Creative Lead

General Mills, Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 159,000; Full time

Job summary

General Mills, Inc. is seeking a Creative Lead to translate brand strategy into focused creative briefs and breakthrough ideas, collaborating with Brand Management, MP&A, agency partners, and cross-functional teams.

You'll guide the creative process from briefing through feedback and transition to marketing execution, bringing curiosity about consumers and culture and providing clear, actionable recommendations to strengthen campaigns and brand experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, or a related field.
• 5+ years of related experience in brand marketing, creative development, advertising, integrated communications or a related field.
• Experience partnering with creative agencies or other external creative partners.
• Ability to translate business objectives and consumer insights into clear creative direction and actionable feedback.
• Strong project coordination, communication, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Brand Management and the Sr Manager, Creative Lead to translate brand strategy, consumer insight and business objectives into focused creative and design briefs.
• Help plan and facilitate creative briefings, brainstorms, inspiration sessions and Integrated Activation Team (IAT) meetings; clarify objectives, roles, agendas, milestones and deliverables.
• Collaborate with agency partners and internal teams to develop campaign, activation and design ideas that address the brief and connect with consumers.
• Review creative work with Brand Management and the Sr Manager, Creative Lead; synthesize feedback into clear, constructive and actionable direction grounded in brand objectives and creative standards.
• Support productive agency partnerships by coordinating feedback, scopes of work, project discussions, and quarterly business reviews.
• Help connect brand ideas across the broader communications system and support a clear handoff of approved creative into marketing execution, including collaboration with content specialists and MP&A partners.
• Work with MP&A and Insights & Analytics partners to stay current on consumer and cultural insights and help apply campaign performance learnings to future creative iterations.
• Support Brand Management in developing clear design briefs for higher-funnel work, such as brand world, portfolio architecture and design initiatives that affect the broader brand franchise.
• Contribute to annual planning by helping shape and articulate creative opportunities and pitch-able ideas with Brand Management.
• Bring curiosity, cultural awareness and a commitment to inclusive, distinctive creative work to team discussions and recommendations.

Job description

COMPANY OVERVIEW

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what's next.

About the Role

As a Creative Lead, you'll help bring General Mills' brand strategies to life through remarkable creative briefs, breakthrough ideas, andstrong collaboration with internal and external teams. You'll report to the Sr. Manager, Creative Lead and partner with Brand Management, Marketing Planning & Activation (MP&A), agency partners, and other cross-functional teams to clarify creative challenges, guide ideas through development, and ensure work is compelling, actionable, and aligned to brand objectives.

You'll support the day-to-day creative process across campaign and brand-building work - from briefing and brainstorming through feedback, refinement, and transition to marketing execution. In this role, you'll bring curiosity about consumers and culture and an informed, constructive point of view. You'll make creative decisions better through clear expertise, thoughtful challenges, and actionable recommendations.

What You'll Do

• Partner with Brand Management and the Sr Manager, Creative Lead to translate brand strategy, consumer insight and business objectives into focused creative and design briefs.
• Help plan and facilitate creative briefings, brainstorms, inspiration sessions and Integrated Activation Team (IAT) meetings; clarify objectives, roles, agendas, milestones and deliverables.
• Collaborate with agency partners and internal teams to develop campaign, activation and design ideas that address the brief and connect with consumers.
• Review creative work with Brand Management and the Sr Manager, Creative Lead; synthesize feedback into clear, constructive and actionable direction grounded in brand objectives and creative standards.
• Support productive agency partnerships by coordinating feedback, scopes of work, project discussions, and quarterly business reviews.
• Help connect brand ideas across the broader communications system and support a clear handoff of approved creative into marketing execution, including collaboration with content specialists and MP&A partners.
• Work with MP&A and Insights & Analytics partners to stay current on consumer and cultural insights and help apply campaign performance learnings to future creative iterations.
• Support Brand Management in developing clear design briefs for higher-funnel work, such as brand world, portfolio architecture and design initiatives that affect the broader brand franchise.
• Contribute to annual planning by helping shape and articulate creative opportunities and pitch-able ideas with Brand Management.
• Bring curiosity, cultural awareness and a commitment to inclusive, distinctive creative work to team discussions and recommendations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of related experience in brand marketing, creative development, advertising, integrated communications or a related field.
• Experience partnering with creative agencies or other external creative partners.
• Ability to translate business objectives and consumer insights into clear creative direction and actionable feedback.
• Strong project coordination, communication, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Consumer packaged goods or other consumer-brand experience, particularly across a portfolio of brands.
• Experience supporting integrated campaigns from brief development through creative review and execution.
• Familiarity with creative briefing, agency scopes of work, production or marketing communications planning.
• Experience using consumer, cultural or campaign-performance insights to inform creative recommendations.
• Experience supporting brand design work, including brand world, portfolio architecture or packaging and design initiatives.

Additional Considerations

• This position is based in Minneapolis, MN at our World Headquarters and follows a 4 day a week in office schedule Monday-Thursday with Friday being remote.
• Relocation or remote working arrangements (outside of the U.S.) will not be considered.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.

SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is:

$95,300 - $159,100 Annual

At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range.

Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet a minimum 18-year age qualification.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER (EOE)

General Mills is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or familial status, status regarding public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST

If you need to request an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please fill out our online accommodation request form by following this link: Accommodation Request.