Creative Director

County-Materials-Family-of-Companies; Marathon City (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

County Materials seeks a Creative Director to lead multi‑channel marketing, translating strategy into compelling creative direction. You will supervise Channel Leads across copy, design, video, digital and web, ensuring audience alignment with brand standards and measurable business impact.

The role emphasizes developing briefs, guiding budgets, and driving innovation while collaborating with senior marketing leaders in Marathon, WI.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Graphic Design, Business Administration, or related field.
• Seven or more years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, creative services, or brand management.
• Three or more years of leadership experience managing marketing, creative, communication, or digital teams.
• Experience leading integrated multi-channel marketing initiatives.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and external partners.
• Experience translating marketing strategies into successful execution.

Responsibilities

• Translate organizational and marketing objectives into creative strategies and campaigns.
• Provide creative direction to Channel Leads across copy, design, video, digital, and web.
• Establish brand standards, guidelines, and content frameworks across channels.
• Lead cross‑functional collaboration and develop actionable creative briefs.
• Oversee budgets, vendors, and external partners to ensure quality and efficiency.
• Measure performance, optimize creative deliverables, and report KPIs.

Job description

We’re hiring a Creative Director to join County Materials in Marathon, Wisconsin

Job Summary:
The Creative Director serves as the creative and integrated marketing leader within the Marketing & Communications Department, translating organizational, product, and marketing strategies into clear, compelling creative direction and coordinated multi-channel execution. Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, this role ensures marketing initiatives effectively connect business objectives, audience needs, messaging, content, and visual storytelling.

The Creative Director leads and provides direction to Marketing Channel Leads across Communications (copywriting), Graphic Design, Video & Photography, Digital Marketing (social media and email), and Website content, ensuring each channel understands the audience, message, creative direction, desired outcome, and its role within the overall marketing strategy. A key responsibility of this position is developing actionable creative briefs that translate complex product, shared services, and organizational priorities into clear marketing direction.

The Creative Director determines how messaging and creative concepts should come to life across channels while ensuring work is audience-focused, differentiated, consistent with brand standards and designed to achieve measurable business objectives.

Working closely with the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Marketing Project Manager, and Channel Leads, the Creative Director establishes creative standards, guides priorities and resources, develops team capabilities and maintains a high standard of creative excellence across the County Materials Family of Companies.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

Creative Strategy & Integrated Direction

• Translate organizational and marketing objectives into creative strategies.
• Develop compelling integrated campaign concepts.
• Determine how individual marketing channels work together.
• Provide creative direction to every Channel Lead.
• Maintain alignment among copy, visual, video, digital and web experiences.
• Ensure work connects with defined audiences/personas.
• Present and defend creative recommendations

Creative Brief Development & Message Translation

• Develop clear, actionable creative briefs.
• Translate product and shared-services priorities into audience-relevant messaging.
• Identify key messages, value propositions, calls to action and proof points.
• Establish intended audience response.
• Define channel roles and deliverable expectations.
• Ensure channel teams understand the strategy before execution begins.

Brand & Creative Excellence

• Establish and maintain creative excellence across all marketing channels.
• Serve as the primary steward of the COUNTY Materials Family of Companies’ brand, ensuring consistency in messaging, visual identity, and customer experience.
• Lead creative development for campaigns, marketing initiatives, digital experiences, and communication programs.
• Establish creative standards, design guidelines, content frameworks, and quality expectations.
• Review, approve, and provide direction on major creative projects and campaign deliverables.
• Promote a culture of innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement throughout the department.

Team & Cross-Channel Leadership

• Directly supervise Marketing Channel Leads, the Marketing Project Manager, and Digital Marketing Manager.
• Coach and develop creative talent.
• Facilitate collaboration among disciplines.
• Establish clear expectations.
• Identify capabilities and gaps.
• Determine internal versus external creative resources.
• Create accountability for quality.

Performance and Marketing Operations

• Partner with VP and Channel Leads on marketing KPIs.
• Use performance insights to improve creative deliverables.
• Partner with Marketing Project Manager on priorities and resource planning.
• Manage appropriate creative budgets/vendor resources.
• Improve workflows where they affect creative quality, speed or effectiveness.
• Implement best practices that improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability.

COUNTY Core Competencies:

• Integrity & Organizational Awareness
• Customer First Focus
• Results Driven Orientation
• Teamwork, Safety & Collaboration
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Creativity & Innovation

Job-Based Competencies:

• Effective Communication
• Brand Stewardship
• Industry & Product Knowledge
• Stakeholder & Relationship Management
• Data Literacy
• Coordination
• Campaign Planning
• Budgeting
• Coaching Others
• Leadership
• Performance Management

Experience & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Graphic Design, Business Administration, or related field.
• Seven or more years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, creative services, or brand management.
• Three or more years of leadership experience managing marketing, creative, communication, or digital teams.
• Experience leading integrated multi-channel marketing initiatives.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and external partners.
• Experience translating marketing strategies into successful execution.
• Experience within manufacturing, construction, industrial, or building products environments.
• Experience overseeing digital marketing, websites, SEO, social media, and marketing technology initiatives.
• Experience managing creative services, brand governance, and content development teams.
• Experience utilizing project management and workflow platforms to manage department operations.
• Experience developing KPIs, dashboards, and performance reporting programs.
• Exceptional leadership and people-development abilities.
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong creative judgment and brand management capabilities.
• Advanced planning, prioritization, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to balance long-term strategy with daily operational leadership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

Work Environment:

• Work pace: This is a high-volume, deadline-driven role for someone who enjoys decision-making in a creative environment.
• Work is typically performed in an indoor office environment. Limited hybrid or remote work arrangements may be considered based on business needs.
• Exposure may include: Extended computer use, and occasional shipping, receiving, and handling of marketing materials.
• Travel required: Minimal project-based travel as needed.
• Typical work hours/shifts: Standard schedule: 40 hours/week, Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.

Physical & Work Expectations:

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Frequent sitting, talking, hearing, and computer use. A sit-stand workstation option is available.
• Occasional climbing, kneeling, crawling, or lifting/moving up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to concentrate, follow detailed instructions, communicate effectively, and safely perform job duties.
• May require the operation of office equipment, software applications, and other tools associated with the position