Marcom Creative Director

Description

Willow Creek's Marketing and Communications (Marcom) Central Team helps carry the mission, vision, and values of Willow into our church and community. By equipping ministries and campuses as effective brand ambassadors and creating engaging and inspiring content, we remove barriers so that people can experience the love of God and take next steps in their faith journey. As a staff, we aim to foster a culture that has open hands to do whatever it takes to serve and support that mission, serving with humility and open hands. Wherever the need is, we step in. Nothing is above or beneath us to serve one another or our Church.

As the Creative Director you are the creative curator, responsible for crafting a compelling story and user experiences across Willow’s platforms and communication channels that help improve the church's marketing efforts. You will ensure we effectively communicate the church's values, increase clarity in messaging, and remove barriers from people taking next steps. In addition, you will oversee the creative process for the Marcom team, working with other Willow staff, freelance designers, a graphic designer, volunteers, and developers to ensure our visuals and user experiences are cohesive with the Willow brand experience, inspiring people toward our mission.

The salary range for this position is around $65,000 - $85,000 depending on experience and skill set. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement savings with company match, generous paid time off, mental health counseling reimbursement, and more

Job Responsibilities

• Oversee and art direct graphic design for all high level initiatives (Christmas,  Easter, Celebration of Hope, Fall Launch, Weekend series, Heritage months, etc.) and utilize staff and contractors to execute work.
• Develop and maintain relationships with a network of creative freelancers (video, design, development) to utilize for Willow’s marketing and communication needs.
• Help strategize, design, and develop effective digital experiences for Willow’s platforms and communication channels (social media, website, newsletters, Rock management system, etc.) that help people connect with God, Willow, and each other.
• Manage, support, and develop staff Graphic Designer
• Help contribute to the creative culture at Willow, seeking out opportunities to invest in and develop the next generation and volunteers.
• Assist with content creation, as needed.

Staff Values:

• Believing the Best | Trust is our default
• Commit to Candor | Kindness is our way
• Embrace Challenge | Grit is our style
• Setting the Tone | Joy is our attitude
• Choose Unity | Diversity is our strength

Success is Defined As…

Creating and curating visually appealing and effective user experiences across Willow’s platforms (web, app, Rock) and communication channels (social, newsletters) that cohesively tie to the Willow brand to help people take next steps to love God, love people, and change the world.

Preferred Skills and Experience

Skills/Competencies:

• Strong communication skills. Must have the ability to communicate well with team members and articulate rationale for design decisions.
• A solid understanding of design principles, including applications across mediums.
• Ability to lead a creative process including meeting with clients, pitching creative direction, moodboarding, and art direction.
• Ability to art direct freelance designers and developers, effectively translating the goals and heart of the project.
• A self-starter attitude with an excitement to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Ability to manage many projects at once and meet deadlines.
• Able to manage time effectively.
• Knowledge of digital platform/social media best-practices

Personal Characteristics: 

• Learner - Can take direction and feedback and has a great desire to learn.
• Leader - Can work with people from multiple teams, inside and outside the organization, to pursue the same goal 
• Self-Aware - Knows where they have weakness, and finds others to fill in those gaps
• Proactive - Actively looking for ways to contribute to the team’s overall success
• Critical thinker & problem-solving skills - See the hurdles and opportunity for innovation
• Collaborative - Committed to the success of the team and willingness to pitch in
• Relentless Pursuit - A drive to constantly stay updated on design trends, new techniques, and to learn new styles
• Church Alignment - currently (or willing to) regularly attend a Willow Creek Community Church campus and aligned with our church’s beliefs and values

Education and Experience:

• 5 years working as a creative director or leading creatives
• Experience managing people 
• Strong knowledge of Adobe Suite
  • Required: Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign.
  • Bonus: After Effects, Premiere Pro
• An online portfolio that demonstrates a passion for great design and shows stylistic breadth, attention to detail, and usability.

Qualifications

Salary : $65,000 - $85,000