Group Creative Director (Art Direction)

JOB SCOPE & PURPOSE

The Group Creative Director (GCD) contributes to the overall strategic direction of assignments. He/she leads a team in developing and creating concepts and visual ideas for all forms of communication, advertising, and promotional materials on assigned accounts. As a contributing art director, he/she determines the creative direction and guides the team on developing conceptual ideas. He/she collaborates with project teams to plan, analyze, organize, and execute assigned projects by meeting with key stakeholders to assess effectiveness and ensure solutions align with the brief. The Group Creative Director is directly responsible for the creative development process from start to completion. Overall, this position requires an innovative, dynamic thinker who inspires and motivates Creative teams throughout the life of a project.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for the integration of all elements on clients/programs/projects
• Guides and mentors Creative teams to deliver innovative and engaging creative concepts and execution that are strategically sound; helps team maintain the creative direction/vision of all communication solutions from beginning to execution
• Oversees the creative execution and quality on a daily basis to help ensure timely, quality, efficient delivery and provides appropriate feedback as necessary
• Presents creative strategies and ideas to internal team and external clients with clearly thought-out strategies and recommendations from kickoff to final presentation
• Reviews all copy/design developed to ensure the tone/manner/style and mandatories align with brand standards; functions as copywriter/art director when necessary
• Builds strong relationships and maintains consistent communication with clients, client team, project managers, Creative team members, and print/digital production
• Partners with project management to scope/estimate the project, identifying and monitoring time/budgets and resources to deliver on recommended programs
• Monitors the latest innovations in communications channels/technologies and recommends/applies them where appropriate
• Assists with managing/leveraging relationships with outside contractors (freelancers)
• Develops a thorough understanding of the clients’ brands, businesses, and the competitive environment; seeks out actionable insight on assigned client/projects and uses that insight to develop strong creative
• Supervises, inspires, and motivates a team of writers and art directors in the creation of communication solutions for a number of accounts assigned by the ECD, providing reviews, nurturing, and training
• Maintains consistent communication regarding projects, clients, and staff with the creative director
• Communicates and reinforces Targetbase’s standards of excellence – on time, on budget, imaginative, strategic, and responsible ideas and executions that incorporate sound direct marketing, customer marketing, or promotion principles
• Provides creative direction and feedback to art directors and writers on assigned projects and as it relates to their overall professional development
• Acts as a key Creative contact and resource for senior clients and senior agency staff, exemplifying Creative excellence, professionalism, and service at all times
• Partners with other competency leads on account to identify growth opportunities and drive business-building, integrated communication solutions, which champion cross-divisional discussion and planning
• Attends and participates fully in briefs, product group meetings, and client presentations; attends client briefs and research sessions as needed
• Develops program strategies along with Client Service/Strategy/other competency partners
• Facilitates the Creative team’s understanding of the program’s strategy, evaluating and selecting their resulting concepts, ensuring that the creative product is on strategy and on budget
• Encourages the exploration of a multitude of creative solutions, seeking out additional creative resources as necessary
• Contributes to building a positive agency culture, building positive working relationships with the internal team, other departments, and clients
• Supports the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of staff

EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

• 5-7 years of agency experience, as an art director with good verbal sense, with strong conceptual, communication, and presentation skills
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in a writing- or art direction-focused concentration

KNOWLEDGE & ABILITY

• Proven ability as an effective team player
• Conceptual director with heavy digital and social execution
• Strong design sense
• Presentation skills
• Collaborator not Competitor
• Collaboration with strategy/planners
• Mentor to art directors (design and concepting)
• Team lead across portfolio of brands
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, and develop creative talent with recognized expertise in print/digital/mobile concepting and design/copywriting
• Able to develop solid working relationships with internal and external clients
• Solid knowledge of steps required in creative development process: providing guidance to achieve creative direction; giving timely and helpful coaching; and producing all work in a timely, cost-effective manner
• Self-motivated, a natural problem-solver, and a good communicator with a demonstrated ability to oversee multiple projects simultaneously, both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
• Able to direct film, video, and still photo shoots
• Solid presentation skills
• Strategically oriented with solid brainstorming acumen and ability to lead ideation
• Demonstrated ability to rationalize, judge, and organize ideas, solving problems using keen instincts and organizational experience
• Able to mentor and demonstrate team-building skills
• MAC and PC literacy
• Proficient with Adobe Suite and Figma
• Experience with video and Motion graphics are a must

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Travel is required
• Must have a portfolio that demonstrates solid, strategically driven creative ideas in multiple mediums
• We work a hybrid schedule.  3 days in office and 2 days working from home.  Candidates must local to the DFW area and willing to be onsite in the office 3 days a week.