Associate Director of Creative Services. at Access DMC

Chicago, Illinois, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

06 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

08 Mar, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Proposal Production, Leadership Development, Team Management, Workflow Oversight, Goal Setting, Asana Management, Creative Thought Leadership, Event Design, Visual Strategy, Client Engagement, Workload Distribution, Cross-department Collaboration, KPI Monitoring, Personal Book of Business Management, Salesforce Proficiency, Negotiation

Industry

Events Services

Description

Access Your Potential. Join us to create and deliver experiences that inspire people, spark connection, and bring imagination to life—while having a lot of fun doing it. We’re hiring an Associate Director of Creative Services in California! The ideal candidate will live in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco or Wine Country. About the Job The Associate Director of Creative Services is a hybrid role, blending expert-level hands-on proposal production with emerging and developing leadership responsibilities. This position is a strategic leadership role that combines deep experience in crafting world-class proposals with a focus on strengthening exceptional team leadership. It emphasizes growth in managerial responsibilities, assisting with oversight of the Creative team workload, and the cultivation of emotional intelligence, team management and cross-functional leadership. What You'll Be Doing Management, Leadership Development & Team Growth Collaborate with leadership to co-design a pathway for the creative team within your specific Office Codes and/or Territory. Direct oversight and responsibility for Creative Department workflow, goal setting, Asana management, proposal review and overall Office Code and/or Territory revenue, team revenue and KPI targets. Manage, mentor and coach Creative Managers and Associates through regular one-on-ones, feedback sessions and targeted development plans. Support of personal and/or team direct sales through client and hotel interfacing opportunities. Creative Thought Leadership Drive innovation in event design, setting the conceptual vision and visual strategy that elevate our brand, including pricing and supplier strategies. Lead by example in “Imagine First” thinking—experimenting with new design tools, storytelling techniques and client engagement methods. People & Project Management Oversee workload distribution for direct reports, ensuring realistic deadlines, high morale and quality output. Facilitate cross-department collaboration—working closely with Sales, Operations and National Creative to deliver seamless client experiences. Hold teams accountable for company goals: revenue targets, win ratios and client satisfaction metrics. Personal Book of Business Manage a personal portfolio of proposals and collateral, maintaining top-tier quality and client relationships. Balance individual deliverables with leadership duties by leveraging strong organizational skills and efficient processes. Growth & Performance Tracking Monitor KPIs and metrics for your team: close ratios, on-time delivery, creative impact scores and professional development milestones. Present quarterly progress reports to the Director of Creative, highlighting team achievements and growth opportunities. About Access Access is a women-owned and women-led destination management company that designs and delivers corporate events across the country. With expert teams in top destinations, we craft unforgettable experiences that connect and inspire. About You We know that there’s no one in the world like you. And we know that you have a lot to offer the next company you work with. Below is a list of “nice-to-haves”, but don’t let those deter you from applying. Access believes that an inclusive team and culture is important. We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team. Nice-to-haves: 6+ years of creative experience in a Destination Management Company (DMC) or a related strategic proposal and design environment Demonstrated leadership or mentorship experience, including formal training, coaching, and/or direct people management responsibilities Proficient in Salesforce, with the ability to navigate the platform, interpret reports, and extract insights to inform decisions and identify trends Deep knowledge of and established relationships within the local destination market Proven negotiation and relationship-building skills with clients and partners 3+ years of experience leading high-performing sales teams, consistently meeting or exceeding KPI targets Hands-on experience with Social Tables, Canva, AI tools, and event diagramming platforms Solution-oriented mindset, with a proactive approach and strong initiative to contribute to team and personal success Customer-focused, with a passion for delivering exceptional service in the hospitality and special events industry Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across internal and external stakeholders Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with the ability to adapt to change and consistently meet deadlines Why Access? CULTURE & EXTRAS Certified as a Great Place to Work – 3 years in a row and counting! 50+ years in the industry! Women-owned and women-led Fun, creative, and supportive culture Focus on recognition and employee value – including annual and quarterly awards Paid day off to serve your local community Annual all-company retreat to connect, learn, and have fun together Annual qualifier-based incentive trip for top performers (certain departments eligible) Regional team outings Monthly companywide meetings to connect, learn, and celebrate wins COMPENSATION Highly competitive total compensation, including strong base salary and quarterly bonuses Very strong performance-based quarterly commission plans 401k with company match (eligible after 1 year – up to 4% of salary matched, vested immediately Monthly cell phone stipend WORK LIFE BALANCE Work from home opportunities and flexibility (including full home office setup) Flexible schedule opportunities Generous PTO Sick days 9 full holidays 5 half days off prior to holidays to unplug early 2 floating holidays off to be used on holidays of your choice ½ day Fridays in July & August (based on achievement of goals) HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND FAMILY Extensive menu of health plans to choose from Paid parental leave Pet insurance program Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Mentorship program “Masterclasses” in industry/department-specific topics State-of-the-art technology platforms and tools – including training Annual and monthly meeting content that focuses on professional development

Responsibilities

This strategic leadership role involves blending expert-level hands-on proposal production with developing managerial responsibilities, focusing on strengthening team leadership and overseeing Creative team workload. Key duties include collaborating on team pathway design, directing department workflow, managing KPIs, and mentoring Creative Managers and Associates.