Associate Creative Director

Chicago, IL (On-site)

$120K/yr – $130K/yrSenior Level7+ years expFull time

Posted 2 months ago

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Job Summary

Own the creative direction and cross‑platform execution for culturally resonant campaigns, partnering with strategists, data, and production to deliver timely, award‑worthy work that moves audiences.

  • Creative leadership and team mentorship to produce high‑impact, culturally relevant ideas.
  • Collaborate with strategists, producers, and analysts to ensure ideas translate across social, video, and native formats.
  • Stay ahead of cultural trends to inform timely campaigns and earning media buzz.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Creative: development and execution of campaigns, ensuring ideas are fresh, culturally relevant, and aligned with client objectives.
  • Team Management: Mentor and inspire a team of jr. art directors, copywriters, and content creators, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
  • Trend Responsiveness: Stay attuned to cultural and social trends, leveraging insights to deliver timely, impactful campaigns.
  • Collaboration: Partner with producers, strategists, data analysts, and social media experts to craft ideas that work seamlessly across platforms.
  • Client Engagement: Present concepts to clients with clarity and passion, building trust and enthusiasm for the work.
  • Craft Excellence: Ensure the highest standards of creative execution across all deliverables, from social-first content to integrated campaigns.
  • Award Ambition: Drive the team to produce award-worthy work that sets industry benchmarks.

Requirements

  • Experience: 7+ years of experience in a creative role within an agency or in-house team, with a track record of producing high-quality, award-winning work.
  • Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire creative teams.
  • Cultural Fluency: Deep understanding of social media platforms, cultural trends, and the ability to translate them into impactful campaigns.
  • Creative Thinking: A portfolio showcasing big ideas, sharp insights, and flawless execution across a range of media.
  • Strategic Mindset: Ability to align creative concepts with client objectives and strategies.
  • Presentation Skills: Confident and persuasive communicator, capable of presenting ideas to clients and internal stakeholders.
  • Agility: Thrives in a fast-paced environment with the ability to pivot quickly and deliver under tight deadlines.
  • Passion: A genuine love for creativity, culture, and storytelling.
The Kitchen North America logo

The Kitchen North America

The Kitchen is the inside agency for Kraft Heinz, based in Toronto & Chicago, built to craft culture-defining moments for the world's biggest feel-good food brands. What makes us different? The way we work. Our team of creatives, strategists, producers, designers, and content creators work directly with our brand partners to unlock creativity and deliver breakthrough ideas at the speed of culture.

Founded in 2021
Toronto, Ontario, CAN
167 employees (104 in marketing)

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
151.5K
Monthly Google Ads Budget
$13.4K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
58.7%
Direct
32.6%
Referral
6%
Social
2.2%
Paid
0.4%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~167

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
64 (38% of company)
Median Tenure
1.1 years
Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
4