Creative Director
Controller Job Description
A creative director is the leader of the creative department. They are the person who manages the visual and narrative aspects of creative campaigns and makes sure that all assets ultimately align with a greater brand message that is being conveyed. A creative director is both a manager and mentor, leading their team toward success. A creative director oversees and manages all the aesthetic and functional pieces of ad design, ensuring that each area comes together in a way that adheres to the client’s brand standards. They manage the whole creative team—graphic designers, copywriters, and art directors—keeping the creative vision on track. Creative directors are keen observers and are able to learn from experience in order to produce the highest quality product.
Creative directors think several steps ahead. They can envision their goal and know how to attain it. They’re up to date on industry trends and market shifts. They’re able to keep their team on track and can see all the moving parts of development and how they function together to create a memorable design. Creative direction is about more than visual communication; it’s also about communicating with others about their creative work. A creative director should hone their interpersonal skills in order to facilitate a comfortable and open working environment. They should be able to clearly and firmly convey their thoughts while also accepting feedback. Open lines of communication facilitate the flow of information in service of success. In design, leadership skills and time management skills are key to successfully directing creative people towards a unified goal. Creative directors are proactive, innovative, and can think steps ahead. They use their previous work experience to know what works and what doesn’t, and they know how to guide a creative project toward completion on a deadline. The best creative directors listen to people, interpret their behavior, then help them progress in their creative careers.
The creative director position usually requires a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in a specific creative field, such as marketing, graphic design, or fine arts. On top of that, you’ll typically need seven to 10 years of experience working in your field.
Typical duties of a Controller
• Conceive and implement concepts, guidelines and strategies in various creative projects and oversee them to completion
• Collaborate with account executives to obtain knowledge of the clients’ requirements
• Direct and motivate teams of art directors, illustrators, copywriters etc. to help them use their talents effectively
• Lead brainstorming/creative sessions to generate ideas
• Write and design unique and well-crafted copy that meet clients’ needs as well as our own
• Revise content and presentations, approve/reject ideas, provide feedback to the team
• Train and guide subordinates into accomplished professionals
• Monitor results of team efforts and propose actions for the future
Skills:
• Proven experience as a creative director or in a similar creative role
• Hand-on experience in creative process, marketing, graphic design and brand development
• Excellent working knowledge of software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign etc.
• Outstanding leadership and organization skills
• Exemplary interpersonal and analytical abilities
Qualifications: BSc/BA in advertising, fine art, design or relevant field; MSc/MA will be considered an asset