Director of Creative and Digital Services

University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN

Full-time - Director

Notre Dame, IN

Educational Services

About the position

The University of Notre Dame is seeking a Director of Creative and Digital Services to lead a dynamic team focused on enhancing the College's brand through innovative visual design and digital experiences. This role requires a blend of graphic design expertise, marketing knowledge, and business acumen to effectively promote the Mendoza College of Business. The ideal candidate will possess a strong creative vision and the ability to inspire a team while managing both day-to-day creative projects and larger strategic initiatives. The Director will oversee the completion of various creative projects, ensuring that all outputs align with the College's branding and marketing goals. In this position, the Director will spearhead the creative strategy for both small and large projects, collaborating closely with marketing, communications, and brand strategy departments. The role involves leading the design strategy for the Mendoza College of Business website, managing event marketing for key College events, and developing internal marketing campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. The Director will also analyze market trends and consumer needs to inform creative strategies and ensure that the College's branding remains competitive and relevant. The successful candidate will create a culture of creativity within the team, encouraging ongoing ideation and optimization of creative processes. They will be responsible for managing budgets, forecasting expenses, and serving as a strategic consultant to senior leadership, advocating for the College's strategic goals across the University. A portfolio showcasing previous work is required for consideration, highlighting the candidate's ability to produce innovative and effective design solutions.

Responsibilities

• Manage the completion of all day-to-day creative projects for the Mendoza College of Business.
• Lead, build, and review the work of the Marketing and Brand Team for all web, print, and digital marketing collateral.
• Spearhead and manage creative strategy for small and large projects across the College.
• Lead the design strategy, evolution, project management, and user experience for the Mendoza College of Business website.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, and brand strategy departments in developing marketing plans, analyzing results, and identifying opportunities.
• Lead and build event marketing vision for key College events, including Welcome Weekend and Domer for a Day.
• Support Mendoza stakeholders and develop internal marketing campaigns that translate objectives into clear and motivating creative strategies.
• Analyze brand tracking, market trends, consumer needs, and the competitor landscape.
• Create a culture and build processes across the team that encourage a high standard of continued creative ideation, assessment, and optimization.
• Meet budget requirements by forecasting and managing expenses.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design or a similar field.
• 8 - 10 years of relevant experience.
• Proficiency and experience in leading a team of diverse, talented creatives.
• Advanced knowledge in graphic design including the completion of projects under high pressure deadlines.
• Highly skilled in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Collaborative team player who can contribute to both the skills and the culture of the Marketing and Brand Department.
• Experience in creating integrated content across all marketing channels: digital, social media, paid media, mobile, offline, and print.
• Knowledge of website projects, such as design strategy and brand alignment.
• Proven ability to develop successful concepts that achieve business objectives.
• Strong creative vision and an ability to execute (design) with an eye on business objectives.

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in graphic design, advertising, marketing or business.
• Experience as a high-performing copywriter, graphic designer, or production artist with a standard of excellence.
• Experience in project management, with a focus on creative direction.
• An understanding of higher education audiences with an emphasis on the business landscape.
• Five or more years as a creative or digital media director in an agency or corporate setting.

Benefits

• Dual Career Assistance Program for relocating spouses and significant others.
• Access to various employee benefits as outlined on the University of Notre Dame's HR website.