ACD Art Director

We’re based in Detroit. We scale from local to global, with offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and 30 other cities. We are 1,500 people strong, adept at managing complex, global challenges. We can also be 15 people strong, equally effective when working on smaller assignments facing big challenges.

**Direct.** * Directs the effort to develop creative concepts and implementations in a cross-disciplinary manner. Works with planners and strategists to establish strategic and creative approaches for a given assignment. Works in a hands-on capacity internally and externally; helps develop the strategy, vision and concepts. **Creative craft skills.** * Sets creative direction and provides hands-on guidance throughout the duration of client team projects. Displays a cohesive understanding and can execute the principles that make innovative and effective digital communications, interface design, and interaction design. **Idea generation.** * Leads by example to consistently inspire creative colleagues to create world-class, pioneering ideas that conceptualize world-class solutions. Generates useful, usable ideas across all existing and emerging digital platforms. Continually develops practices and processes to inspire, innovate, and harness new ways of thinking. Creates solutions that will have a business impact on clients as well as a cultural impact on consumers. **Leadership** * Acts as a strategic and conceptual leader on projects. Has an extensive understanding of all creative disciplines, including conceptual and executional (art direction, user experience, copy, and motion). Inspires and leads by example, setting professional standards for the team and the department. Evangelizes and represents the agency by interviewing potential new employees; able to articulate the creative vision of the company. Able to lead and manage 5–10 creatives on an ongoing basis. **Mentoring** * Actively trains, mentors, and manages junior- and mid-level creatives. Proactively identifies and resolves issues. Acts as a career manager: Responsible for managing and guiding junior- and mid-level creatives’ careers within the agency (including regular one-on-one check-ins), writing and delivering annual performance reviews, and taking responsibility for on-boarding new employees and guiding him or her through a successful tenure at the agency. **New business development** * Creatively leads new business pitches. Responsible for ideas and creative work, and competently presents pitches.

* An excellent portfolio * A minimum of 10 years’ experience in the creative industry * A strong track record of managing $3–5MM of business per year * A solid academic background in and a mastery of one or more of the following disciplines: * Art direction & design: Graphic design, advertising, art direction * Writing: Copy, content, scriptwriting * User experience: Information architecture, interaction design, content strategy * Film: Motion graphics, animation, 3D, editing, directing * Creative development: Digital design; front-end development in Flash, HTML, CSS, or other front-end development technologies * Advanced degrees are a plus * Exceptional communication skills: Verbal, written, interpersonal and inter-departmental * Superb professionalism and mature presence in all aspects of team and client relationship-building * Thought leadership: A strong point of view; ability to contribute to the strategic development of an assignment; creative ideas and the ability to promote conceptual thinking among the team * A strong ability and experience in leading, directing and managing a group of cross-disciplinary teams * Strong deck writing and dynamic presentation skills * A solid understanding of digital media as well as the marketing industry at large; an ability and a desire to adapt to the changing landscape of technology * Ability to direct outside vendors (photographers, production companies, etc.) * Proficiency in various creative tools in a relevant discipline