CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Help Us Build the Nonprofit We Wish Already Existed.

Not a social media gig. Not a title. Not a popularity contest. We’re building something bigger.

Legacy Paws Rescue is looking for an experienced nonprofit Creative Director to join us as we build the next chapter of our organization.

And before you keep reading, here's what matters most:

We don't care about going viral.

We care about changing lives.

If your idea of success is the biggest reach, the most followers, or the most likes, we may not be the right organization for you.

But if you believe one story can change someone's mind...

One connection can change someone's life...

One conversation can keep a dog out of a shelter...

One person helping another can start something much bigger...

Then keep reading.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Legacy Paws isn't being built to become the biggest rescue.

We're building a Point of Connection.

A place where people, dogs, rescues, organizations, businesses, volunteers, and resources can find each other.

Where we don't compete with other rescues.

We support them.

Where we don't hoard resources because they're "ours."

We share them.

Where another organization's success isn't our loss.

It's a win for dogs.

Where someone needs help and our first question isn't, "What's in it for us?"

It's:

"What can we do?"

That's our philosophy of paying it forward.

And it extends beyond rescue.

We're building programs around education, prevention, fostering, rehoming, outreach, community partnerships, and connection because we believe rescue is only the beginning.

The real goal is to change the relationship between people and dogs so fewer dogs need rescuing in the first place.

That's the big picture.

And we need people who can see it.

We're looking for someone who understands that creative direction is about a hell of a lot more than making things look good.

You'll help translate our mission and vision into a brand people can feel.

You'll help shape how Legacy Paws tells stories, builds campaigns, connects with the community, communicates impact, supports fundraising, and creates experiences that make people want to be part of what we're building.

You'll help guide creative strategy across:

• Brand identity and creative direction
• Storytelling and content
• Social media
• Fundraising campaigns
• Digital and website content
• Photography and video
• Educational campaigns
• Community outreach
• Partnerships
• Merchandise and creative fundraising
• Volunteer and supporter recruitment
• Public-facing communications

But here's the important part:

You won't be doing it alone.

We're looking for a leader who works alongside their team—not above them.

We don't need a micromanager.

We don't need someone who needs to control every decision.

We don't need someone who thinks having a leadership title means having all the answers.

We need someone who can build a team, develop people, invite ideas, give honest feedback, recognize talent, and get the hell out of someone's way when they're better at something than you are.

Because they will be.

And that's okay.

Actually, that's the point.

THIS IS HOW WE WORK

At Legacy Paws, everyone matters.

The person who gives $5 matters.

The person who gives $500 matters.

The volunteer who gives three hours matters.

The person who shares a post matters.

The foster matters.

The adopter matters.

The kid learning how to understand a dog's body language matters.

The rescue down the road matters.

The person who has never volunteered before matters.

And you matter.

There aren't different levels of people here based on titles.

Everyone is expected to bring their strengths.

Everyone gets heard.

Everyone gets respected.

Everyone is expected to give respect.

And everyone is expected to be kind.

Kind. Period.

We're building a culture where people can disagree, challenge ideas, think differently, and still walk away from the table respecting each other.

We're building a family.

If that sounds like your kind of organization, you'll probably love it here.

If that makes you think twice...

You probably shouldn't apply.

And we're completely okay with that.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?

This is probably the biggest difference between us and a traditional marketing organization.

We're not trying to manufacture engagement.

We're trying to create connection.

We would rather have one person watch a video and decide to foster than 100,000 people scroll past it.

We would rather have someone reach out because something we shared made them feel less alone than get another thousand likes.

We would rather inspire someone to volunteer, adopt responsibly, donate, learn, help another rescue, or rethink how they interact with their dog.

Because numbers tell us how many people saw something.

They don't tell us whether it mattered.

We care whether it mattered.

OTHER MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS LEADERS

The Creative Director is our immediate priority, but we're also building a marketing and communications leadership team.

We're interested in connecting with experienced nonprofit professionals who may be a strong fit for roles such as:

Marketing & Communications Lead

Develop the broader marketing strategy and ensure our communications support organizational goals.

Social Media Strategy Lead

Build meaningful, platform-specific content and engagement strategies—not just a posting calendar.

Content & Storytelling Lead

Find the human story inside the mission and turn it into content people actually connect with.

Fundraising & Development Communications Lead

Help communicate impact and build relationships with donors and supporters.

Digital Marketing & SEO Lead

Help Legacy Paws reach people beyond our existing audience through search, digital campaigns, email, and our online presence.

Community & Partnership Marketing Lead

Help build relationships with businesses, schools, community organizations, veterinary professionals, other nonprofits, and people who want to help.

Photography / Videography / Creative Production

Capture the real moments—the ridiculous ones, the heartbreaking ones, the beautiful ones, and everything in between.

Marketing Strategy & Analytics

Help us understand what is actually working and make smart decisions with limited nonprofit resources.

We're not looking for people who simply want another volunteer position to add to a résumé.

We're looking for builders.

People who want to take ownership of something.

Develop it.

Improve it.

Bring other people into it.

And help leave it better than they found it.

THE PERSON WE WANT

You don't need to know everything.

You do need to know how to lead.

We're especially interested in someone with:

• Professional creative/marketing experience
• Nonprofit or mission-driven organization experience
• Strong strategic thinking
• Leadership and team-building experience
• Excellent communication skills
• The ability to collaborate without micromanaging
• Comfort working in a growing organization
• A willingness to challenge assumptions
• A willingness to hear "I don't agree" without taking it personally
• The ability to turn big ideas into actual plans
• And, obviously...

You must love dogs.

That's a prerequisite.

Not because we're trying to be cute.

Because if you don't genuinely care about the animals and people behind this mission, you won't understand what we're trying to build.

WHY LEGACY PAWS?

We're still young.

That means we're not handing you a finished machine and asking you to keep it running.

We're handing you a blank piece of paper.

We're building the leadership structure.

The programs.

The partnerships.

The systems.

The culture.

The brand.

The community.

The future.

And that means the right person won't just be joining Legacy Paws.

You'll help shape what Legacy Paws becomes.

I don't want to build an organization that depends on one person working herself into the ground.

I want to build something that becomes bigger than any one person.

Something that can continue helping dogs and people long after any one of us is gone.

That's the goal.

Not bigger for the sake of bigger.

Better.

Stronger.

Connected.

Kind.

And actually useful to the community.

If you're reading this thinking, "Wow. These are my people."

Let's talk.

Tell us who you are, what you're damn good at, what kind of seat you'd like to build, and why this mission speaks to you.

We'd love to hear from you.

Come help us build the nonprofit we wish already existed.

For the dogs.

For the people.

For the rescues.

For the community.

For the connections.