DDB Chicago is hiring : Creative Director (Art) in Chicago

About Us

DDB Chicago is a communications agency dedicated to making creative work that works.

We believe in the power of creativity to create the change we want to happen in the world and develop audacious and famous ideas for our clients that help to grow their businesses and shape culture by driving behavior change at scale.

We are a global network of agencies who believe firmly in respect, kindness, openness, self-expression, and creativity, making spaces for the lived and learned experiences of all our people, and helping them to be the best they can be. We are intellectually curious about difference, embracing change for the better, and are committed to opposing injustice and constantly challenging the status quo. We are a place packed with the energy and passion to make things happen.

The Role

This position is Creative Director at Team DDB, a DDB-led integrated organization consisting of nine agencies for one of the largest accounts in our global network : the U.S. Army. The Army provides an enormous array of opportunities for young people who want to make a dent in the Universe, but misperceptions and barriers loom large-and we're inspired by this formidable challenge. Team DDB's ambition is to make the Army the most irresistible life choice for young Americans, and in doing so, have an outrageously good time doing the most meaningful work of our careers.

We're looking for a Creative Director with a background in Art Direction who can think in stories and systems, simultaneously flexing creative vision and analytical logic. You'll lead and contribute to work across the entire marketing ecosystem-broadcast film, media partnerships, social content, experiential, digital design, and everything in between. You're a film nerd who can elevate the craft of our brand-building creative, but also see an idea through all the stages of the customer journey, including lower-funnel digital execution-everywhere our audience lives.

This role demands both right-brain creativity and left-brain reasoning. You'll sell brand platform ideas and rigorous systematic solutions to Army leaders-stakeholders who aren't marketers-so your work needs to inspire, clarify, and withstand scrutiny. You will be expected to lead by example, motivating creative teams to consistently hone their craft and deliver outstanding work.

If you like a weighty conversation, want to do emotionally powerful work, and aren't afraid of complexity, get ready for the biggest challenge of your advertising career.

Qualifications

• LEADERSHIP : 10+ years in a fast-paced agency environment, with 5+ years as a supervisor leading multidisciplinary teams and mentoring creative talent with empathy.
• 360 PORTFOLIO : Award-winning conceptual and design skills; able to direct and inspire work across film, digital, social, CRM, website, experiential, and integrated campaigns.
• STORIES : Mastery in the art of narrative storytelling and film craft; ability to tailor the content approach to consumption behaviors on various media platforms and social channels.
• SYSTEMS : Expert at implementing, adapting, and evolving brand identity systems at scale; able to think in UX structures, evaluation frameworks, and atomic design.
• MODERN APPROACH : Deep understanding of the digital and social landscape; able to flex conceptually across all channels and keep up with rapidly changing advancements; strong command of industry-standard software and AI tools.
• COMMUNICATION : Effectively present, sell, and defend creative work to senior leadership (and non-marketers) in the Army; clearly communicate in the form of impactful, artful decks.
• STRATEGY : Comfortable joining forces with the strategy team to pull data and insights that instigate, inform, or sell creative solutions.
• COLLABORATION : Highly organized and responsive facilitator of collaboration; ability to seamlessly blend working teams with various superpowers across the nine agencies that support the Army marketing contract.

What We Offer

Please let us know should you require any additional support or assistance through the recruitment process.

DDB is an equal opportunities employer and will never favor or discriminate against anyone based on their age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, gender identity, expression, or realignment.

This role requires regular in-office presence with a minimum of three days per week, to engage and collaborate in in-person team interactions and meetings as required.

The range below represents the low and high end of the base salary someone in this role may earn as an employee of DDB Chicago. Salaries will vary based on various factors including but not limited to professional and academic experience, training, associated responsibilities, and other business and organizational needs. The range listed is just one component of our total compensation package for employees. Salary decisions are dependent on the circumstances of each hire.

Illinois Pay Range

$185,000-$220,000 USD

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