The Associate Creative Director is responsible for developing creative work that has meaningful and measurable impact, achieves brand goals – whether market driven or strategic, and satisfies brief requirements. They will support the Creative Director in all ways – leading conceptual ideation within the category, with a focus on art direction, design, and direction of photography, film and other media extensions from concept to execution. They’ll support the development and evolution of campaign copy in a They’ll be supported in these efforts by a counterpart in charge of copy within the category and in partnership with the project management team, they will be involved in coordination and planning to ensure the timely execution of plans, campaigns, and projects to assure earnings, growth and program goals are achieved. The position will report directly to the Creative Director, will collaborate cross functionally with Category Managers in the Global Product Marketing functions and provide creative leadership to direct reports, peers and adjacent Brand partners within the creative team as well as collaboratively to cross-functional partners. 

Key Responsibilities:

CREATIVE DIRECTION, DEVELOPMENT, & CONCEPTING

• Must be located in NYC and surrounding areas
• Develop creative concepts and content to support brand initiatives including New Product Launches, Seasonal Campaigns, Product Repromotes, Ongoing support of E-comm and In-store Globally 
• Deep dive into marketing objectives, product insights and target audiences to translate product positioning, consumer trends, and offline/online consumer behavior into effective ideas and concepts.
• Show leadership in executing fresh, innovative concepts that enhance response strategies and achieve campaign/launch/brief objectives
• Stay on top of all trends and use performance driven data – for the industry, the audience and channel to optimize content to meet audiences exactly where they are

• Guide teams through creative concepting, execution and delivery in accordance with departmental processes
• Meet all timelines and ensure delivery of executions for stakeholder review. Manage expectations cross-functionally when timelines are not favorable to proper processes and executional standards
• Deep knowledge of all pertinent industry, channel, client, and product information, such as audience insights, product benefits, offers, KPIs, brand standards and production specifications
• Responsible for current knowledge and understanding of emerging trends and technologies and the ability to institute best practices for digital and traditional marketing products
• Lead, maintain and grow production capabilities within SDJ in-house studio, Rio Hub team and in instance where outside production is needed

• Onboard all team members into Shoot Standards, processes, and best practices for the department to execute more shoots without needing to be the shoot lead
• Work very closely with Senior art directors, photographers, and producers to approve details of shoots to ensure execution ladders up to concept, vision, and forward-thinking brand goals

CREATIVE TEAM LEADERSHIP DUTIES

• Collaborate with Marketing Leads and team members to identify questions and pertinent project information needed to execute assignments
• Work with Creative Director and Project Managers to assign work. Assure that creative work meets brief objectives, follows strategies aligned to the brief 
• Guide, lead, and mentor creative staff - clearly articulate feedback and provide thoughtful and actionable direction that elevates the work – providing context and insights that inform redirects 
• Mentor and inspire teams to perform at the top of their abilities and foster growth in the overall collective ability of the team to think differently and more broadly about their work
• Champion creative problem solving and develop a reputation for being a collaborative and solutions-oriented team

Qualifications

• BA/BS/BFA in relevant field
• 10 Years experience working on integrated, cross-channel campaigns, with a compelling portfolio of distinctive work with emphasis on Brand Story-telling and Brand DNA. Solid understanding of the capabilities and limitations within all channels. Beauty Expertise Required.
• 5 Years in High Visibility Leadership Role, Proven experience as having been an influential player within multidisciplinary team of strategists, copywriters, art directors, and designers
• Experienced and well-respected people manager of direct reports and cross-functional partners 
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud tools with proven expertise in digital, traditional, and emerging delivery models
• Expertise in Art Direction – lifestyle still life

• Expertise in branding, typography and graphic storytelling
• Come in ready to lead with integrity and develop a seasoned, passionate creative team
• Excellent public speaking, presentation, and listening skills, with and ability to own the room
• Candidate must combine a business savviness with Creative Authority and be able to speak intellectually about creative to partners from all backgrounds.
• Strong aesthetic background including awareness of beauty, fashion, lifestyle and market trends 
• Ability to think quickly and react to changing needs while maintaining a positive attitude and troubleshooting according to various circumstances.