Associate Creative Director

Zero Overview

Zero is a creative studio founded in NYC. We have offices in New York, Milwaukee, Los Angeles as well as working virtually across the world. Our intention is to create an environment where multidisciplinary teams can solve problems for progressive and contemporary brands. We aim to constantly re-evaluate what it's like to work with a studio and provide a high degree of value and service to our clients and our team.

Our studio seeks an individual with a diverse creative background and the ability to operate with a wide array of personalities (both internally and client-side). We believe that process is at the core of our success - and are continually seeking to evolve ours to get the most out of each engagement. The unique and complex problems that face our clients call for fresh and strategic thinkers. 

Position Overview

As an Associate Creative Director, you will serve as a leader at Zero with an opportunity to define the creative practice. We expect an entrepreneurial and business-oriented focus to spur the growth of the studio, as well as future forward thinking and the ability to work across creative disciplines and client needs. You'll be working directly with the partners to manage 3-5 accounts ranging across branding, digital, and marketing.

Your primary responsibility will be collaborating with and leading our team(s) to create the most effective work possible for the clients and audiences we serve in an enjoyable, engaging, and positive environment. Specifically, within our creative team, you'll be responsible for mentorship as well as helping grow the team via recruiting and interviewing candidates. 

You will be managing a high volume of projects and will be the primary point of contact on the creative side for our clients, so problem-solving, seeing opportunity and possibility in projects  and communication skills are a must. Inspiring clients to see how creative ideas will impact their business as well as providing measurable value will be vital to your success.  

As an Associate Creative Director, our expectation is that you approach the day-to-day with a positive, and solutions-oriented mindset. We believe the traits of kindness, respect, and empathy are vital to the role and a high degree of emotional intelligence and strategic thinking will be keys to success.

Responsibilities

Strategic Collaboration

• Guiding small-to-medium, multi-disciplinary teams toward the common goal of executing on-brief creative projects
• Serving as a trusted advocate to our clients, advising on business challenges and opportunities, from start-up to enterprise levels
• Approaching every project with a clear purpose and ensure all executions meet client and user goals

Entrepreneurial Mindset

• Guiding our clients through the creative process and articulating its value to their business
• Identifying opportunities to improve internal systems and increase efficiency

Project Leadership & Oversight

• Leading and contributing to the research and discovery phase through competitive audits, research, and any additional tactics that add value
• Leading and developing holistic brand and digital strategies that are unique to the market, true to the audience and genuine to the beliefs and vision of the brand
• Overseeing the development of presentations that clearly and effectively tell the story of our work, lead the team in collaborating on those presentations and present the work to our clients 
• Overseeing the team in developing effective designs, art direction, digital solutions and interaction models that deliver on the brand strategies, are unique to the market, and genuine to the beliefs and vision of the brand
• Overseeing the team in defining the brand world, art direction and digital storytelling through UX/UI, digital design systems, detailed responsive screen designs, interactive and motion
• Leading the creation of digital experiences that tell the brand story and delight the user while achieving business goals 
• Working closely with the creative and account teams to develop a systematic approach to the design language across mediums
• Effectively manage your time and work closely with the design team to manage project timelines and schedule design check-ins as needed to meet internal deadlines and goals
• Approaching every project with a solutions oriented mindset, clear purpose and ensure all executions meet business and user goals
  

Leadership & Mentorship

• Conducting regular 1:1 check-ins and individual reviews
• Providing mentorship and feedback throughout your work together
• Facilitating career growth via goal identification & tracking, measuring progress, and finding new opportunities that spur individual growth
• Inspiring the team to do their best work
• Serving as a source of support, stability and guidance
• Considering the team's diverse perspectives and communication styles
• Excellent time management, resource management, and planning skills
• Collaborating & supporting studio partners and project management team in monitoring timelines, project budgets, risks, and scope overages
• Overseeing & managing creative team members including the following:
  • Conducting regular 1:1 check-ins and individual reviews
  • Providing mentorship and feedback throughout your work together
  • Facilitating career growth via goal identification & tracking, measuring progress, and finding new opportunities that spur individual growth

Client Growth

• • Being entrepreneurially minded and constantly looking for ways to improve our clients' business results and mutually beneficial ways to expand our working relationship
  • Collaborating with the account and new business teams in writing and ideating new scopes for potential project extension
  • Bringing new business opportunities to the studio

Relationship Management

• • Managing client relationships and ensure client satisfaction, starting in the sales process and extending throughout the life of our relationship with the client
  • We are looking for an expert communicator who isn't afraid to have the tough conversations that may occasionally be needed
  • Autonomously run key accounts while managing and growing relationships

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in a creative industry
• 5+ years of Creative Direction experience within a creative industry
• Excellent communication and people skills 
• You have managed at least 8+ web projects
• You have managed at least 8+ branding, packaging or print production projects
• You have managed 2-3 mid to large-sized accounts for at least 1 year
• You have completed 3+ content creation projects that included photography, video, illustration or similar

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits
• 401k Matching
• Flexible time off
• Flex Fridays
• Home-office Bonus for Equipment Upgrades
  
• Professional development stipend (annual)

Location 

NYC preferred, open to Remote