Associate Director, Creative

at  EssenceMediaCom

EssenceMediacom is a new breed of media agency. Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world’s best brands. We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers. We are designed for the new communications economy — built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, business administration, and communications; OR equivalent professional work experience.
• An exceptional and robust portfolio that demonstrates a proven track record in the industry.
• 5 years of agency experience.
• Proven creative success working in collaborative multi-functional teams.
• Strong information presentation (visual and written) skills.
• Considerable experience developing award-winning concepts.
• Extensive experience writing inspiring, concise, award-winning omnichannel branded communications copy.
• Experience nurturing and growing agency and client relationships.
• Extensive knowledge of and POVs of emerging platforms and cultural trends.

ROLE SUMMARY & IMPACT

As an Associate Director of Creative, you will partner with an Art Director and work with an extensive multi-disciplinary team to create integrated concepts and campaigns. You should have an obsessive passion for delivering world-class ideas. You will provide leadership for the brands you work on, understand a brand’s voice to establish style and tone of communication. You will work with Art Directors to create innovative concepts and push the idea through to Copy. You will play an active role in brainstorming and idea generation to deliver world-class creative concepts that are applicable across all platforms. You will set creative direction and offers hands-on guidance throughout client team projects. You will also support the CCO by ensuring the quality of work produced by more junior team members is of high standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee your assigned creative teams and provide clear direction, leadership, and timely and constructive feedback to elevate creative work.
• Direct all phases of creative work including developing design concepts and approaches, while overseeing multiple projects through execution and managing creative teams on each project.
• Ensure standards of creative excellence across copy, design, motion, and production.
• Provide strategic and creative guidance throughout the creative process from concept development to final production.
• Effectively present creative rationale to clients, upholding standards of delivering innovative and effective creative campaigns.
• Identify potential roadblocks, escalate issues accordingly, and offer timely solutions.
• Responsible for maintaining overall quality standards for all creative deliverables, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines, client expectations, and any applicable best practices across all decks and documents.
• Act as a brand steward. Deeply understand the client’s visual identity, voice, and brand DNA.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and delegating effectively.
• Collaborate with PM/CS team members to understand client objectives and help translate them into creative concepts and to the wider team.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Perform regular resourcing tasks, including but not limited to resourcing allocations, timely submission and approval of time cards, and maintaining and using accurate job codes.
• Collaborate with internal teams, external teams (e.g. Media, Planning), and outside partners (third Parties, Vendors).
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and act as a main creative POC on respective active workstreams.
• Building relationships with other disciplines, being able to showcase the value of creative expertise.
• Understand the roles and functions of the PM/CS/Activation/Planning teams.
• Assist with deploying innovation opportunities to the clients and MFG/CF Leadership.
• Communicate opportunities for up-leveling, upselling, and/or innovation to MFG/CF Leadership.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends, platform best practices, the work across MFG/CF, and emerging technologies that drive innovation and creative tech.