A straightforward and honest job description is your starting point for finding the next creative director at your company. You could be creative in your description, especially if you are looking for someone with unique perspectives on life. For example, you could present the job description in infographic form. Even if you do this, it is always a good idea to have a traditional description on hand, particularly since you need a reference point for any efforts that are more creative. Whatever you do, a job description is nearly always the first impression a candidate has of your company. Use the space to explain required skills and what a creative director should expect to perform at your business. To give you an idea of what you could write, we have provided a Creative Director job description sample below. Use it as a springboard to your own description so that you can hire someone who will help your company reach its potential.
Creative Director Job Summary
You will oversee many employees in the creative, communications, marketing and digital departments. A big part of your job is to establish and adjust creative guidelines and to lead our print, website, email, radio and television efforts. You report directly to the chief marketing officer and must possess extensive experience and creative judgment.
Creative Director Job Responsibilities and Duties:
- Recruit, hire, orient and train new employees in creative, communications, marketing and digital departments
- Anticipate and track trends to stay on top of fresh approaches to marketing and advertising
- Write copy for our website one day while switching effortlessly to leading a television casting call the next day
- Analyze, evaluate and adjust copywriting, layout and design standards/processes
- Plan, schedule and complete multichannel marketing and advertising efforts
- Track results of marketing campaigns, using data to adjust future work
Creative Director Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in any field, whether it is art, communications, journalism, marketing or something else altogether
- At least five years of a creative background such as copywriting or working as an art director
- Digital and ecommerce experience
- Strong persuasive and collaboration skills
- Firm grasp on multichannel marketing and brand development
- Experience with InDesign, Photoshop and Flash
- Innate curiosity (for example, a proven history of jumping into professional development opportunities)
Company Profile
Babydiapers.com grew out of a husband and wife’s frustration in 2002 when they could not find affordable diapers for their twins. Since then, the company has grown global and sells a wide array of baby-related products. Our focus is on making parents’ jobs easier; we provide the products that pave the way to stress-free child rearing. Although our outreach is global, our employees work at our office in Roanoke, Virginia. The Blue Ridge Mountains in this area of the state offer unparalleled opportunities for hiking and exploration. In their off time, our employees are often found kayaking the James River, biking Mill Mountain (in city limits!) or dining in vibrant downtown Roanoke.
Writing a Job Description Best Practices
- This Creative Director job description sample is a good springboard for your own description, but remember that creative director responsibilities vary. Check your final description against these dos and don’ts.
- Do write an accurate job title. For example, “Global Creative Director,” “Associate Creative Director,” “In-House Creative Director,” or “Agency Creative Director.”
- Do include information on compensation if company policy allows. Always try to include unique perks of working at the company; the above example highlights some attributes of Roanoke, Virginia.
- Don’t make your description bland; help it stand out from other creative director job descriptions by being specific and showcasing what makes the job unique.
- Do remember to include a call to action so that interested prospects know how to apply. An example might be, “Could you be our next creative director? Follow this link to start your application today!”
- Do distinguish between essential qualifications and those that would be nice to have but that are not required. For instance, with creative directors, experience tends to be more important than field of study.
- Do remember to include soft skills; common examples for a creative director are communication, decision-making and interpersonal skills.
The Creative Director job description sample above is a fine starting point as you work to find the ideal fit for your company. Putting hard work into your job description now will undoubtedly pay dividends later as you bring excellent talent into your company.
Creative Director Job Responsibilities
Crafting a written list of responsibilities for a creative director job description takes forethought, as this is the most substantial part of the listing. Since the director of your creative team needs to have both strong artistic insight and savvy business sense, you’ll want to spend significant time brainstorming the duties to include. Rather than pack the list of responsibilities full with every possible assignment, consider the most significant functions of the role and focus on those.
Be sure to use verbs in the creative director job description and, when possible, indicate how the stated actions lead to tangible results. Allowing candidates to get a taste of the end goal establishes rapport by demonstrating how day-to-day responsibilities tie into the organization’s broader mission. Top-quality creative directors have their sights set beyond the next project toward the overall aim of the company. When you include descriptions that focus on corporate objectives, you’re more likely to draw choice applicants.
Some examples of creative director job responsibilities follow:
- Lead creative team in innovative approach to marketing, expanding our brand and increasing our client base
- Collaborate with management team to produce quality content that drives our approach and broadens our visibility
- Analyze current marketing trends to maintain leading-edge strategies
- Implement cost-saving solutions to satisfy budgeting requirements
- Commit to firm deadlines without sacrificing quality of content
Creative Director Job Specifications
Like the responsibilities section of a job description, the list of qualifications and skills also needs careful attention. Specifying the requirements for the job is your chance to announce exactly what you require of potential candidates. In the creative director job description, for example, noting the minimum education and experience you expect keeps unqualified applicants away and saves you time because you don’t have to sift through a pile of resumes that lack the basic credentials.
It’s a good idea to list both the non-negotiable criteria and those you’re willing to concede. Will you accept a candidate who has less education but more experience, or is a master’s degree the minimum you require? Be as particular as you’d like, since you know better than anyone the kind of employee who fits your organizational and creative style. If the creative director job description declares your expectations candidly, you’re more likely to appeal to the creative business leader you’re seeking.
The following creative director job specifications are examples:
- Master’s degree in marketing, graphic design or a related field, or a bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience as a creative director
- Expertise in web design, desktop publishing and user experience design
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign and HTML/CSS
- Knowledge of industry standards and current trends