Creative Director

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The Creative Director leads the development and execution of bold, dynamic, and forward-thinking creative strategies across all marketing and communication channels. They will be a driving force behind how the College expresses its brand, values, and mission both visually and narratively to internal and external audiences. Reporting to, and working closely with, the VP of Marketing & Communications, the Creative Director will direct and develop compelling, best-in-class, strategic and effective solutions that set the creative standard for the College, increasing our brand awareness and enhancing our reputation.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Develop and champion the College's visual and verbal brand identity across all platforms, ensuring consistency and excellence.
• Lead and manage the creative team, including a designer(s) and/or an agency, with a dotted line to video producers and photographers, ensuring high quality and brand-consistent output across all platforms.
• Lead the creative process from concept to execution, guiding and mentoring the team in developing innovative and impactful materials, including collateral and multimedia projects, brand campaigns, and other high-level initiatives.
• Lead conceptualization and coordinate and/or support execution of integrated marketing campaigns that support recruitment, revenue driving programs, rankings, and stakeholder engagement.
• Provide creative direction for digital, print, and broadcast advertising and promotional efforts and provide art direction and oversight for internal and external creative resources.
• Collaborate/partner closely with Enrollment Management, Institutional Advancement, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs to support their efforts and ensure alignment with the college's voice and visual identity.
• Oversee the creative direction of key events and institutional milestones.
• Guide and support schools, departments and campus units on brand strategies and provide solutions to meet their communications and marketing objectives.
• Stay current on emerging trends in design, multimedia, and branding, including inspiration from outside higher education, and regularly share relevant insights with the team.
• Establish and enforce brand and identity standards, including brand guides, templates and collateral to ensure brand alignment across schools, departments, and campus units.
• Effectively share, present, and communicate across campus on creative best practices.
• Oversee and deliver consistent and unified brand identity across all deliverables and platforms/channels.
• Ensure all internal and external communications are consistent with the brand's voice, tone and visual identity.
• Partner closely with the assigned Marketing and Communications project manager on creative resource availability, timelines, and prioritization using shared systems for tracking and project coordination.

QUALIFICATIONS - Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job.

• Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, Design, or a related field required, Master's preferred.
• 8-10 years of experience in a creative role, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity required
• Mastery of core design software, including the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint and Word), and Google Workspace for Education (Google Docs, Slides, Drive).
• Strong familiarity with motion graphics software, HTML, project management, and CMS platforms is a plus.
• Experience with digital and print magazine production and publishing.
• Experience in social media content creation.
• Experience guiding creative execution and contributing to brand-aligned solutions within collaborative, cross functional organizations, institutions and/or brands.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES - May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.

• Superior written and oral communications skills
• High level of aesthetic sense with a critical eye and sharp attention to detail.
• Deep understanding of trends and technology.
• A conceptual storyteller with proven ability to develop, write, and direct creative for full marketing campaigns and specific marketing materials, including digital, multimedia, print, and video.
• Strong influencing and interpersonal skills
• Excellent judgment and discernment
• Flexible, adaptable, resourceful, and sense of humor
• Passion for design and innovation
• Team player
• Ability to work comfortably in a fast-paced environment, effectively prioritizing, and managing multiple projects at once, while setting and meeting deadlines for the team.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES - Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Requires ability to lift and move objects that are light
• Requires ability to move materials occasionally

WORK ENVIRONMENT - Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• Usual Office Conditions

Disclaimer: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties as requested, subject to all applicable state and federal laws. Certain job duties described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

Compensation: $128,350.00 - $163,700.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

Grade of Position: 23-14E

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

Division: Division of Marketing and Communications

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week.

Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits such as life and disability coverage as well as commuter offerings are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.