Creative Director

Title:Creative Director

Reports to: Sr. Director

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $115,106 - $130,208

Location: Remote

Tentative Start Date: April 1, 2024

About Race Forward

Race Forward's mission is to catalyze movement building for racial justice. In partnership with communities, organizations, and sectors, we build strategies to advance racial justice in our policies, institutions, and culture. Race Forward imagines a just, multiracial democratic society free from oppression and exploitation, in which people of color thrive with power and purpose.

Since 1981, Race Forward has brought a systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity. In 2017, Race Forward united with the Center for Social Inclusion, adding a focus on advancing racial equity within local, regional, and state governments to its community capacity building work.

Position Summary

The Creative Director will work collaboratively with the Vice President, Narrative, Communications, and Storytelling, and across the organization to develop Race Forward's visual strategy and aesthetic elements. The Creative Director will be involved in every aspect of a collaboration from the idea phase to the execution to ensure collateral, products and services adhere to Race Forward's brand and overall vision.

Leading a team of graphic designers, digital marketers, videographers, and other creative professionals, the Creative Director will manage the day-to-day details of this team's visual projects, which may include social media, newsletters, position papers, reports, websites, advertising campaigns, video, logos, signage, etc.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of visual assets for Race Forward's programs, products, events, and campaigns to ensure consistency and alignment with Race Forward's mission, vision, and brand.
• Build an innovative environment for a creative team of digital marketers, graphic designers, videographers, animators, and other creatives.
• Manage the creative process from ideation through production and delivery.
• Oversee the creative team's projects, spanning social media, publication layout, online and in-person event promotional materials and signage (environmental, banners, sponsor deliverables, etc.), websites, promotional products and apparel to ensure quality and on-time delivery.
• Collaborate and communicate closely with team members, Race Forward staff across departments, and external partners to create visual assets that achieve project goals and effectively resonate with target audiences.
• Convene regular production meetings to ensure projects are moving along on-time, shifting priorities, and problem-solving as needed, inform affected staff and project lead of any project shifts.
• Create and maintain a digital infrastructure to house and store all digital creative files and final assets.
• Manage the creative production budget and allocate resources efficiently.
• Maintain a database and relationships with socially responsible creative vendors.
• Establish a culture of learning for the creative team to stay up to date on the latest creative resources and techniques to enhance the organization's visual presence.
• Provide day-to-day, real-time supervision and feedback to team members.

Required Job Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)

To perform successfully in this role, candidate should possess the skills identified below:

• Expertise in visual communication, including animation, motion graphics, typography, and composition.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud programs Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
• Ability to manage a project from conception through production in print or web formats.
• Ability to effectively oversee several projects simultaneously, keeping to deadlines, and signing off on projects before they are presented.
• Effective team management, time management and organizational, multi-tasking skills.
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and as a team leader.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), creativity, energy and enthusiasm.
• Project management proficiency; ability to drive and navigate projects across teams.
• Interest in and knowledge of the movement for Racial Justice and racial history of the United States.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, diverse work environment.

Required Education and Experience

• 5+ years experience as a Creative Director.
• Formal training in visual communications/graphic design.
• Experience in animation, motion graphics, editorial design, typography, design theory, color theory, and illustrations.
• Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator
• Knowledge of HTML.
• Working knowledge of photography (composition, quality, editorial value).
• Experience in preparing photos and graphics to be web and print ready.
• 3-5 years' experience with print production,
• 3-5 years' experience with event collateral, including environmental signage, stage graphics, banners, and print production.
• 3-5 years' experience working collaboratively with web developers on user interface projects.
• Strong background in branding

Physical Demands

• Requires long periods of sitting, working on computer.
• May occasionally require carrying heavy equipment.

Travel Requirements

• 20% of time