Creative Director, Retail & Commerce.

Mindgruve is on a mission to revolutionize the retail industry and bring human connection into everything we do. As the 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 Creative Director will bring a mix of marketing expertise and business acumen to the role, promoting Mindgruve and our valued brand partners. You will be responsible for managing and inspiring a team while taking our creative output as a company to a new level. As the

Creative Director you will have a natural eye for 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 as well as our agency.

The 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 and social commerce platforms, for Mindgruve clients. The 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 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. 50% of this role will be focused on managing and leading the team of Designers, Copywriters and SEO Specialists. 25% 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:

• Build & lead a high performing creative team across strategy, production & execution.
• Set clear goals and KPIs for the team that drives dynamic innovation & delivers operational excellence to our brand partners.
• Motivate & Inspire the creative team through effective communication, leadership & guidance.
• Provide thoughtful design and copy feedback to designers and copywriting on a regular basis.
• Craft sound plans to execute vision and strategies; effectively communicate those plans to the creative team.
• Lead team members with a clear vision and direction for their individual and team growth.
• Provide leadership to inspire, empower, engage and energize the team to achieve key objectives through team work and streamlined processes.
• Supervise a cross-functional team of graphic designers, copywriters and SEO specialists in the strategic development of messaging and deliverables.
• Prioritize work and resources across engagements, based on short-and long-term needs, and collaborate with project managers to develop work back schedules for both design and copy projects
• 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.
• Set annual and quarterly goals with your team and hold each member accountable for reaching those goals.
• Collaborate with VP on resource planning and budgeting needs.

KEY OBJECTIVES - CLIENT WORK:

• Stay ahead of global design and copywriting trends and translate learnings and insights into actionable strategies for clients.
• Manage the top 10% of Mindgruve’s Retail & Commerce clients and deliver exceptional work that drives their brands forward.
• Guide the development of internal brand voice and style guides for Mindgruve clients, respective to each retailer
• 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
• Create unique lead-generating marketing funnels that guide shoppers through experiences using a variety of assets across channels
• Collaborate with internal teams on campaign creation & messaging for all clients.
  Address concerns with clients around creative
• Understand in detail what KPIs and performance metrics creative should be measured on and optimize creative accordingly.
• 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’.
  Be strategic in defining and meeting the performance marketing data-driven targets, goals and objectives of our 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 decks, case studies & white-papers
• Research and understand creative opportunities to new, emerging marketplaces and relevant commerce platforms

We Need a Person With:

• Strong portfolio of Retail & Commerce client work
• Strong, illustrated proficiency in Adobe Suite (Photoshop and Illustrator a must, InDesign and AfterEffects a plus)
• 5-7+ years of experience contributing, participating, and presenting creative capabilities in a sales situation 
• 5-7+ years of experience working with brands selling on Amazon, with a comprehensive understanding of Amazon creative capabilities, portals and customer touch points
• 3-5+ years of experience working with brands selling on Walmart Connect, with a comprehensive understanding of the Walmart Connect creative capabilities, portals and customer touch points
• 4+ years of team management and leadership experience
• Knowledge of creative and content capabilities 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: $120,000 - $140,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Annual Bonus: TBD