Christian Smith
Strategic Creative Director & Marketing Technology Leader
Based in San Diego, California
Voice: 619-764-8072 • Email • LinkedIn • Resume/CV
A creative design and marketing professional with a unique skill set that spans multiple disciplines for a diverse range of clients.
Summary
Creative director and strategic marketing leader with 15+ years of experience driving revenue growth and brand innovation within agency and corporate environments. Expert in bridging the gap between creative vision, technology, and business objectives. Proven ability to lead high-performing teams, architect scalable marketing systems, and deliver integrated campaigns that consistently exceed KPIs. Deep expertise in full-stack project management, process automation, and change management.
Professional Experience
Art Director | JobElephant Recruitment Advertising Agency | San Diego, CA | Oct. 2016 - Present
-
Drove Revenue Growth: Spearheaded the design and strategy of sales decks that secured a 90% RFP win rate, directly contributing to a 300% revenue increase ($7M to $28M) and the acquisition of 10+ new enterprise clients annually.
-
Led Technology & Digital Transformation: Architected and executed the migration of 210+ client websites to a scalable, WCAG-compliant WordPress platform, reducing errors by 20% and generating a $2M+ passive revenue stream.
-
Engineered Operational Efficiency: Pioneered the development of an integrated customer portal (React/Java, WordPress, CRM), automating workflows and reducing support tickets by 30%, saving 15+ hours per week.
-
Managed High-Performing Teams: Led and mentored a design team in the successful delivery of 50+ daily web/print ads for thousands of clients, maintaining a 98% on-time and on-budget delivery record.
-
Optimized Marketing Performance: Increased candidate applications by 40% and social engagement by 25% through data-driven social media campaigns and content automation strategies.
​
Creative Services Manager | ACON Laboratories | San Diego, CA | Jun. 2014 - Oct. 2016
-
Orchestrated Product Launches: Directed the end-to-end creative and regulatory process for the launch of 10 medical devices, CPG, ensuring 100% FDA/USDA/EU compliance and on-time market entry.
-
Expanded Market Reach: Repositioned the company for the US consumer retail market, launching a strategic rebrand and website that increased direct-to-consumer sales by 20%.
-
Enhanced Digital Presence: Led the art direction and front-end development for the US and international blood glucose meter websites, driving a 25% increase in web traffic.
-
Streamlined Operations: Implemented a project tracking system that reduced project delays by 15% and improved design team productivity by 20% through effective management of on-site and freelance staff.
​
Graphic/Multimedia Designer | Mental Health Systems | San Diego, CA | Sept. 2008 - Jun. 2014
-
Executed Large-Scale Rebrand: Managed the complete rebrand of a 1,000-employee organization across 90 programs in 9 months, increasing brand recognition by 20%.
-
Drove Multi-Channel Engagement: Developed and executed print and digital marketing campaigns that increased program enrollment by 15%, website traffic by 25%, and email open rates by 18%​
​
Select Contract & Project Experience
-
Packaging Graphic Designer | Exagen, Inc. (Biotech) | Designed FDA-compliant packaging for new autoimmune diagnostics, enhancing shelf appeal by 15% and boosting launch success.
-
Senior Graphic Designer | Directed Electronics (Automotive) | Increased point-of-purchase sales by 15% through impactful packaging and collateral design for top-tier automotive brands.
-
Graphic Designer | LPL Financial (Finance) | Rebranded marketing materials for the largest independent broker-dealer, achieving a 15% increase in brand consistency scores.
​
Technical Skills
Design & Prototyping: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), Figma, InVision, Miro, Affinity Suite
​
Web & CMS: HTML, CSS, WordPress, Drupal, Bootstrap
​
Marketing & Analytics: Google Suite (Analytics, Ads), Matomo, Constant Contact, Google Ads, Facebook/LinkedIn Ads
​
Business Tools: Microsoft Office (Advanced Certified), ChatGPT, Gemini, Project Management Software
Education & Qualifications
Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons), Graphic Arts – First Class Honors (GPA: 4.0 Equivalent)
Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, U.K.
​
Web Site Design Examples
​
210 WordPress job boards - Example: