Creative Services Director

$140,000 - $170,000/Yr

Westat - Rockville, MD

Full-time - Senior

Remote - Rockville, MD

1,001-5,000 employees

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Creative Services Director at Westat is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing a large in-house creative department. This position involves managing teams focused on editing, graphic design, digital production, and document production, ensuring high-quality deliverables for both client and corporate communications projects. The Director will serve as a strategic advisor, promoting innovation and excellence while fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration within the department.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the creative services department, ensuring high-quality deliverables across all teams.
• Manage and mentor a team of leaders, including providing guidance, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
• Oversee project workflows, timelines, and budgets for both client and internal projects.
• Collaborate with the VP of Marketing and Communications to align creative services with overall corporate strategy.
• Promote and uphold high standards for accessibility across products.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external clients.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, tools, and methodologies to enhance efficiency and quality.
• Balance resources between billable client work and corporate communications needs.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies in creative services.
• Provide strategic advice and problem-solving support to project teams across the company.
• Ensure the creative services department delivers high-quality, timely, and cost-effective solutions throughout the project lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal clients, serving as a trusted business partner.
• Collaborate with project teams to align creative solutions with business objectives and project goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications, English, graphic design, marketing, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in creative services, including at least 5 years in a management role and two years of experience supervising remote and hybrid teams.
• Proven track record of establishing and improving effective systems and processes for creative teams, including mechanisms for quality control and client feedback.
• Experience working on creative materials for federal government clients, including Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, and other civilian agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Understanding of industry-standard design and production software and their current capabilities, including Microsoft and Adobe products and generative artificial intelligence capabilities.
• Experience in providing strategic advice and problem-solving support to clients and cross-functional teams.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Knowledge of 508 compliance requirements and best practices for making materials accessible to individuals with visual, hearing, or cognitive impairments.
• Familiarity with print production processes and digital publishing platforms.
• Experience in developing and implementing creative strategies for large organizations.
• Experience with marketing and brand development.

Benefits

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Vacation Leave (20 days per year)
• Sick Leave (10 days per year)
• Holiday Leave (7 government holidays and 2 floating holidays)
• Professional Development
• Health Advocate
• Employee Assistance Program
• Travel Accident Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short Term Disability Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account