Creative Manager, We Day

Position Available: Creative Manager, We Day

Are you a skilled designer with impeccable writing skills who wants to make a difference in the world?

Free The Children empowers youth to fulfill their potential to be agents of change. Through our organization's unique youth-driven approach, more than one million young people have been involved in our innovative programs in more than 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations, and Oprah's Angel Network. In 2011 Free The Children, was awarded Canada's Top Employer for Young People for our amazing opportunities for young employees!

Free The Children seeks a driven and experienced Creative Manager who will report to the Associate Director of Creative and Communications, We Day. The Creative and Communications department is responsible for developing the ideas, images and words that make up a wide range of creative work, including educational resources, websites, direct response campaigns, advertising, brochures and catalogues and other key marketing and communication pieces in both print and digital. While many people in the department play a role in the process, the idea generation and execution of this work is the primary responsibility of the creative team of writers and designers, led by the Creative Manager. The Creative Manager is responsible for the quality and timeliness of the department's creative work. He or she will manage and support a creative team in driving the overall concept development and writing and design ("the look and feel") of each project, ensuring that the work meets the client goals.

Our work environment appeals to self-directed, flexible team players who have great interpersonal skills, learn quickly, and relish the opportunity to develop and execute retention strategies to promote long-term youth engagement.

The position is based out of Free The Children's International office in Toronto (233 Carlton Street). A minimum two-year commitment is expected. Salary is to be negotiated. There is a six (6) month probationary period, upon reaching the three (3) month period, all staff members are offered a health plan including dental and Employee Assistant Program.

Please e-mail your resume and cover letter to resumes@freethechildren.com.

While resumes are important, we want to know what makes you a great fit for our team and culture. We will consider resumes on a rolling basis and would like the right person to join us as soon as possible.

Responsibilities:

• Foster high creative standards in creative ideas, visual layout and copywriting and ensure that they are met.
• Manage the team of brand writers and designers; inspire innovation and creativity from concept development through to execution and oversee projects to completion on deadline.
• Provide feedback, coaching and training opportunities for the creative team to improve the quality of creative output.
• Work closely with the Marketing and Communications Managers to ensure that internal and external client needs and strategic objectives are being met and the creative goals are on track.
• Develop a depth of brand knowledge and understanding of key objectives and priorities for the We Day brand.
• Optimize the team's tools, processes and methods to improve efficiency and agility while meeting the quality standards.
  • Develop, manage and update the organizational brand standards and guidelines, including visual and writing style guides, logos, colour palettes, key messages etc.

• Collaborate with the Production Manager and the Marketing and Communications Managers on scheduling and resource allocation to maximize the creative team's time and ensure project delivery on deadline.
• Work with the Editorial Director and Editor to identify training and development opportunities for staff writers.
• Train and mentor designers to improve their graphic design skills and creativity.
• Act as a creative resource for the Web Content Manager and Web Technical Lead to provide input on overall web design and user experience.

• Report to the Associate Director on project progress, departmental issues and other issues as required.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Minimum two to three years' experience working in a leadership role as part of a creative team, with demonstrated talent and expertise in creative concept development, copywriting and/or design.
• Highly skilled at critiquing creative work and communicating clear, constructive changes to improve overall quality.
• Meticulous, detail-oriented, and driven to achieve high standards.
• Strong coaching skills; ability to develop talent.
• Experience working on event branding is a strong asset.
• Ability to multitask, manage and focus on a number of deadlines in a demanding and fast-paced work environment.
• Planning skills—ability to set and meet project deadlines, manage resources and motivate team members to do the same.
• Positive attitude and ability to work as a collaborative team player; strong interpersonal skills.
• Superior oral and written communication skills.
• Willing to work long hours and be a dedicated member of the Free The Children team.
• Comfortable with both Mac and Microsoft operating systems, and experience working with Adobe Creative Suite, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat Pro.
• Experience in web design is an asset.

What makes Free The Children unique…

A Top Employer for Young People, Free The Children is filled with passionate, driven, hardworking, entrepreneurial, shameless idealists, this means we work late, set high goals and exceed them, and then push hard the following year to beat and exceed last year's goals of empowering youth to change the world.

If you are looking for a predictable 9-5 work environment, this won't be the right fit.

If you are inspired and excited by collaboration, making friendships with the most incredible people, unique additional responsibilities like working on our We Days and your personal values align with our core values, we would love to hear from you.

Free The Children sincerely thanks all those who apply, however only those considered for an interview will be contacted.