Primary Function:

The Associate Creative Director is an outgoing, energetic, and inspirational design leader who can develop creative concepts and strategies that are insightful, relevant, innovative, and effective. The ideal candidate has a portfolio that demonstrates expert skills in visual communication and design across all mediums, including print, digital, video, etc., and is a creative powerhouse with the ability to motivate and direct their team in the design and production of best-in-class solutions for Zoro.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Lead and drive the strategic development of creative concepts for media and advertising based on customer needs, research, and market trends.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to prioritize work in support of key marketing and promotional needs. 
• Continuously improve department competencies, refine workflow, and optimize tools/processes to support the development of high-quality communications.
• Manage and supervise multiple projects and ensure resources are allocated appropriately.
• Ensure brand identity and message consistency across channels.
• Lead and participate in brainstorming sessions.
• Lead and manage team of writers and visual designers responsible for print, and digital creative. 
• Participate in design presentations to business partners, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with internal teams and external clients.
• Identify, communicate, and manage risks to project objectives.
• Assist in hiring and managing department staff and interns.
• Evaluate creative team performance and guide improvements.
• Keep up with the latest trends, strategies, and technologies.
• Provide evaluation and/or recommendation of design tools.
• Mentor and inspire the team to elevate their work.
• Research trends, new markets, and competitors.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.
• 10+ years of creative design / creative leadership experience in print and digital channels.
• Experience in design development as well as development and evolution of brand standards.
• Proficient with industry-standard design software and tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), Figma, Premier, and After Effects.
• Art Direction/Design background is essential as well as an understanding of design principles, typography, color theory, and user-centered design principles.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• A passion for education, creativity, and innovation, with a keen eye for detail.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including senior management, stakeholders, other departments, etc.