Associate Creative Director, Retail & Commerce.

Mindgruve is on a mission to revolutionize the retail industry and bring human connection into everything we do. As the Associate Creative Director, Retail & Commerce, you will be leading a team of experts in our industry while fostering a culture of innovation and out of the box thinking. The Associate Creative Director will bring a mix of marketing expertise and business acumen to the role, proven out by a book of killer creative ideas and execution.. You will be responsible for managing and inspiring a team while taking our retail/commerce creative output as a company to a new level. As the Associate Creative Director you will have the ability to elevate a team’s output, and a natural eye for Commerce copy and design, and be a prolific generator of dynamic ideas that connect with all types of audiences for both B2B and D2C audiences. You will be a key leader on the team and will be responsible for setting and executing the creative vision for our clients.

This role exists to conceptualize & execute our clients’ creative vision, and bring innovative ideas that captivate and inspire their customers. The Associate Creative Director, Retail & Commerce collaborates closely with department leaders across Brand Management, Retail Media, Retail Operations, Sales, and Analytics, to drive content & creative strategies on retailer marketplaces for Mindgruve clients. The right candidate will have a basic understanding of ecommerce marketplaces, with a desire to push beyond the typical boundaries. The Associate Creative Director will also work with Mindgruve leadership in Latin America and Europe to establish Global Creative best practices, and support cross-border opportunities. The Associate Creative Director will report to the Senior Vice President of Global Creative, and oversee the current Retail Commerce Creative team, consisting of 5 Designers and 4 Copywriters. Approximately 25% of this role will be hands-on-keyboard, supporting your team and clients directly. 60% of this role will be focused on managing and leading the team of Designers, Copywriters and SEO Specialists. 15% of this role will be focused on prospective client work, through supporting the sales team, and fortifying Mindgruve sales collateral.

What You'll Do Here:

KEY OBJECTIVES - MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP:

• Supervise a cross-functional team of graphic designers, copywriters and SEO specialists in the strategic development of messaging and deliverables.
• Conduct quarterly & annual reviews with the team, and help craft & support short-term & long-term goals for the team and each teammember. 
• Prioritize work and resources across engagements, based on short-and long-term needs, and collaborate with project managers to develop workback schedules for both design and copy projects.
• Collaborate with other Creative Team leadership to provide thoughtful design and copy feedback to designers and copywriting on a regular basis, in such a way that they grow and develop over time.
• Motivate & Inspire the creative team through effective communication, leadership & guidance.
• Provide leadership to inspire, empower, engage and energize the team to achieve key objectives through team work and streamlined processes.
• Conduct brainstorming sessions with the creative team, maintaining strategic thinking to develop innovative and actionable initiatives.
• Review and approve art and copy developed by the team, while collaborating with the Brand Management team to ensure that deliverables address clients marketing and business goals /KPIs.
• Spearhead and manage content strategy for both small and large products, harnessing brand, design, copy, and digital technology.

KEY OBJECTIVES - CLIENT WORK:

• Stay ahead of global design and copywriting trends and translate learnings and insights into actionable strategies for clients.
• Directly influence creative strategy & direction for the top 10% of Mindgruve’s Retail & Commerce clients and deliver exceptional work that drives their brands forward.
• Deliver a cohesive and forward thinking creative strategy to clients that aligns with their brand identity, target audience and market trends.
• Manage the development of creative assets purposely designed to deliver action and built to drive value.
• Collaborate with internal teams on campaign creation & messaging for all clients.
  Address concerns with clients around creative.
• Conceptualize new ideas for clients that captivate and inspire their customers.
• Partner with the brand management team in order to find opportunities to foster and grow new opportunities for clients’.

KEY OBJECTIVES - BUSINESS GROWTH:

• Participate in both existing client and new business efforts to increase revenue for Mindgruve.
• Collaborate with the Retail & Commerce department leaders on sales and marketing collateral, including pitch deck storytelling, case study narrative & white-papers.
• Research and understand creative opportunities for new, emerging marketplaces and relevant commerce platforms.

We Need a Person With:

• Strong portfolio of Retail & Commerce client work, and other types of work as well.
• 2-3+ years of experience contributing, participating, and presenting creative capabilities in a sales situation.
• 2-3+ years of team management and leadership experience.
• Hands-on experience with Amazon, Walmart, or other marketplace creative is a significant plus.
• Knowledge of creative and content capabilities & restrictions across major retailer marketplaces (e.g. Target, Macy’s, PetCo, Costco etc.).
• Familiarity using AI tools to streamline creative processes (ChatGPT, Adobe AI, Pebblely, etc).
• Familiarity with using content management / feedback platforms such as Talkoot and Pageproof a plus.

Compensation:

• Salary: TBD (commensurate with experience)
• Annual Bonus: TBD