Creative director

Sociocom Pty Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A creative marketing agency in Johannesburg is seeking an experienced Creative Director with over 10 years of experience. The ideal candidate will lead client engagements, manage creative teams, and drive innovative strategies across digital platforms. Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills are essential, along with a proven ability to deliver award-winning campaigns. This role offers an opportunity to shape brand experiences and cultivate creativity within a passionate team.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in creative roles, particularly in advertising.
• Must have lead and conceptualized TTL and digital campaigns.
• Demonstrate exceptional strategic thinking through practical examples.

Responsibilities

• Lead client agency brainstorming sessions to determine KPIs.
• Manage and mentor creative teams to deliver exceptional work.
• Drive integration with a focus on digital platforms.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership skills

Problem solving

Creative concept development

Communication skills

Tools

Photoshop

After Effects

KeyNote / PowerPoint

Job description

Since we believe in creative work that disrupts, we are looking for a candidate who is going to embrace modern marketing principles and is a self-starter. Someone who challenges the norm and embodies our philosophy of divine discontent (Never stop chasing brilliance attitude).

For this role we are looking for a Creative Director. Must have 10+ years’ experience.

The successful candidate needs to be a leading light for both clients and agency colleagues; a self-starter with the ambition to match. They will be required to provide a vision, be an inspirational leader and a tenacious salesperson.

To complement the above, we’ll also be looking for:

• Highly conceptual individual (Must demonstrate with at least 5 projects)
• Demonstrate exceptional strategic thinking (Provide 3 examples)
• Must have lead the conceptualization and execution of TTL campaigns and pure digital campaigns (Show minimum of 4 examples)
• Must demonstrate an understanding of digital platforms
• Must demonstrate an ability to use multimedia programmes (Editing, recording etc.)
• Track record of winning international and local awards i.e. Cannes, One Show, Loeries, Clios, Bookmarks etc.
• Show at least 1 international and 1 local gold medals
• Must demonstrate examples of leadership skills & problem solving
• Demonstrate how you’ve previously dealt with conflict
• In-depth working knowledge of existing and emerging technologies & platforms
• A strong understanding of best practice interaction and visual design principles

RESPONSIBILITIES

As a Creative Director you will help lead our passionate, multi-talented studio guiding all members to deliver exceptional, integrated concepts to exceed client briefs and expectations.

A Creative Director is a thought leader within the agency, so they can expect to be craft-led, strategically driven, and platform neutral conceptual thinkers with a desire to transform brands by creating beautiful, intuitive, and human-centred products and experiences.

The individual must be tuned into all aspects of South African popular culture and the platforms and media it plays in, as well as have a strong point of view on what it takes to win in this space.

What you’ll do everyday

Responsibilities

• You will lead client agency/client brainstorms & workshops to determine KPI’s, strategic direction and set ways of working to maintain client relationships
• Drive integration, with weighting on digital platforms
• Scope, plan & manage the creative process on projects
• Manage & mentor creative teams
• Work with other disciplines (Strategists, Developers, Media, Accounts, etc.) to ensure cohesive team integration, and alignment with broader business objectives
• Be a champion for innovation on every project you touch
• Play an active role in campaign planning
• Drive real-time optimisation of the digital work in partnership with strategy and media
• Participate in pitches for new business
• Define the direction for overall campaigns
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Generate ideas and sell them into clients and other members of the team
• Mock up creative ideas
• Create across multiple channels
• Consistently produce creative elements against a deliverables list
• Lead brainstorms & conceptualisation
• Oversee the craft. Whether it be the writing, design of an idea etc.
• Compile presentations for clients/figure out new ways of selling
• Attend client briefings & presentations
• Demonstrate thought leadership by keeping updated on industry trends

You’ll also be required to develop the following:

• Good understanding of influencer, Mobile, Podcast, out-of-home, guerrilla, activations and direct marketing
• Great time management
• Demonstrate ability to work under pressure & meet deadlines
• Adept problem solving skills
• Strong communication skills with ability to provide rationales for creative choices made
• Strong presentation skills
• Able to work with team members & delegate effectively
• Understand the client’s business requirements, and understand how our services should be applied to solve business problems

Working knowledge of these tools:

• Illustrator (Optional)
• Photoshop
• After Effects (Would help)
• KeyNote / PowerPoint
• Google Web Designer & DV360 (Would help)
• Facebook Creative Hub (Would help)
• 3D Animation & Production (Would help)