Principal Associate, Associate Creative Director — Café

Capital One•McLean, VA

About The Position

Principal Associate, Associate Creative Director — Café Capital One Brand Creative is looking for an experienced Associate Creative Director with a modern, elevated portfolio to bring our brand to life. This role will support the Café creative team, concepting, designing and leading work for integrated experiences across the Café landscape. You’ll use your omni-channel creative skills and exceptional taste to support a broad range of marketing and experiential needs. If you’re a champion of strategic ideas with outstanding leadership chops and a customer-focused marketing background, we’d love to hear from you. WHAT YOU’LL DO: Execute: Create demand for your skillset while coming up with campaign ideas and developing creative for a range of channels, including print, digital, OOH, campaign & toolkit creation, In-Café events and experiences and brand activations to name a few. Represent our Brand in a physical, real-life setting whether through marketing, events or activations. Own your design through the creative process—from white space to real life for our most high-impact projects. Lead: Partner with Creative Directors and Project Managers to define intent, brief teams, and deliver marketing that cuts through the noise. Be a creative leader amongst your team of Art Directors, Graphic Designers, and Copywriters (including a mix of full-time associates, contractors, and agencies). Collaborate with marketing strategists and internal business clients to positively influence marketing strategy and the customer experience. Demonstrate expert knowledge of advertising, marketing, spatial & experiential design trends. Present and influence with a convincing and inspiring style to increase buy-in and open the door for new opportunities - both for your team and department. Mentor and build expertise in your craft with your peers, and team members. Champion and guard the brand. Be a subject matter expert of our brand standards, and advocate for good taste. Drive brand consistency and recognition across your work. Make and lead strategic creative that cuts through the noise. Use evidence and strategy to inform your creative decisions. Adapt your approach for widely varying briefs, products, and business goals. Know when to focus on high-level approach/strategy and when to dive into the details. Proactively bring new ideas that raise the bar and push mindsets. Think across integrated channels, products and experiences. Stay ahead of consumer trends and insights, and let them influence your work. Get stuff done. On time. Every time. Manage deadlines on multiple projects happening at the same time. Deliver high-quality and error- free work with an appropriate degree of autonomy. Proactively identify opportunities and develop solutions. Listen to and incorporate feedback, and ask questions when you need clarity. WHO YOU ARE: You want to be an EVIDENCE-BASED MARKETER. Your curiosity is endless. There’s always something else to learn. You’re flexible and not afraid of change—in fact, you welcome the challenge. You share your point of view but seek out what might be missing and listen. You have big ideas and know the best ones are driven by proof, persistence and patience. You’re a storyteller. You simplify the complex and compel your audience to act. You know how to enjoy yourself. While fun isn’t mandatory, it certainly seems to follow you. You care—about the work, your team and the customers you serve. Candidates must provide a portfolio of their creative work for consideration

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or military experience
At least 2 years of experience leading creative teams or projects
Candidates must provide a portfolio of their creative work for consideration

Nice To Haves

7+ years of experience in art direction
2+ years of experience leading work
Experience with experiential/activation marketing/integrated campaigns
Photography expertise (guiding and elevating photo direction)
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Figma
Experience with 3D or spatial design software (ex. Adobe Substance, Sketchup, etc.)
Experience at a large in-house creative team
Experience working with a Fortune 100 brand

Responsibilities

Create demand for your skillset while coming up with campaign ideas and developing creative for a range of channels, including print, digital, OOH, campaign & toolkit creation, In-Café events and experiences and brand activations to name a few.
Represent our Brand in a physical, real-life setting whether through marketing, events or activations.
Own your design through the creative process—from white space to real life for our most high-impact projects.
Partner with Creative Directors and Project Managers to define intent, brief teams, and deliver marketing that cuts through the noise.
Be a creative leader amongst your team of Art Directors, Graphic Designers, and Copywriters (including a mix of full-time associates, contractors, and agencies).
Collaborate with marketing strategists and internal business clients to positively influence marketing strategy and the customer experience.
Demonstrate expert knowledge of advertising, marketing, spatial & experiential design trends.
Present and influence with a convincing and inspiring style to increase buy-in and open the door for new opportunities - both for your team and department.
Mentor and build expertise in your craft with your peers, and team members.
Champion and guard the brand. Be a subject matter expert of our brand standards, and advocate for good taste.
Drive brand consistency and recognition across your work.
Make and lead strategic creative that cuts through the noise.
Use evidence and strategy to inform your creative decisions.
Adapt your approach for widely varying briefs, products, and business goals.
Know when to focus on high-level approach/strategy and when to dive into the details.
Proactively bring new ideas that raise the bar and push mindsets.
Think across integrated channels, products and experiences.
Stay ahead of consumer trends and insights, and let them influence your work.
Get stuff done. On time. Every time.
Manage deadlines on multiple projects happening at the same time.
Deliver high-quality and error- free work with an appropriate degree of autonomy.
Proactively identify opportunities and develop solutions.
Listen to and incorporate feedback, and ask questions when you need clarity.