Associate Creative Director, 3D / CGI

Equator Design • Toronto, ON

3d • CA$130,000 - CA$140,000

About The Position

As the Associate Creative Director, 3D / CGI, you will report to the Creative Director, Innovation as part of the Content Solutions team. You’ll lead CGI Art Directors and artists to creatively solve clients’ business problems, ensuring that photorealistic product and packaging work brings the strategy to life – successfully, on brief and on time. You will need to showcase an ability to work within teams, as well as demonstrate the independence and resourcefulness demanded by an agile and highly dynamic agency environment. A strong communicator, you are able to present and sell ideas internally and to clients with passion and energy.
The ACD embodies Marks’ vision of can-do positivity, agility in approach, and belief in the power of co-creation – ensuring we deliver the best solution against each brief. You use strong judgement and analytical skills to drive the creative process from early concepts to final photoreal render, delivering beyond client expectations while owning the CGI quality bar across your accounts.
You are responsible for building and growing your team to deliver against increasing client needs and demand – staffing, structuring, and empowering CGI project teams to deliver high-caliber work. You partner with client services and operations teams to establish workflow processes, schedule resources across the CGI pipeline, and ensure timelines are met.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in CGI / content production, with a strong focus on photorealistic CPG product and packaging work.
• Experience leading teams and managing people within a CGI or content production environment.
• Expert fluency across the CGI pipeline and its tools – DCCs such as Houdini, Maya & C4D, rendering in a mix of V-Ray, Redshift and Karma, plus strong command of the Adobe and Substance suites.
• Fluency in Keynote / PowerPoint.
• A well-rounded portfolio showcasing strong, innovative creative ideas, photoreal execution, presentation skills and an excellent understanding of different communication spaces, mediums and approaches.

Nice To Haves

• Diploma / degree in CGI, Advertising & Marketing, or a related field is recommended, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead CGI Art Directors and artists to creatively solve clients’ business problems, ensuring that photorealistic product and packaging work brings the strategy to life – successfully, on brief and on time.
• Showcase an ability to work within teams, as well as demonstrate the independence and resourcefulness demanded by an agile and highly dynamic agency environment.
• Present and sell ideas internally and to clients with passion and energy.
• Drive the creative process from early concepts to final photoreal render, delivering beyond client expectations while owning the CGI quality bar across your accounts.
• Build and grow your team to deliver against increasing client needs and demand – staffing, structuring, and empowering CGI project teams to deliver high-caliber work.
• Partner with client services and operations teams to establish workflow processes, schedule resources across the CGI pipeline, and ensure timelines are met.
• Take responsibility for the success of the Content Solutions CGI/art direction teams and the clients they serve.
• Act as a creative and quality guardian for key account(s), owning the photoreal standard from concept to final delivery.
• Ensure the team is consistently developing ideas and CGI work, from concept to execution, that deliver on a strategic framework.
• Be an expert in producing photorealistic 3D product and packaging imagery and integrated content across retail, in-store, ecommerce, digital, social and out-of-home channels.
• Direct artists across the entire CGI pipeline – modelling, texturing, look-dev, lighting, rendering, compositing and retouching.
• Concept and develop motion and video content, including online video, social content and broadcast, alongside still CGI.
• Lead as well as jump into a project to support the team through execution and hands-on look-dev.
• Lead and oversee the development of presentation deck narratives that frame and sell CGI approaches.
• Review the work of the team, from junior artists upward, with a keen eye for detail.
• Work with speed and agility while maintaining a high photoreal quality bar through execution.
• Present yourself as a trusted expert, collaborative partner and seamless extension of the client’s team.
• Demonstrate empathy for and prioritize the client’s specific business objectives.
• Support new business and new work streams by attending kick-offs and planning for CGI ingestion and resourcing.
• Collaborate with Marks global offices to support CGI and content production across the agency at large.
• Partner with the leadership team to establish best practices, methods, tools and pipeline standards leveraged by the Marks collective.
• Act as a consultant, extending CGI subject-matter expertise across the collective.
• Plan for and mobilize teams to deliver across various streams of CGI work.
• Provide direction and guidance to team members to ensure efficient and high-quality delivery.
• Manage and support the growth and development of CGI Art Directors and artists.
• Work with recruiting partners to staff a balanced team of full-time and freelance CGI talent.
• Partner with scheduling departments and operations teams to resource work and manage overhead costs.
• Uphold a culture that values teamwork over egos.
• Actively lead effective internal review meetings and team sessions.
• Lead by example – working constructively and demonstrating respect for each team, discipline, and business partner.
• Create strong internal partnerships at every level, from juniors to senior leaders, across the Marks agency at large.
• Possess an open mindset and focus on continuous improvement of craft and pipeline.
• Demonstrate a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-it-done attitude.
• Be un-phased by change and proactively seek solutions to problems and challenges.
• Pivot and prioritize multiple streams of work so the team can meet assigned deadlines.
• Thrive in a fast-paced work environment and continually create efficiencies and improve processes.
• Explore emerging technologies, including AI-assisted CGI workflows, to advance the team’s output.

Benefits

• Equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
• Reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
• The Ontario pay range for this position is $130,000 CAD to $140,000 CAD annually.
• Ensuring equal opportunity in all aspects of employment, including recruitment.
• Encouraging applications from all qualified individuals, particularly those who may contribute to the further diversification of our organization.
• Providing any form of accommodation during the recruitment process.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed