Creative Director

**Role Overview**

Oversees all creative projects as well as staff, and is responsible for the overall quality of work produced by the creative department. Manages creative projects from concept to completion and translates marketing objectives into creative strategies.

Creating meaningful connections between brands and their audiences, pushing beyond superficial advertising to craft experiences that resonate with people on a deeper level.

At Avatar, we strike the perfect balance between daring, out-of-the-box thinking, and flawless execution in our work. This duality is the cornerstone of our creative approach.

Proactively seek opportunity brands with the aim of creating award-winning work to boost our client’s brand profile, as well as that of our agency.

**Competencies**
- Need to be a visionary, analytical, forward-thinking, and strategic creative.
- Great communication skills both verbal and written.
- Ability to make evaluative judgements.
- Ability to organize, prioritize, and schedule work assignments.
- Ability to lead projects from concept to completion.
- Ability to work in a team.
- Must be committed to continuous learning and development.

**Duties**

**Creative Excellence**
- Drive the overall quality of the creative product whilst maintaining accountability to client objectives.
- Establishes a culture where powerful advertising combines with creativity and quality.
- Strive to meet the goal of the Creative Circle points as defined annually.
- The Avatar through-the-line approach is supported by you and this sentiment is filtered down to your staff.
- Ensure the quality of work is maintained/improved under your leadership.
- Creative work that is presented is fully thought-out solutions rather than options (including detailed thinking, budgets, timings)
- Produce TV ads that rank amongst the most-liked ads in each emerging and developed market.
- Devising an award drive to produce better proactive work and ensuring that this drive is more efficiently run.
- Gain respect from the client and develop a valuable relationship with the internal teams.
- Create integrated “solutions” as opposed to “one-off” ads.
- Work with strategy and media at reviews as well as client presentations.
- Clarify the exact purpose/deliverables of a brief before developing work.
- Create a culture of ‘solutions not problems’ within the creative department.

**Talent Management**:

- Manage, grow, develop, and empower direct team reports.
- Contribute by effecting innovation that builds a positive agency culture and work environment through knowledge sharing, mentorship, and guidance.
- Inspire and energize individuals as well as teams to achieve their own and agency objectives.
- Attract and retain top talent.

**Qualifications & Experience**
- Matric
- Diploma / Degree in a related field
- Must have a strong art direction or copywriting background with an educated eye for design
- 10+ Years of experience and 5+ years in leadership, as well as communication and project management skills
- Working knowledge of graphic design and/or illustration, audio production and editing, video capture and editing, video effects production, 3D design, animation and web design
- Superior organizational, customer service, leadership, communication, writing and interpersonal skills
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize deadlines
- Be responsible and a self-starter
- Must be committed to working in a dynamic and supportive team environment
- Must have a way with force and grace when contrary views are expressed
- Experienced in second-level intuition - “Yes, it looks good, but will it work?”