Creative Lead

Reference:
VAC-153
Industry Specialisation:
Leisure & Tourism
Industry Sector
Corporate
Salary:
£55,000 to £65,000 Per Annum
Benefits:
Bonus, life insurance, pension
Town/City:
London
Contract Type:
Permanent

Our Client:

A cutting edge and innovative online gaming brand is seeking a Head of Creative to lead a European multi-site creative team, defining and delivering the annual and ongoing creative direction for the brand. This is a unique opportunity for a talented, self-motivated and experienced multi-disciplined senior creative, using both exceptional online and offline marketing ideation and design skills to take ownership, evolve and execute the creative direction of the start-up style brand. 

The successful candidate will lead the annual development and delivery of the brand’s creative strategy and assets, working directly with the Head of Brand Marketing in the London office (and external agencies as relevant – mainly on the annual ATL campaign), managing a copywriter in the UK and a European team of designers remotely.

The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in online creative development ideally as a digitally led art director or designer and ideally, they would also have some experience in offline channels.

They also need to be comfortable either originating digital advertising copy (or working with/adapting copy) and have an exceptional eye for clean and original design and be competent in all facets of the design process. A proven track record of digital campaign ideation and implementation is desired along with project and team management experience.

As a Head of Creative your duties will include:

  • Leading the design and execution of all annual BAU digital marketing and advertising requirements for the brand across 2 products in 3 markets and other markets as required. Adhering to the  brand guidelines. Based on approved content and advertising plans for each market
  • The assets are broadly defined as:
    • Programmatic display ads, paid/organic social ads, owned media (website [hero banners and landing pages] and Email/DM programme). In 2020 there will be an increased focus on the creation of digital animation and video content to meet the needs of an evolving digital strategy.
    • This will involve both leading by example and doing the design and build on the larger campaigns yourself and also briefing and managing the other work through your design teams
  • Support the Head of Brand Marketing to develop a new 2020 ATL creative strategy for casino and bingo across key ATL and Digital acquisition and retention channels, including 2 potential seasonal refreshes as appropriate.
  • Working with your team of internal designers and copywriters, lead the implementation of the above ATL creative strategy (which will be originated by an external creative agency) across key digital paid and owned acquisition and retention channels
  • Manage and develop a team of copywriters and designers in the UK as well as remotely- ensuring their workload is effectively managed and all internal/external delivery and quality deadlines are met. Including developing the team’s skills as appropriate
  • Improve the overall design/creative output and quality by leading by example by initiating the ideation process for key campaigns and promotions to meet the needs of the business.
  • Work with the head of Brand Marketing to define and develop the longer term TTL creative direction for the brand, ensuring that all marketing communications materials adhere to Brand Guidelines in all markets.
  • Review the existing brand guidelines and ensure that they are fit for the design needs of the business, working with the HOB and designers to update them as appropriate to make them relevant in all markets.
  • Working within (and/or adapting if appropriate) the existing creative development process to ensure efficient and high-quality creative output across all markets.
  • Helping HOB and HOD in defining the annual creative workload for the brand and resource required to deliver the workload (internal and external). Reviewing and develop the scope of work every quarter to ensure progress is being made and forward planning continues.
  • Oversee the weekly/monthly/annual creative output for the brand and ensure that high creative standards are being met across all channels and markets. Reporting to HOB and CEO monthly on creative development and results to demonstrate improvements.
  • Working with HOB and HOD to ensure that all creative work produced is effective and being proactive in looking for ways to constantly improve and optimise marketing performance via creative innovation
  • Lead and contribute to idea generation and brainstorming sessions as required.

To be a successful Head of Creative you will have the following skills and experience:

  • 5+ years of ATL/Digital creative experience ideally within a start-up environment and/or the online gaming industry or digital or advertising agency, the last 2+ years must have been as a creative lead or in a senior creative position agency side, managing a team.
  • Strategic thinking – able to develop strategic creative solutions and translate them into effective marketing solutions across multiple touchpoints both online and offline
  • A natural conceptor/ideator, preferably as a digital art director with the majority of their experience in digital marketing, but ideally with some ATL experience who can work from brief/concept to final design production and delivery.
  • Leadership skills managing a team in order to define and develop the brands creative direction but also happy to continue to create ideas and design and produce digital marketing comms materials.
  • Agency experience or working in house for a brand – someone who is experienced in working with external creative agencies and freelancers to develop successful digital marketing assets using both stills and video content but ideally also has some experience with ATL creative development in TV, Radio, OOH etc.
  • Some experience in copywriting or experience in working with copywriters adapting copy to make it work effectively alongside the design in restrictive digital formats (display and social etc)
  • Experience in managing and motivating a team of junior, mid weight designers/copywriters – ideally multi-site and Pan European
  • Excellent skills in Photoshop (light retouching, image manipulation animated GIFS) InDesign (Layout, PDFs) Illustrator (icons, masking, key visual creation) and Adobe After Effects (editing, creating social posts, animation). Knowledge of HTML5 or  Adobe Animate.
  • Ability to present your concept and design work and sell in your strategic and tactical creative solutions to various stakeholders and build/produce creative assets that work.
  • Ability to work within tight deadlines and shift gears quickly when requirements change.

The Benefits:

As Head of Creative you will be in a key position within this growing company, at the forefront of this highly dynamic industry, receiving a competitive salary, pension contribution, private health care as well as bonu