VP of Brand

HKS • Atlanta, GA

20h • $115,000 - $175,000

About The Position

Overview: Responsible for leading the firm’s brand strategy and visual identity, ensuring that HKS is consistently represented as a bold, innovative, and trusted architecture firm across every practice and region. Owns brand positioning, guidelines, creative direction, and brand governance, and ensures brand equity is protected and amplified across all channels. Partners closely with Practice Marketing Directors (PMDs), Centers of Excellence (COEs), and firmwide leadership to make sure the HKS brand shows up consistently while adapting appropriately for market needs. Responsibilities: Defines, manages, and evolves the HKS brand strategy and architecture Ensures brand consistency across all practices, regions, and offices Creates brand governance frameworks and enforce adoption across marketing and BD functions Leads the development of brand campaigns and creative assets that reinforce HKS’s positioning Oversees visual identity, design systems, and templates to support both practice and regional needs Partners with COEs (Creative, Digital, PR) to ensure brand is integrated across every touchpoint Partners with PMDs to translate practice strategies into brand-aligned assets, campaigns, and content Ensures practice value propositions are consistently expressed in all materials Partners with firmwide leadership to localize the brand for regional relevance while protecting consistency Develops scalable brand tools, playbooks, and templates for regional teams and local coordinators Provides direct brand support for priority regional campaigns and pursuits Defines KPIs to measure brand strength (awareness, perception, consistency) Monitors adoption of brand guidelines and consistency of execution across practices and regions Reports regularly to CMO and firm leadership on brand performance and alignment Collaborates with PR, Digital, and Creative teams to deliver fully integrated campaigns Provides high level of interactive service to others, building relationships, addressing identified needs and following through with implementing resolutions for the firm’s brand identity system Stays current on trends and developments in graphic design Models and holds others accountable to the firm’s cultural values, including a commitment to quality, innovation, learning and growth Oversees and actively invests in the professional development of staff through mentoring, performance management and career planning Leads efforts in attracting, training, retaining, growing and recognizing diverse talent Manages conflict effectively and encourages a healthy team environment Partners with leadership, business development and marketing teams to implement/maintain the strategic plan goals for brand Fosters and maintains a collaborative professional working relationship with the project team, including promoting communication and creating approachability Takes personal responsibility for fostering a green workplace through sustainable work practices Develops budgets and timelines of team projects in collaboration with Chief Marketing Officer Responsible for the financial implications of overhead and chargeable time, including accountability to project plan and planned utilization rate Collaborates in managing projects to satisfy requirements with best possible ROI and delivering projects on defined budget requirements Collaborates with practice leaders and Marketing team to ensure the brand is presented across all tactics and assets in a synchronized and impactful way

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Advertising or related degree
• Typically with 15+ years of experience in advertising/design agency environment, with experience in brand strategy and visual identity within a global or matrixed organization
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite such as InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Sketchup graphic software
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint preferred
• Prior experience in professional services or design industries
• Successful track record with managing a team and performing duties in a fast-paced environment
• Proven experience in successfully scaling a global brand in a competitive market landscape
• Proven ability to balance consistency with flexibility across diverse practices and markets
• Proven ability to work across stakeholder groups, functional areas, geographies, and differing levels of seniority
• Proven ability in identifying issues, determining their cause, developing creative solutions
• Excellent writing skills with leadership experience in creative direction, storytelling, and visual communication
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to excellence
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with all levels of staff and clients; ability to forge trusting relationships within a diverse team
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work on multiple projects at the same time
• Ability to thrive in a complex, matrixed global organization
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders across practices, regions, and BD teams
• Ability to measure and report brand performance
• Ability to manage team with diplomatic and collaborative leadership style which puts value on relationships and collaboration, both internal and external
• Ability to communicate and present ideas in a clear, concise and professional manner both verbally and in writing
• Ability to proactively problem solve and apply innovative solutions
• Ability to collaborate and encourage collaboration in a team environment, and ability to work independently and prioritize work
• Ability to effectively meet deadlines at expected quality
• Travel may be required

Responsibilities

• Defines, manages, and evolves the HKS brand strategy and architecture
• Ensures brand consistency across all practices, regions, and offices
• Creates brand governance frameworks and enforce adoption across marketing and BD functions
• Leads the development of brand campaigns and creative assets that reinforce HKS’s positioning
• Oversees visual identity, design systems, and templates to support both practice and regional needs
• Partners with COEs (Creative, Digital, PR) to ensure brand is integrated across every touchpoint
• Partners with PMDs to translate practice strategies into brand-aligned assets, campaigns, and content
• Ensures practice value propositions are consistently expressed in all materials
• Partners with firmwide leadership to localize the brand for regional relevance while protecting consistency
• Develops scalable brand tools, playbooks, and templates for regional teams and local coordinators
• Provides direct brand support for priority regional campaigns and pursuits
• Defines KPIs to measure brand strength (awareness, perception, consistency)
• Monitors adoption of brand guidelines and consistency of execution across practices and regions
• Reports regularly to CMO and firm leadership on brand performance and alignment
• Collaborates with PR, Digital, and Creative teams to deliver fully integrated campaigns
• Provides high level of interactive service to others, building relationships, addressing identified needs and following through with implementing resolutions for the firm’s brand identity system
• Stays current on trends and developments in graphic design
• Models and holds others accountable to the firm’s cultural values, including a commitment to quality, innovation, learning and growth
• Oversees and actively invests in the professional development of staff through mentoring, performance management and career planning
• Leads efforts in attracting, training, retaining, growing and recognizing diverse talent
• Manages conflict effectively and encourages a healthy team environment
• Partners with leadership, business development and marketing teams to implement/maintain the strategic plan goals for brand
• Fosters and maintains a collaborative professional working relationship with the project team, including promoting communication and creating approachability
• Takes personal responsibility for fostering a green workplace through sustainable work practices
• Develops budgets and timelines of team projects in collaboration with Chief Marketing Officer
• Responsible for the financial implications of overhead and chargeable time, including accountability to project plan and planned utilization rate
• Collaborates in managing projects to satisfy requirements with best possible ROI and delivering projects on defined budget requirements
• Collaborates with practice leaders and Marketing team to ensure the brand is presented across all tactics and assets in a synchronized and impactful way

Benefits

• HKS offers a comprehensive total compensation & benefits package with health, dental, and vision care coverage, 401(k) plans, life & AD&D insurance, short/long term disability plans, paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, vacation), and much more for benefits-eligible employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive