Hanson Dodge Creative is America’s leading active lifestyle agency with a client roster that includes Trek Bikes, Wilson Sporting Goods, Ragnar Relay Series, Wolverine and other brands that are committed to make the world more active.

Position Summary

The Creative Director role is a senior-level position that provides creative leadership for key accounts at Hanson Dodge Creative, including creative strategy and oversight of its application across all media.

Responsibilities to Clients & the Work

• Collaborate with clients, Account Supervisors and Strategists to develop marketing and brand strategies.
• Based on your accounts’ marketing and branding goals, develop elegant, smart creative strategies that solve business problems.
• Develop productive and consultative relationships with c-level client contacts.
• Present creative rationale and strategies.
• Ensure the overall quality of deliverables.

Responsibilities to the Teams

• Develop strong, productive collaborative relationships with the Account Supervisors on your accounts as partners in leading your accounts.  Abide by budget and timing and strategic issues set by or in partnership with the Account Supervisor.
• Collaborate with Strategists to form effective, smart interactive, marketing and branding strategies on which to build creative.
• Serve as team leader of all other creatives on projects within your accounts.  Delegate and guide the work by assessing individuals’ readiness for specific tasks and adjusting your leadership style to suit.
• Use project work as professional development opportunities for everyone you direct on your teams.

Responsibilities to the Studio

• Abide by all studio policies and processes such as resource planning, timekeeping, managing creatives to scope and time
• Follow the direction of the Executive Creative Director
• Support the goals and responsibilities of the Account Supervisor, Account Managers and Project Managers
• Participate in new business pitches
• Post all of your time daily and accurately
• In certain instances, serve as manager of staff as assigned and fulfill the management role in its entirety as defined by HDC Management Guidelines (separate document).

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Developing creative strategies to solve business problems
• Principles of Communication Design
• Understanding of general business issues
• Principles of Branding and Marketing Communications
• Strong grasp of integrated communication capabilities
• Team collaboration skills
• Client presentation skills, including developing & presenting rationale for creative
• New business pitch client dialogue, HDC representation and presentation
• Public speaking and HDC community representation
• Team leadership & delegation skills: directing the work of high-level creatives such as Copywriters and Art Directors.
• Reviewing creative: providing guidance, critiques, and approvals
• Planning, time management, organization skills
• If managing people, see additional Key Competencies in HDC Management Guidelines.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent portfolio demonstrating creative strategies for integrated campaigns which you have developed and directed
• 3 years successful track record as top creative team leader
• Proven client relationship skills
• Proven new business acquisition skills
• 10 years experience giving client presentations
• 10 years experience managing the work of creatives across print, web, video and experiential
• Success stories of mentoring the professional development of others
• 8 years as an Art Director in an agency setting covering integrated communication solutions or similar experience
• Experience in Active Lifestyle industries (Outdoor/Fitness/Sports) a huge plus