Associate Creative Director - Global

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.

Bio: The Global Associate Creative Director responsibilities include developing Big Ideas and supporting copy that can be rolled out into above the line executions. The creative output will be globally consistent, but locally relevant, based on local insights. This role will need to direct others in creating various advertising materials such as TV commercials, digital video ads, radio, OOH and paid social. To be successful in this role, you should have original ideas, personal experience with at least two key geographical markets (UK, GER, ESP, FR, LatAm, India, Australia, China) and have a keen eye for detail. Ultimately, a successful candidate should be able to create big ideas as campaign platforms, enjoy copy writing, and have interest in brand building to promote the company's vision. 

• Lead work within the creative team and ecosystem in Europe that will bring completely new systems and process to Creative, Media & PR. The in house creative team will eliminate agency fees and redundancy while step-changing creative.
• Be a part of creating a streamlined, clear process for engaging with the internal agency and external agencies. It must create a clear workstream for all projects in a way that is seamless to clients (internal). Must be on the look-out for issues and resolutions at all times. Bring software, management programs etc. into Sazerac to enable.
• Must be able to convert the brand strategy and the positioning into a clear go-to-market approach and corresponding creative campaign & asset. Furthermore, this individual must be ready to serve all types of needs - urgent to long term and global. Concepting big ideas based on local insights – sometimes provided by band teams, sometimes the creative team will need to research and identify insights that are relevant for the local market.
• Enable the best work out of our creative partners internally and externally. Ensure the briefing process is high quality and produces against brand positioning. Work with PR and events/experience agencies to engage press, earned media and key influencers. Responsible for working across concepts through to design and technical detailing as well as editing existing assets covering typography, layout, composition, color and general design. Identify, scope, lead and direct outside agencies or freelancers as necessary – enable the best work out of them via high quality briefs.
• Must learn about how to interpret advertising results pre, in and post market and galvanize his/her team behind those results in a way that focuses on continuous improvement. Deliver final files that have been built smartly and can be used globally (e.g. orderly layers, optimized to spec, organized within folder structures, use the correct nomenclature, etc.). Partner with global media team to ensure creative toolkits meet all required media traffic requirements and specifications by market.
• Develop career plan and commit to career experiences in creative roles for his/herself. Demonstrate growth in skill set over time in role. Utilize CDS to formalize a plan.
• Must have a keen eye towards efficiency of all production and creation work. Each project and advertising need should be scrutinized for how to do it effectively at minimal cost. This leader will teach the organization things to look for and how to save.
• Use PDS for continuous self-improvement. Conduct optimal performance discussions with manager, articulate consistent skill evaluations, recommend actions and tactics, and measure progress.

Requirements

MUST

• 5 years’ experience managing a creative product process
• 3 years’ Copywriting experience
• Proficient with graphic arts computers and software
• Proven team building capabilities/strong cross-functional teammate, strong organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple projects at one time
• Excellent oral & written communication skills
• Self-motivated, innovative and solution-oriented mindset
• Demonstrate the ability to work as a team as well as self-directed
• Ability to quickly learn new systems/processes
• Working knowledge of MS Office Products (Word, Excel and Outlook)
• Experience with project management
• Exceptional organization, prioritization, & project management skills
• High level of creativity and experience in creative development

PREFERRED

• Bachelor's Degree in graphic arts or related field
• 2 years’ experience in a fast-paced environment

Physical Requirements

• Strong communication skills
• Ability to pay attention to detail

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