible
• Proposal Strategy & Storytelling
• Lead creative ideation for proposals and client presentations
• Build clear narratives supported by mood boards, imagery, and diagrams
• Partner with Sales to create concepts that are compelling, confident, and easy to sell
• Activations, Entertainment & Experience Elements
• Source and recommend interactive activations and specialty experiences
• Curate entertainment aligned to audience, energy level, and event objectives
• Ensure all elements feel intentional and connected to the overall theme
• Transportation & Guest Flow
• Design transportation strategies for programs ranging from 20 to 5,000+ guests
• Coordinate movement, arrival, and departure as part of the overall guest experience
• Budgeting & Vendor Strategy
• Price decor, entertainment, activations, and transportation with margin awareness
• Source and evaluate vendors, balancing creativity with budget and profitability
• Recommend solutions that maximize impact while remaining realistic
• Collaboration & Brand Stewardship
• Partner closely with Sales, Event Managers, and Creative teammates
• Present concepts with clarity and confidence
• Uphold the Access brand voice and creative standards across all work
• About Access
• About You

Requirements

• 3+ years in DMC, corporate events, hospitality, or experiential design
• Experience building event concepts before execution and presenting vision to clients
• Knowledge of decor, entertainment, activations, and transportation for live events
• Comfortable discussing budgets, pricing decisions, and creative trade-offs
• Highly organized, collaborative, and calm under pressure
• What Success Looks Like
• Clients quickly grasp the creative vision and feel confident it supports their brand, audience, and event goals.
• Proposals convert consistently because the experience is clear, compelling, and easy to champion internally.
• Creative recommendations land within expected budget ranges while maintaining strong margin health.
• Event concepts move from proposal to execution with minimal revisions, rework, or last-minute course correction.
• Sales and Events teams rely on Creative for clear direction, realistic solutions, and thoughtful problem-solving.
• Creative work strengthens destination storytelling and contributes to repeat business and long-term client trust.
• Every proposal reflects the Access brand through clarity, confidence, and intentional design choices.
• Why Access?
• CULTURE & EXTRAS
• Certified as a Great Place to Work - 3 years in a row and counting!
• 55+ years in the industry!
• Women-owned and women-led
• Fun, creative, and supportive culture
• Focus on recognition and employee value - including annual and quarterly awards
• Paid day off to serve your local community
• Annual all-company retreat to connect, learn, and have fun together
• Annual qualifier-based incentive tr

Benefits

Additional Information

Access Your Potential. Join us to create and deliver experiences that inspire people, spark connection, and bring imagination to life-while having a lot of fun doing it. We are seeking a Creative Manager to join our Southwest Team!

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at Access Destination Services? Share your experience