Associate Creative Director

IMA; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

IMA in Cape Town is seeking an Associate Creative Director to shape and deliver distinctive work across brand, campaign, packaging and retail projects. You’ll combine strategic thinking with creative ambition, guiding ideas from brief to delivery and elevating team performance.

Working with creative, account and production colleagues, you’ll raise standards, build strong client partnerships, mentor colleagues and foster a collaborative, curious culture that delivers high-impact work.

Qualifications

• Significant creative experience leading projects or teams in an agency or similar fast-paced environment.
• Strong portfolio showing strategic thinking and high-quality work across brands, channels and formats.
• Ability to turn complex briefs into distinctive ideas and present decisions clearly.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of compelling creative concepts responding to brief, brand strategy, and audience insight.
• Guide projects from initial thinking through design, production and delivery across advertising, branding, packaging, digital and retail.
• Set high creative standards by giving clear direction and constructive feedback to designers and team members.

Skills

Creative leadership

Brand & advertising experience

Presentation skills

Mentoring teams

Job description

IMA is a creative agency built to create connections people buy into—emotionally and literally. From advertising and media to packaging and retail activations, we deliver work that earns attention and gives people a reason to choose your brand in moments that matter.

We are looking for an inspiring Associate Creative Director to help shape and deliver distinctive creative work across brand, campaign, packaging and retail projects. You'll bring strategic thinking and creative ambition together, guiding ideas from brief to delivery and helping teams produce work that connects with audiences and meets client needs. Working closely with creative, account and production teams, the Associate Creative Director will raise the standard of our work, build strong client partnerships and help develop a collaborative, curious creative culture.

What You'll Get From Us

• The opportunity to shape impactful creative work across a range of brands and channels.
• A collaborative environment where ideas are shared, developed and brought to life together.
• Scope to influence creative direction and take ownership of projects from brief to delivery.
• Opportunities to inspire, mentor and support the development of creative talent.
• A supportive team with opportunities to learn, grow and expand your creative skills.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the development of compelling creative concepts and solutions that respond to the brief, brand strategy and audience insight.
• Guide projects from initial thinking through design development, production and delivery across advertising, branding, packaging, digital and retail.
• Set a high creative standard by providing clear direction and constructive feedback to designers and team members.
• Present creative work confidently to clients, build trusted relationships and collaborate to develop ideas.
• Partner with account and production teams to deliver quality, consistent work to brief, budget and deadline.
• Support and mentor creative colleagues, encourage fresh thinking, contribute to a positive agency culture and bring relevant inspiration from design, culture, technology and production.

What We're Looking For

• Significant creative experience leading projects or teams in an agency or similar fast-paced environment.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, concept development and high-quality work across relevant brands, channels and formats.
• Ability to turn complex briefs into distinctive ideas that meet audience and client needs, and to present creative decisions clearly.
• Experience guiding and developing creative teams through constructive feedback and collaboration.
• Strong organisation, sound judgement and a proactive approach to managing competing priorities and delivering high-quality work efficiently.

Our Values at IMA

• Own it - take responsibility when it matters.
• Build Trust - nurture honest, open, lasting relationships with colleagues and clients.
• Stay Hungry - keep learning, improving and staying curious.

These principles shape how we work - with each other, with clients, and with the world.

We are an equal opportunity employer. Preference will be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups in line with the company's Employment Equity Plan.