Digital Creative Director - Manchester

Skylab is looking for an exceptional Creative Director. This is one of those rare opportunities where growth dictates the need for a new key figure within the business to direct the entire creative output of the studio. We are looking for someone capable of exceptional thinking, who is very hands-on, with expert production skills and digital innovation in their blood.

Essentially we want to create innovative, beautiful looking awesomeness… that we can all be proud of for many, many years to come. In summary we want:

• Great creative ideas and thinking.
• Great direction.
• Great design.
• We all absolutely love what we do and there is a great vibe in the studio. It’s the kind of place where you love coming to work. That’s a good thing.
• Innovation that pushes conceptual, creative, technical boundaries. Nice.
• Your average day will be 90% thinking and designing amazing stuff, 10% admin. Great.
• Shape the future vision and philosophy of the business with fellow Directors. Awesomeness!

Skylab is a digital studio with innovation at its core. We have a BAFTA Award winning heritage and create digital strategies, websites, apps, social media and content such as film for clients such as the BBC, Manchester United, British Swimming, William Hill and the Home Office to name but a few. Due to a number of new contracts plus growth in demand from existing clients, we are looking to make a strategically important addition to the studio’s management team.

We have some simply stunning new projects and long term contracts in place, all of which offer the very rare combination of contractual commitment and creative freedom to innovate for several years to come, building on our own solutions year after year to create best of breed solutions in various sectors.

We will take our time to find the right person and when we find them, we are looking to make a long term commitment to each other to form one of the strongest digital teams in the North West, if not the country. These types of jobs are few and far between, so now is the time to fully engage with this opportunity. You may be an experienced senior / lead designer looking to make a step up or an existing Creative Director looking to work with a leading digital innovation studio.

Now here’s a load of detail that explains other aspects of the job but remember it’s essentially 90% hands-on concept creation and design…

Responsibilities

Strategic Thinking

• Contribute to the creation of digital marketing strategies with clients.
• Create original and innovative solutions that help the client to move their business forward.
• Strategies should be measurable and achievable, identifying KPIs and demonstrating ROI.
• Work closely with the Managing Director, Technical Director and Account Director to plan the future direction of Skylab.

New Business

• Develop longer term business opportunities from new and existing clients to maximise revenues rather than just a single project approach.
• Liaise with the Managing Director on new business opportunities.

Working With The Team

• Follow studio processes, adhering to best practice guidelines.
• Contribute to the creation and refinement of studio processes on an ongoing basis, iterating based on learnings from projects, industry developments etc.
• Liaise with the production team to create an optimal plan to deliver to time, quality, budget and client satisfaction requirements.
• Review projects on a regular basis, working together with the team leaders.
• Mitigate risks and manage change requests, dealing with the account management team on any necessary budgetary implications.

Delivery

• Ensure projects hit all client KPIs at all stages of planning, production and delivery.
• Retain a practical and pragmatic approach to delivery, focusing on time, quality, budget and client satisfaction requirements.
• Ensure that production targets for projects are met and that the creative aspects do not go over time or budget. Balance the need for quality whilst maintaining profitability across all jobs.

Culture

• Work with directors and team leaders to develop a culture of care for and development of clients.

Requirements

• A proven track record in creative leadership, vision and innovation.
• A track record in successfully delivering digital creative for multiple high profile projects to time.
• An ability to devise digital marketing strategies and solutions for clients. This is a vital part of the job and requires the successful candidate not just to think about the creative aspects of a brief but to possess a broader understanding of a range of issues including usability, commercial feasibility, the value of customer profiling, integration of data into CMS / CRM systems, awareness of SEO and social media etc.
• You may already have an award winning heritage.
• A detailed working knowledge of digital production processes.
• Expert level production capability setting standards for the studio.
• An open and innovative approach.
• Strong communication, presentation and organisational skills to board level.
• A structured approach to working with tried and tested commercial processes and strong documentation skills.
• Signifiant experience at a senior level within a digital agency environment including both having responsibility for and leading a creative team, and reporting to senior management.
• A natural interest in design, user experience and all things digital.

Role & Package

Role: Creative Director
Package: Competitive salary depending on experience.

If you want to know anything about any of the above, then just get in touch. We’d be happy to explain what the job and Skylab is all about… no problem.

Please tell us why you want to work at Skylab and what you can add to our offering of strategy, innovation and digital solutions.

Please send your application and CV to [email protected]

Good luck….. and no agencies please.