Creative Solutions Lead

SavageOne Pty Ltd; Durban; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

SavageOne Pty Ltd in Durban seeks a Creative Solutions Lead to ensure briefs are strategically aligned, commercially viable and fully prepared before entering the Creative Studio.

The role bridges Client Service, Sales, Production and the Creative Studio, ensuring briefs are refined and translated into actionable requirements for teams. It requires deep experience in creative workflows and operational leadership.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Marketing, Graphic Design, Production, Operations, or Project Management.
• 7–10 years' experience in a creative agency, POP, print, packaging or retail marketing.
• Strong understanding of creative, production and operational workflows.

Responsibilities

• Own the intake, evaluation and refinement of creative briefs.
• Ensure briefs are complete, strategically aligned and commercially viable.
• Challenge and clarify briefs where required to ensure clear objectives and deliverables.
• Identify potential risks and clarify project scope before work enters the Creative Studio.
• Recommend the most effective approach to project execution.
• Ensure projects are fully prepared and actionable before creative work begins.
• Work closely with the Studio Director to prioritise projects entering the Creative Studio.
• Coordinate across Client Service, Sales, Production and Operations to maintain project momentum.
• Monitor workflow and proactively identify potential bottlenecks.
• Resolve delivery risks and obstacles before they negatively impact projects.
• Align cross-functional stakeholders to ensure efficient and seamless project execution.
• Ensure projects are aligned with budgets, timelines and operational capabilities.
• Identify changes in project scope and communicate commercial implications.
• Support accurate project scoping, costing and resource planning.
• Balance creative requirements with commercial and operational realities.
• Drive continuous improvement across creative briefing standards and processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflow efficiency and cross-functional collaboration.
• Identify recurring operational or delivery challenges.
• Develop and implement practical solutions that improve quality, consistency and project delivery.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Workflow coordination

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Education

Marketing/Graphic Design/Production/Operations/PM degree

Job description

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS LEAD

Reports To: Executive Creative Director

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Durban

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are seeking an experienced Creative Solutions Lead to ensure creative projects are strategically aligned, commercially viable, operationally achievable and fully prepared before entering the Creative Studio.

This role acts as a critical bridge between Client Service, Sales, Production and the Creative Studio, ensuring briefs are challenged, refined and translated into clear, actionable requirements. The successful candidate will bring together strong creative understanding, commercial awareness and operational expertise to remove obstacles, align stakeholders and enable creative teams to deliver exceptional outcomes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Brief & Project Readiness

• Own the intake, evaluation and refinement of creative briefs.
• Ensure briefs are complete, strategically aligned and commercially viable.
• Challenge and clarify briefs where required to ensure clear objectives and deliverables.
• Identify potential risks and clarify project scope before work enters the Creative Studio.
• Recommend the most effective approach to project execution.
• Ensure projects are fully prepared and actionable before creative work begins.

Workflow & Stakeholder Coordination

• Work closely with the Studio Director to prioritise projects entering the Creative Studio.
• Coordinate across Client Service, Sales, Production and Operations to maintain project momentum.
• Monitor workflow and proactively identify potential bottlenecks.
• Resolve delivery risks and obstacles before they negatively impact projects.
• Align cross-functional stakeholders to ensure efficient and seamless project execution.

Commercial & Operational Oversight

• Ensure projects are aligned with agreed budgets, timelines and operational capabilities.
• Identify changes in project scope and communicate the associated commercial implications.
• Support accurate project scoping, costing and resource planning.
• Balance creative requirements with commercial and operational realities.

Process Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement across creative briefing standards and processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflow efficiency and cross-functional collaboration.
• Identify recurring operational or delivery challenges.
• Develop and implement practical solutions that improve quality, consistency and project delivery.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree or Diploma in Marketing, Graphic Design, Production, Operations, Project Management or a related field.

EXPERIENCE

• 7–10 years' experience within a creative agency, POP, print, packaging or retail marketing environment.
• Strong understanding of creative, production and operational workflows.
• Proven experience managing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex operational challenges.
• Experience translating business objectives into effective and achievable creative solutions.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic and commercial thinking.
• Creative briefing and project readiness.
• Workflow and stakeholder coordination.
• Strong production and print knowledge.
• Risk identification and problem-solving.
• Process improvement.
• Strong communication and influencing skills.
• Highly organised, collaborative and adaptable.