Director of Creative Services

Company: University of Missouri System
Location: Saint Louis
Posted on: February 25, 2021

Job Description:

The Director of Creative Services is the chief brand advocate responsible for the development, implementation and ongoing evaluation of university communications, marketing/advertising materials and oversight of the university's brand strategy. UMSL has recently completed its first Strategic Enrollment Plan. In support of this plan, the successful candidate will oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive brand strategy including brand personality, essence, key messages by audience, brand voice, identity systems, photography and other design elements as well as paid advertising campaigns. The Director of Creative Services manages the university's overall brand strategy, day-to-day creative production operations, ongoing resource needs and tracking of department and university key metrics. This position is an integral part of University Marketing and Communications and ensures that UMSL applies the proper brand systems, messaging, visuals and resources to consistently deliver a superior creative product, both on time and on budget, all while operating efficiently in a fast-paced setting. Communication, initiative and timeliness are keys to success in this role since it requires synchronizing the efforts of multiple parties - department heads, project managers, creatives, producers, etc. - to gain alignment on vision and expectations, and then subsequently communicating to a team of internal staff and external vendors to meet production goals by delegating tasks, regularly monitoring status to track progress and analyzing creative services project workflow throughout development to identify procedural or product changes as necessary. Success in this position requires a blend of the following responsibilities: Creative Development / Brand Management

• Serves as the university's chief brand ambassador - ensuring that all units of the university as well as external vendors/partners follow brand protocol and style guidelines across all communication, marketing and creative development
• Develop and ensure the university's brand strategy is aligned in all creative production - focusing on consistent use of brand personality, essence, key messages by audience, brand voice, identity systems, photography and other design elements
• Develop creative concepts, scripts and copy for both long and short formats including radio advertising, video production and print materials
• Collaborate with team of designers and director of marketing strategies/paid advertising to produce persuasive, effective marketing materials including digital and print
• Interact with clients, pitch ideas, receive feedback and revise work as necessary based on feedback from marketing manager and clients
• Edit, proof and approve all creative services projects Creative Operations Workflow
  • Provide leadership support and direction to the editors and designers of UMSL publications including paid advertising, UMSL Magazine, student recruitment, websites, fundraising and other materials
  • Work with University Marketing and Communication leaders and internal clients to clarify task parameters, deliverables, timelines, budgets and definitions of success, all in advance of task assignments
  • Educate and partner with all affiliate departments and teams to advocate for internal systems and ensure brand alignment and efficient project workflows
  • Identify and monitor out of scope requests or creative services projects led/managed by internal units; elevate issues as needed
  • Identify challenges/impediments and recommend strategies to improve production process
  • Meet regularly with key stakeholders including the director of marketing, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, deans, vice chancellors and chancellor to discuss ways of improving collaboration, communication, workflow, and outcomes that effect enrollment and retention growth, university awareness, interest and reputation.
  • Assure final deliverables comply with university brand standards and client requirements Capacity Planning / Project Management
    • Oversee all university creative projects and other assignments as required
    • Provide exceptional client support and communications for all such projects
    • Act as point of contact to engage, book and manage necessary resources/subjects for activities including video production, voice production and photo shoots
    • Devise and implement key success metrics across the university in collaboration with external agencies, enrollment management and marketing
    • Maintain constant knowledge of current and upcoming projects and business development activities as they relate to resourcing and capacity planning
    • Monitor creative and production team hours against project budgets and timelines
    • Manage billing and administration for all projects
    • Other projects as directed by the assistant vice chancellor or other university leadership Minimum Qualifications A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 6 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary. Preferred Qualifications
      • Six+ years of experience in creative services management, advertising, marketing or related field including managing direct reports. Experience leading creative marketing/messaging for institutions of higher education.
      • Knowledge of agency creative and production operations including print, digital and other executions
      • Strong written and verbal skills are essential, combined with the ability to deliver articulate and engaging presentations.
      • Ability to work well with all levels of internal personnel, outside clients and vendors
      • Well-versed in digital and traditional marketing/paid advertising tactics
      • Experience in media planning and strategy
      • Experience in consulting with higher-level clients
      • Self-starter, ability to see connections, team builder, curious, open to possibilities
      • Exceptional customer service, organizational and time management skills
      • Adaptability, flexibility and problem solving
      • High standards of quality and efficiency
      • Performance-driven attitude. Minimum Salary $71,900/annual Application-- Deadline
        March 8, 2021 Application Instructions Applicants must combine all application materials (cover letter, resume, and list of three references with contact information) into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment. Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about --the application process , please call (314) 516-5805. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email pshrsupport@umsystem.edu . The University of Missouri - St. Louis offers benefit-eligible employees a wide variety of benefits including:--health, dental and vision coverage effective on the first day of employment, vacation and sick time accrual, four personal days per year, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, pension and employee and dependent life insurance. For more information about our benefits, please visit http://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits . UMSL is an equal access, equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that is fully committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. EEO IS THE LAW To read more about Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) please use the following links:

Keywords: University of Missouri System, St. Louis , Director of Creative Services, Executive , Saint Louis, Missouri