Creative Director

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

The Creative Director oversees the creative department and the concepting, storytelling/messaging and user experience of all linqd. and client brand, product, or program creative executions.

The Creative Director (CD) will lead a team of creative professionals and work collaboratively with the account management teams to understand the client's strategic brief and will be involved in every aspect of client creative from the idea phase to the execution. During a client or linqd. creative project, the CD supervises and guides all creative staff, internal or freelance, to create a work, such as a brand concept, websites, digital ad campaigns, written communication, or an email campaign. This role is also responsible for the development of the creative team’s processes, planning, monitoring workload/budgets, and establishing best practices.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Creative Direction

• Works cross-functionally with revenue leadership and client teams to transform brand positioning and strategic program briefs into impactful creative campaigns and assets that elevate the linqd. brand and deliver on client objectives.
• Produces compelling, customer-centric new creative ideas and work for the linqd. brand and clients.
• Develops well-crafted copy that meets clients’ requirements.
• Collaborates with the omnichannel team to direct and oversee UX/UI client or linqd. brand marketing initiatives.
• Coordinate and lead internal creative brainstorming sessions to ideate new client concepts.
• Collaborates with the account management and omnichannel team to build and execute creative testing strategies.
• Participates as part of a team with account management to pitch creative concepts to clients.
• Oversees creative direction and execution for corporate events, partnering cross-functionally to ensure alignment with brand strategy and operational excellence.
• Reviews and critiques all designs, ensuring they are on-brand and deliver marketing objectives.

Creative Management

• Maintains an intimate understanding of design, copy, digital, web UX/UI best practices/guidelines.
• Evaluates trends, assesses new data, and stays up to date on the latest marketing techniques.
• Ensures the design team is digital/mobile-first.
• Defines needed freelance resources for unique skills not represented on the team.
• Supervises the creative department’s daily workflow and collaborates with operations to define budget client creative hours for new projects and to report on creative outputs.
• Presents project information, including deadlines and budgets, to executives and clients.
• Shapes and maintains linqd. brand standards and creative procedures to ensure all linqd. brand assets meet the standard.

Leadership

• Hires, manages, and mentors all creative team members (either directly or freelance) that support the client and linqd. brand delivery of all creative concepts and assets.
• Guides the selection process for any outside agencies (design, animation, video, etc.) linqd. uses.
• Will be involved with interviewing and engaged in good faith efforts to hire and support a diverse workforce.
• Conducts ongoing creative team performance coaching sessions and reviews to understand job expectations and document performance concern areas.
• Upholds the Company’s Open-Door policy by meeting with employees, listening to concerns, and providing resolutions.
• Responsible for direct reports evaluations, following company guidelines.
• Perform as a mentor, conduct training, and create development plans for employees to ensure a long-term succession plan and growth are in place.
• Works across the creative team to assign a team to client projects and ensure the team understands the client messaging and needed assets.
• Serves as an internal brand, digital/mobile design and UX/UI expert, maintaining a broad knowledge of marketing industry developments and innovations and introducing them to linqd. as warranted.
• The above job duties and responsibilities are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position.

Core Competencies & Experience:

• At least ten years of experience leading a team of digital design, storytelling, UX/UI and building client assets in a direct marketing function or experience working in an Agency in a B2B or B2C company.
• Extensive knowledge of art and digital design.
• A strong understanding of brand development and multichannel marketing concepts.
• Comfortable interacting with clients and internal staff alike.
• Strategic problem-solving abilities and expertise in the interpretation of customer needs and requirements.
• Exceptional interpersonal, leadership and communication skills.
• Strong collaborator.
• Excellent presentation skills with the ability to “sell-in” work.
• Extensive experience using software programs such as Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft 365, and others.
• Knowledgeable of the entire web development process, including design (UX/UI) and development; as well as UX for campaigns.
• Open to receiving feedback and constructive criticism.
• Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining a cool outlook. Thriving in an environment that never stops is a must.

Education Requirements:

BS/BA degree (Marketing, Communications, Graphic Design, Journalism, or related fields preferred), MBA preferred