Creative Director, CandyJar at Inkitt (San Francisco, CA)
Inkitt· San Francisco, CA· $160k–$170k·
Role details
Job description
Inkitt is building the Disney of the 21st Century, standing at the forefront of technology and entertainment. Leveraging AI and predictive algorithms, Inkitt discovers unknown stories and turns them into blockbuster hits, producing a new $1M ebook every 4 weeks and selling directly to consumers through its Galatea app. Inkitt has become the 11th most bestseller-generating publisher in the world, boasting a 40x higher hit-rate than traditional publishers. Recently raising a Series C and backed by some of the top VC’s such as: Khosla, Kleiner Perkins, and NEA Ventures, our recent expansion into CandyJarTV is only the beginning of our journey to becoming the next-gen entertainment powerhouse.
Top 3 Objectives of the Role
Own and protect the creative vision across AI-generated film projects, ensuring storytelling quality is never compromised for speed. Translate traditional film directing into AI production, bringing narrative directing expertise while embracing new AI creative workflows. Help shape the future of AI-native entertainment, bringing excitement for Inkitt's storytelling model and contributing to innovative narrative content.
Top 5 Hard Skills + Channel Experience
Professional narrative directing experience (independent film, television directing programs, narrative shorts, music videos, or similar) Script analysis and story development, including breaking down scripts and providing creative feedback Editorial review experience, giving direction on edits, pacing, color correction, and sound design Visual storytelling fundamentals, including shot composition, shot selection, storyboarding, and cinematic language Professional production experience, collaborating with writers, editors, producers, and creative teams in a production environment
Additional preferred experience: Independent film or boutique studio backgrounds Film festival recognition or directing fellowship programs Romance, women-forward, or action/adventure storytelling experience Exposure to AI creative tools (preferred) Experience working across multiple productions simultaneously
Top 5 Softer Skills
Exceptional vision communication, with the ability to clearly articulate and defend creative direction Constructive creative leadership, providing thoughtful, actionable feedback to creative teams Open-mindedness, incorporating feedback and alternative perspectives without ego Strong prioritization, balancing multiple projects while determining what creative feedback matters most Passion for innovation, with genuine excitement for AI, new storytelling formats, and Inkitt's mission
At Inkitt, we strive to build a company culture and provide employment opportunities based on diversity and inclusion. We believe every author should have an equal opportunity to succeed, as should our team members. As a growing team from 20+ countries, we welcome everyone to apply.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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Why work at Inkitt
- Hybrid & flexible work: Employees work in a combination of remote and on-site; flexible schedules with the option to work from Berlin or San Francisco offices depending on location.
- Compensation: Competitive salaries — recent postings include Senior Software Engineer, Mobile at $175k–$215k; Senior CRM Lifecycle Marketing at $147k–$190k; People and Office Coordinator at $80k–$110k.
- Benefits: Generous parental leave, mental health benefits, 401(K), generous PTO, paid holidays and sick days, pet-friendly offices, and employee discounts.
- Culture signals: Employer rating of 3.7/5.0 across 143 reviews (culture 3.4, career 3.5, compensation 3.3, work-life 3.2); Indeed reviews are more mixed (3.2 work-life, 3.0 compensation, 2.6 job security).
- Mission-driven environment: Employees work directly on disrupting the traditional publishing industry with a data-driven approach — a rare blend of creative storytelling and AI engineering.
- Growth trajectory: 26% YoY headcount growth and a newly launched streaming platform mean employees can have outsized impact in a fast-scaling organization.