Associate Design Director

ASSOCIATE DESIGN DIRECTOR

Being Brllnt comes with its own set of expectations - it’s a big name to live up to both for the clients we represent, the work we produce, and the culture we embody. 

We show up every day caring about the results we impact, the designs we craft, and the stories we tell. We know when we can do better, when we can learn more, when we need to lean on our team for ideas and answers, and knowing when we need to step up. Our expectation at Brllnt is such. We don’t expect perfection, we expect brilliance. 

Brllnt is expanding its team and is looking to add a knowledgeable Associate Design Director to our team who knows how to build campaign strategies while stepping in to help support a growing team when needed. This position currently oversees three direct reports and will be tasked with mentoring, training, and hiring team members as our capacity needs expand. 

Salary: 

• Negotiable, annually
• Health, dental, and vision insurance covered up to 80% 
• Unlimited Vacation 
• 401K (after 6 months)

Reports to:

Chief Creative Officer

As an integral member of the Brllnt leadership team, you are responsible for developing, implementing, and executing designs and plans to support the overall mission and goals of Brllnt and its clients. 

Associate Design Directors are conceptual thinkers with a keen business sense. They formulate the innovative concepts that support a company’s brand, marketing, product, or web development goals. They are astute at translating their concepts into actionable design briefs for execution by their team members. They are collaborative in nature and keep their team of designers working in tandem with other teammates and contractors. They are constantly seeking ways to stay inspired and ensure that their creative output adheres to brand standards and delivers business results.

Day-to-day tasks include management of client needs and requests, client communications, managing and coordinating tasks, creating and executing design plans, conducting research, and leading the execution of quality design work. 

While you have a team to support you, no task is too small for any Brllnt team member. There will be times when you need to step in and execute - so understanding how to execute is critical to this role. That said, a strong ability to delegate effectively is critical to this role. No one on our team should have a hero mindset: we win and improve together through collaboration, communication, and teamwork.

Requirements

• Must have creative marketing experience including branding, campaign concepting, audience assessment, and design for web, social media, and paid media 
• Strong skills presenting and pitching 
• Adaptable and able to thrive in an evolving environment (management structures, processes, office layout - we’re constantly looking for ways to grow and improve, so openness and enthusiasm for change is key)
• Proven experience delivering critique and developing talent (direct report references required)
• Expert level knowledge of design best practices, tools, and systems
• Intimate understanding of traditional and emerging design formats
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to think creatively and innovatively
• Expert knowledge in Adobe Creative Suite and other industry design software, such as Sketch (or similar UI/UX platform), Invision, Anama, etc.
• Expert understanding of technical constraints for:
• Print mediums
• Web mediums
• Mobile & devices
• Approach design with purpose and intentionality; have a reason for everything 
• Challenge standards and the status quo
• Budget-management proficiency
• Professional judgment and discretion 

Responsibilities

• Support Partners in creating and maintaining a positive, enjoyable, and productive creative culture
• Collaborate with business leaders to translate business goals into unique brand and product experiences
• Possess knowledge of industry-standard design software/technologies
• Manage team, timelines, budgets, and projects in collaboration with Project Manager

Manage and Collaborate with Team Members

• Guide team in implementing direction into design and content assets
• Select team members and/ or contractors based on skill, availability, and alignment with scope
• Collaborate with and across teams to execute and implement creative
• Manage and maintain a high-level of excellent quality in the work produced by both individuals and the collective team
• Train and guide creative team in more efficient use of creative software
• Collaborate with Ops team to uphold and, when needed, improve production processes  
• Actively seek tips, tricks, and plugins for making work more efficient

Design and Content Development

• Shape visual brand image and all internal and external-facing representations 
• Spearhead brainstorms and direct creative concepts for internal and client work 
• Effectively use storyboarding and sketching to outline rough ideas into concrete plans
• When needed, write headline and other copy used within design deliverables

Creative Strategy and Industry Knowledge 

• Experience managing and directing creative for large-scale marketing campaigns
• Excellent pitching and presenting skills to effectively communicate how a creative vision will help achieve goals
• Conduct audience research to define and understand who we’re designing for through User Testing, User Personas, etc.
• Research brands and competitors to identify opportunities to out-perform and outshine the crowd
• Know or discover strategies and formats / specs for social platforms and other channels
• Attend events, observe competitors, and actively engage in the community to challenge and improve your creative skills

Team Builder + Brllnt Advocate 

• As a leader a Brllnt, you will be expected to embody Brllnt values and encourage growth, support, and positivity within the teams you are managing and building. This includes:
• Training and mentoring your growing design team on new and traditional design methods and approaches 
• Attending events on behalf of Brllnt and their growing list of clients 
• Helping to expand the presence of Brllnt everywhere
• Outlining and identifying growth opportunities

ETC.

At Brllnt, we believe in the ever-changing, the ever-evolving, and the ever-growing - both for our clients in design and marketing, and for each of our team members. We believe that business is personal, especially for industries we serve. Our daily objective is to become more brilliant, individually and as a team.

As such, expect rolling performance reviews where we will discuss strengths, areas of improvement, and growth opportunities. Every 6 months, we’ll want to sit down to explore where you are at and where you want to go. This means - your responsibilities will adjust as you tweak and hone in on your expertise, as our clientele shifts and expands, and as our team continues to grow. 

We are passionate about growing an open, respectful culture that is nurturing towards the professional goals and personal development of each member. This means everyone is comfortable giving and receiving direct communication about what is going well, and where there is room for improvement.

To apply: Send an email to hello@brllnt.co with the following: a brief introduction, your resume, and your portfolio. Subject line: Associate Design Director Application - [Your Name]