Associate Creative Director, Brand (Contract-to-Hire)

We are seeking a dynamic and innovative Contract Associate Creative Director to drive our internal communication and brand initiatives. This role will shape and elevate the Bounteous x Accolite brand, design and deliver compelling visual content for the Internal Marketing and Business Development teams, and serve as the global staffing team lead through the remainder of 2024. The ACD should have a passion for storytelling, a keen eye for design, and proven experience managing creative teams and projects in fast-paced environments.

Role & Responsibilities

• Leads, inspires, and motivates teams to create and deliver influential, innovative, best-in-class, customer-centric solutions that drive business goals
• Articulates a vision, with clarity of purpose, priorities, and desired outcomes informed by business needs and strategy
• Successfully creates, grows, and maintains brand experiences that people love
• Possesses a multidisciplinary skillset, from understanding product design to strategy to brand to digital marketing
• Shapes and directs creative strategy and deliverables from concepts through execution for a variety of digital platforms and experiences
• Facilitates and oversees creative activities such as experience strategy development, design workshops, conceptual design, copywriting and art direction, production oversight, and concepting for photoshoots and video production
• Ensures all creative deliverables align with overarching project goals and strategy, brand guidelines, and accessibility standards
• Collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams and partners closely with clients to establish strategy, and align goals with tactics
• Participates in broader practice and organization efforts related to our team’s capabilities, growth, culture, and values
• Is a career coach for other XD team members to set and work towards career goals, and help identify training and development needs
• Coordinates with XD senior leadership to define and execute overall practice processes, methodologies, creative and experience design standards, and initiatives
• Contributes to our culture and atmosphere, quality of work, and growth into the next generation of experience designers
• Provides creative leadership on new business pitches in partnership with business development and account teams. Is responsible for the ideas and creative concepts, as well as helping to shape and articulate a compelling story.
• Stays informed on design best practices, trends, and tools, and participates in the local design community
• Juggles multiple clients and projects simultaneously
• Manages time effectively and proactively communicates with project team members

Preferred Qualifications

• A minimum of 10 years of experience as a creative professional, with a focus on design, user experience, and storytelling. Consulting/Agency experience is a plus
• At least 3 years of experience mentoring and managing a team of direct reports
• Experience leading engagements with a strong voice for creative and meticulous eye for detail
• Ability to provide creative direction as well as overall leadership for strategic and account direction
• Proven track record leading pitches and new biz efforts for existing accounts
• Experience in estimating, pitching, planning, and staffing work
• Excellent presentation skills and communication abilities at all levels of both internal and client organizations.
• Experience facilitating workshops and discovery activities
• Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience in Adobe After Effects or similar motion graphics programs is a plus
• Excellent listener with a passion for human-centered design