Associate Creative Director, Shopper Marketing

Publicis Groupe ANZ; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 107,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Saatchi & Saatchi X in the United States seeks a senior creative leader with a strong background in beverage-alcohol and integrated programs. You will co-lead with the Creative Director, develop Track 3 concepts, and mentor teams across shopper journeys for top-tier client work.

You will build persuasive decks, present confidently to clients, and guide teams through internal reviews. This role emphasizes hands-on leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and maintaining quality across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, portfolio school certificate, or equivalent experience.
• 7–9 years of relevant experience.
• Bev-alc industry experience, including navigating legal/regulatory knowledge.
• Portfolio is required.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience with AI platforms in creative workflows.
• Strong presentation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Creative Director to advance the agency vision, business priorities, and creative standards, serving as a trusted co-lead and backup when needed.
• Lead Track 3 conceptual work and support T1 and T2 assignments, bringing strong conceptual thinking from either an art direction or copywriting background.
• Develop integrated creative programs across the shopper journey and provide thought leadership that elevates and innovates the work.
• Manage deliverables, assign work, and partner with Resource Management and the Creative Director to balance priorities, timelines, revision orders, and client expectations.
• Direct kickoffs, status meetings, creative connects, work reviews, and the produce step for T1 and T2 work, clearly communicating decisions and next steps.
• Maintain effective processes, accurate time entry, organized files and Teams communication, and consistent quality assurance across deliverables.
• Build clear, persuasive presentation decks that connect the creative idea to the strategy, shopper journey, and brief.
• Prepare the work and team for internal reviews and client meetings, leading practice reviews in alignment with the Creative Director.
• Present internal and external work confidently, articulate the creative rationale, and provide timely, actionable direction and feedback.
• Foster an inclusive, inspiring creative culture where team members can do their best work and brainstorms are collaborative and productive.
• Conduct consistent one-on-ones, coach developing talent across hard and soft skills, and support onboarding and training.
• Stay hands-on when needed, moving between strategic leadership and execution to help the team deliver.

Skills

Portfolio

Presentation skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Creative thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Portfolio school certificate

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

AI platforms integration

Job description

Company description

We're a team of makers and dreamers, turning strategic ideas into flawless retail executions. We collaborate closely with our clients to elevate the expected and embrace the new, the next, and the complex.

Nothing is impossible— If you can shop it, we can do it.

Overview

Experienced team co-lead, inspiring coach, and hands-on maker with deep bev-alc experience. This copywriter or highly conceptual art director is a creative leader who excels at developing integrated programs, translating ideas across the shopper journey and across retailers, building compelling storytelling decks, and confidently selling programs to client partners.

Responsibilities

Creative Leadership & Concept Development

• Partner with the Creative Director to advance the agency vision, business priorities, and creative standards, serving as a trusted co-lead and backup when needed.

• Lead Track 3 conceptual work and support T1 and T2 assignments, bringing strong conceptual thinking from either an art direction or copywriting background.

• Develop integrated creative programs across the shopper journey and provide thought leadership that elevates and innovates the work.

Team & Workflow Management

• Manage deliverables, assign work, and partner with Resource Management and the Creative Director to balance priorities, timelines, revision orders, and client expectations.

• Direct kickoffs, status meetings, creative connects, work reviews, and the produce step for T1 and T2 work, clearly communicating decisions and next steps.

• Maintain effective processes, accurate time entry, organized files and Teams communication, and consistent quality assurance across deliverables.

Presentations & Client Partnership

• Build clear, persuasive presentation decks that connect the creative idea to the strategy, shopper journey, and brief.

• Prepare the work and team for internal reviews and client meetings, leading practice reviews in alignment with the Creative Director.

• Present internal and external work confidently, articulate the creative rationale, and provide timely, actionable direction and feedback.

People Leadership & Culture

• Foster an inclusive, inspiring creative culture where team members can do their best work and brainstorms are collaborative and productive.

• Conduct consistent one-on-ones, coach developing talent across hard and soft skills, and support onboarding and training.

• Stay hands-on when needed, moving between strategic leadership and execution to help the team deliver.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, portfolio school certificate, or equivalent experience required.

• 7–9 years of relevant experience.

• Relevant beverage-alcohol experience required, including experience navigating category-specific legal, regulatory, and technical requirements.

• Portfolio required.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.

• Experience and fluency working with AI platforms and integrating them into traditional creative workflows.

• Strong presentation and communication skills.

Additional information

The Power of One starts with our people! To do powerful things, we offer powerful resources.Our best-in-class wellness and benefits offerings include:

• Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or more
• Monetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and Fertility
• Monetary assistance and support for pet adoption
• Employee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balance
• Tuition Assistance
• Paid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and more
• Matching Gifts programs
• Flexible working arrangements
• ‘Work Your World’ Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)
• Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances

The benefits offerings listed are available to eligible U.S. Based employees, are reviewed on an annual basis, and are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents.

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary benefit options include supplemental medical insurance, transportation, and parking benefits, legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 consecutive calendar days in order to be eligible for Publicis medical and voluntary benefits.

Saatchi & Saatchi X is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our employment decisions are made without regard to actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law, genetic information, marital status, military service and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [e-mail].

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Compensation Range: USD $106,780.00 - USD $138,795.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 10/12/2026.