Creative Director, Visual Storytelling

Abbott abbott.com Open · verified Oct 18, 2026

United States > Abbott Park : AP06C Full-time Director Creative

At a glance

Director-level Creative role at Abbott. United States > Abbott Park : AP06C · full-time · $149,300–$298,700 base.

SalaryStated by Abbott

$149,300 – $298,700

Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.

RoleCreative

SeniorityDirector

LocationUnited States > Abbott Park : AP06C

EmploymentFull-time

Base pay$149,300–$298,700

PostedOct 16, 2026 · 2d ago

Role brief

growthroles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

Set the visual direction for video, motion graphics and photography, then review work from early treatment to final cut
Direct and shoot key patient stories, brand films and executive pieces, guiding production and post through edit, color and sound
Plan a distinct edit for each platform, including vertical and sound-off formats, and use social results to shape future storytelling
Coach editors, animators and photographers while creating workflows that help a lean team manage high-volume requests
Handle budgets, freelance talent, vendors and equipment, expanding crews for major shoots while preserving a low-profile documentary approach

What you bring

You have led a company-run video studio for a major healthcare brand, setting creative standards and producing work across business lines
At least fifteen years directing and shooting, plus experience founding and operating a production company serving national brands
You can interview real people, capture unscripted moments and build emotion through documentary storytelling
You have led editors, motion designers and photographers, created feed-ready work with social teams, and presented creative to senior leaders

Who this fits

This director-level role suits a hands-on creative leader who can guide productions and coach a multidisciplinary team. Healthcare review experience is required, and travel is five percent. The role is listed in Abbott Park, Chicago and St. Paul.

From the employer

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

WORKING AT ABBOTT:

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of
Free medical coverage for employees* via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO
An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree
A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune
A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists

THE ROLE

Lead Abbott's internal visual storytelling team, spanning video, motion graphics, and photography, and own the creative quality of the work across all of it. The Creative Director sets the storytelling and visual standard, directs the most important productions personally, and builds the team and systems to produce agency-level work at internal speed.

Abbott's stories are about real people and technology that changes their lives. This role exists to make sure those stories are told with the craft and honesty they deserve, on every platform where people actually watch.

WHAT THE ROLE DOES

Creative leadership

Own the creative vision and storytelling standards for all video, motion, and photography the team produces

Review treatments, edits, and final work; hold the quality bar on everything that ships

Act as the senior creative voice on visual storytelling across Abbott, helping brand teams figure out when film, motion, or photography is the right tool and how to use it well

Craft

Direct and shoot priority productions: patient stories, brand films, executive content

Lead on set and model the craft, from documentary interviewing to cinematography, so the whole team levels up

Guide post through edit, color, sound, and motion design

Motion graphics and photography

Lead the motion GFX and photography team(s): set one visual language across film, motion, and stills, with the same documentary honesty throughout

Develop editors, animators, and photographers with the same hands-on coaching as the film side

Platform-native storytelling

Every platform gets its own edit, designed at the treatment stage, never cut down after the fact

Set craft standards for vertical and sound-off viewing, including how stories open in the first two seconds

Build lighter, faster production models for social alongside flagship films

Partner with the social and digital teams who own the channels, and let what performs shape how stories get made

Team and operations

Mentor and develop the team through hands-on coaching and honest creative feedback

Build workflows and intake that let a small team handle high volume without losing quality

Manage budgets, freelancers, vendors, and gear; scale up crews for big productions while keeping a small, unobtrusive documentary footprint

Bring in AI production tools where they genuinely raise quality or speed, and skip them where they don't

WHAT IT TAKES

Experience running an in-house video studio for a major healthcare brand: leading a team, setting standards, and delivering high volume across business lines (portfolio required)

15+ years as a working director and cinematographer, including founding and running a production company for national brands

Deep documentary craft: interviewing real people, finding true moments, building emotion without a script

Experience leading multidisciplinary creative teams, including editors, motion designers, and photographers

Experience making platform-specific edits and working with social teams on content built for the feed

Comfortable in regulated healthcare review

Strong presenter who can sell creative to senior leadership

The base pay for this position is

$149,300.00 – $298,700.00

In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

JOB FAMILY:

Marketing Support

DIVISION:

PA Public Affairs

LOCATION:

United States > Abbott Park : AP06C

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS:

United States > Chicago : Willis Tower Building 233 S Wacker Dr., United States > Minnesota > St. Paul > Tech Center : One St Jude Medical Drive

WORK SHIFT:

Standard

TRAVEL:

Yes, 5 % of the Time

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE:

Not Applicable

SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES:

Continuous sitting for prolonged periods (more than 2 consecutive hours in an 8 hour day), Keyboard use (greater or equal to 50% of the workday)

Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Women/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans.

EEO is the Law link - English: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_English.pdf

EEO is the Law link - Espanol: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_Spanish.pdf