Design Lead - Creative Services Department, # 12588

Location: Riverwoods, IL UNITED STATESFunctional Area: MarketingMin Pay Rate: $Max Pay Rate: $Pay Type: YearResource Type: Full TimeJob Description: Direct Marketing Design LeadPosition co-leads (with Copy Lead) a dedicated creative team assigned to specific business lines/projects. Position will be expert knowledgeable in assigned business lines, will maintain close working relationships with key (BP) Business Partners, will operate as an authoritative voice on business line creative and substitute for the Creative Manager (CM) or Associate CM when so delegated. The Copy Lead provides leadership, direction, ideation, inspiration and graphic design to the creative team and will manage the desginers on the creative team. The idea applicant will be experienced in the core fundamentals of direct marketing and how direct (web, mail, or print) ties into an integrated campaign.Principle Duties and Responsibilities:Creative Development & LeadershipPartner with BPs, Marketing Officers, Brand and Customer Insights in meeting the needs of assigned businesses.Partner with and support your CM and co-lead in providing direction and creative POV to BPs and creative team. Attend all non-BAU creative kickoff meetings and presentations and routinely provide creative thinking and informed opinion on BPs' initiatives and projects. Be an idea champion. Push consideration of unconventional thinking, challenge assumptions and lead creative team in providing BPs with viable, useful ideas and recommendations to resolve challenges/issues.Be a solution provider. After creative reaches marketplace, work with CM to obtain results and partner with BPs to refine messaging strategy, and recommend refinements to offer, product configuration, positioning, target select and other aspects to further improve performance.Be business informed. Operate as a subject matter expert in market segments, consumer insights, product categories, competitive activities, and preferred media channels involved in bringing assigned business products/services to market.Be a salesperson. Lead your creative team in presentations and sell ideas/concepts effectively.Be an effective partner. Ensure CRM functions effectively and helps build trust between BPs and their creative team.Be an effective designer. On many projects, the Design Lead will also function as the primary or secondary designer responsible for delivering compelling concepts and design.Creative ManagementCo direct, inspire and empower creative team in the conception and execution of compelling, on strategy marketing communications.Work to manage change and devote sufficient time/effort to build your team's bond and support for one another. Work with CM/ACM to implement performance metrics to manage for success.Push yourself, your reports and team to strive for high quality marketing communications. To reject the routine and reach for a better idea, a more compelling concept, fresher copy and more impactful design. Hold reports and creative team accountable yet make it safe for team members to strive and fail, to make a mistake and to learn from it.Ensure your creative team uses and understands the approved Creative Brief.Ensure your direct reports and team manage their time effectively and are aware of the typical time/labor estimates for particular jobs.Ensure your team uses creative best practices in concept development/presentation and elswhere in the creative process to deliver work efficiently and expeditiously.Ensure your team meets all agreed upon deadlines, follows procedures, collaborates with BPs and colleagues, and follows through on project requirements.Ensure direct reports and your team are current on AMPs.Attend regular 1 on 1's with CM or ACM and, as assigned by your CM or ACM, attend and participate in weekly Traffic/Resource assessment meetings, biweekly Creative Integration & Alignment meetings, quarterly Agency Management meetings and utilize quarterly CBCS meetings to share your team's work/best practices/successes.People DevelopmentClearly define what is expected from direct reports and team members: their responsibilities, behavior, attendance standards and essential skill sets.Comply with Performance Evaluation schedules, hold regular 1 on 1's with reports and provide team with open, honest feedback to help improve their performance.Manage direct reports to the task. Delegate to develop.Be open and accessible to staff and engage them in discussions that can advance their knowledge, outlook, understanding and confidence.Reinforce positive behavior and help engender a collaborative work environment.Ensure direct reports receive appropriate developmental training and receive pertinent information on BPs and the Company at large to strengthen their understanding of the Firm's business objectives.Creative Consulting & ReviewAttend and participate in weekly creative team meetings, internal creative review meetings, new creative kick offs, Creative Integration meetings and provide expert commentary and critical thinking on BP or CBCS needs, challenges and issues under consideration.Attend and participate in Quarterly and Biannual Creative Reviews offering informed commentary/opinion on where and how to improve creative product.Provide creative consultation for all creative, whether internal or external as BPs request it.Provide your individual functional (copy/design) and channel (direct response, online, POS, etc.) expertise to both BPs and CBCS colleagues as requested.Share what's working and not working in your assigned business lines with your CBCS colleagues.*HJSKILLSRequired: Minimum Requirements:Associates Degree5-7 years of experience in Direct MarketingWord ProcessingGraphics Applications (Quark, InDesign, Illustrator, Photo Shop)Desired: Preferred Requirements:Bachelor's Degree Click here to apply: