Creative Director (Branding)

We are excited to be looking for a Creative Director to join our talented and highly regarded team to direct, manage and take creative responsibility for client visual identity design projects, providing clear, focused and inspirational design direction.

This a senior creative leadership role with a focus on best-in-class creative work, leading the team to deliver the very best output, but also playing a role in managing the studio alongside a team of incredible creatives.

You should have a minimum of 5+ years of experience in identity design, ideally the majority of that as a lead within a creative agency. As well as a portfolio with an emphasis on identity design. You will have experience as a Design Director or Creative Director and have strong demonstrable experience directing creative workflow, instructing colleagues to meet a creative brief, and inspiring your colleagues.This role will report to the Founder and to the Managing Director.

It is vital that this person is able to regularly work alongside our team in person, so while Crown Creative promotes a flexible working environment, this person is required to be based in Belfast or Dublin - or be willing to relocate & have full-time availability. You must have the right to work in the UK or Ireland.

ABOUT YOU

• A confident self-starter and a highly motivated individual with a strong work ethic, willing to regularly go that extra mile to ensure we always deliver for our team and our clients.
• Understands the big picture and will always balance the needs of our people with the needs of the business.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to balance multiple workstreams, tasks, and deliverables.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and bring clarity to fast-paced and at times fluid projects.
• A leader who assumes responsibility and enjoys being accountable for their work.
• Proven ability to creatively solve problems through negotiation, tact and diplomacy.
• An open-minded but critical thinker who is able to see opportunities as well as weigh their potential risks and rewards.
• Highly collaborative and transparent. You're not a sole contributor, but rather someone who will work with the team, where sharing knowledge and experience is second nature in order to grow together.
• You are never afraid to speak your mind, and are exceptionally clear when you do. You’re empathetic and will ensure that your comments are always fair, considered and respectful.
• You will bring energy, passion and optimism to your role and will ensure that you and those around you are motivated and enjoy working together.

CREATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the creative direction of all branding projects.
• Lead by example and immerse yourself within the client’s business so you can identify, understand and overcome commercial and internal challenges, inspiring and delivering the best and most progressive work possible, whilst still considering the holistic needs of the brand.
• Lead and collaborate with strategy & creative teams to develop considered and effective creative approaches based on current design and hospitality insights and a good understanding of the our partners brand and requirements.
• Run projects and pitches with minimal senior oversight - championing creative direction, intent and creative excellence whilst being aware of commercial pressures including resourcing, budget and profitability.
• Communicate and champion creative thinking and technical execution to clients throughout each project
• Oversee the design team to help them deliver their best work. Know when to step in, know when to step back.
• Own your creative work and be a detail-oriented senior when it comes to approving work.
• Answer briefs with great work as a solo creative, and a great leader. Get hands-on.
• Collaborate with the project management team to push briefs and projects through the agency.
• Develop relationships and build a climate of trust, openness and respect.
• Possess highly advanced communication skills to effectively present a point of view, using logic, empathy, and fact to craft a compelling narrative.
• Be an excellent strategic and creative partner to our clients.
• Have fun, create beautiful work, and make a difference.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Challenge briefs and strategies where necessary.
• Understand and contribute to the Crown’s business objectives, taking responsibility for helping deliver them and progressing the studio.
• Understand how individual projects fit into wider strategic and business goals for the agency, and how to prioritise workflows accordingly
• Play an active role in helping Project Managers, Designers and Senior Leadership manage clients - balancing creative with production realism to set and manage expectations around projects.
• Be an ambassador for the studio both internally and externally
• Proactively bring solutions to business problems you identify to the senior management teams, and take responsibility for implementing them
• Work with the leadership team to develop, assess and implement initiatives that improve the work and culture of the company.

REQUIREMENTS

• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• Extensive experience (5 years +) working at an Associate Creative Director or Creative Director level in a similar agency environment.
• Demonstrated creative success in leading collaborative multi-functional teams.
• Experience developing/leading client relationships.
• Exceptional information presentation (visual and written) experience.
• A strong track record in project planning, including accurate estimation of team and time.
• Expertise in Keynote, Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects and to delegate work efficiently.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
• Excellent typography, layout and design skill.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.

ABOUT CROWN CREATIVE

We are a studio of designers, writers, artists & strategists passionate about the space where hospitality and design meet.

We are a creative agency that specializes in concept development, strategy & branding for the hospitality industry - working globally alongside prestigious long-term clients that include Marriott, Hilton and The Dead Rabbit.

Over the last 5 years, we have developed an exciting and passionate workplace. We balance ambition and high professional competence with support, warmth and friendliness.

We are in an exciting phase of growth, but will always remain a small and independent studio that gives our clients and employees the attention and support they deserve. We will continue to cultivate an environment where we can learn, inspire and professionally challenge one another while having fun too - this is how we produce our best work.

OUR CULTURE

• Pleasant and professionally strong working environment
• Go slow to go fast onboarding programme
• Ambitious colleagues, partners and clients
• Relevant courses, lectures and training support
• Clients that respect you and your profession
• Competitive conditions, with a lot of freedom and flexibility
• £50 monthly Education & Wellness Stipend
• Early studio closure on Fridays
• Bi-Annual Performance and Compensation Reviews
• Generous Annual Leave Policy
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Company Sick Days
• Opportunity to travel to work with international clients as required
• Support for personal and group hospitality research

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

At Crown Creative, we believe in having a diverse team of talented and experienced individuals that constantly question how we can do things differently and how we can do things better. We are an equal-opportunity employer that believes in the power of diversity and designing a workplace that embraces a myriad of perspectives.