Job Details

Executive Director, Creative Services

Position Number: 6081537
Location: Kennesaw, GA
Position Type: Public Relations, Marketing and Communications

Executive Director, Creative Services

Job ID: 283027
Location: Kennesaw, Georgia
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

About Us

Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower our 47,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university's vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia. We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision. Come Take Flight at KSU!

Location

(Primary Location for Job Responsibilities) Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144.

Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Job Summary

Leads the development, enhancement, and amplification of the creative strategy and institutional brand for Kennesaw State University, covering all aspects of the overall look, feel, messaging, and personality of its marketing and branding. Devises unique solutions and embraces innovative ideas to uphold the University's distinctive position in the higher education marketplace. Responsible for unlocking bold ideas and innovative, creative work produced by the entire creative team across various outputs, including videography, photography, and graphic design, in collaboration with other departments. This position fosters brand advocates and stewards for the University.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Attracts, retains, develops, coaches, and mentors top creative talent in graphic design, content, video, photography, and digital
2. Motivates and inspires the creative team to become a world-class visual storytelling and design team
3. Leads internal creative review sessions, providing and incorporating candid feedback from concept through execution
4. Ensures consistency of standards through continuous communication and partnership with the creative community across campus and promotes the visual identity guide
5. Continually supports standards of creative excellence and raises creative quality while consistently delivering on project and budget constraints
6. Remains current on industry trends and techniques, facilitating creative knowledge sharing and learning within the internal team and campus creative community
7. Coordinates regular team meetings to share best practices, align processes, and build camaraderie within the team
8. Leads developing and presenting creative materials for campaigns, concepts, and other initiatives
9. Oversees concept strategy and delivers compelling, innovative, creative solutions that reach prospective students, parents, alumni, and other key stakeholders
10. Continually evaluates the creative process and capabilities within the team, seeking innovative and efficient ways to deliver design services
11. Identifies and builds new skills within the team to remain competitive thought leaders in the creative space
12. Assesses the team's creative needs, continually evaluating and aligning talent and capabilities against those needs
13. Partners with colleagues in other design teams throughout the University to stay aligned with the latest branding initiatives and guideline changes
14. Provides strategic insight and collaborates with marketing for brand consistency

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a related field

Other Required Qualifications
Current, valid, and unrestricted driver's license

Required Experience
Ten (10) years of experience, including previous management and supervisory skills, required

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Educational Qualifications
An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a related field

Preferred Experience
Experience in the field of collegiate licensing is a plus

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
Able to take charge of any situation, developing and creating buy-in for the vision and encouraging others to support that creative vision
Able to multitask and manage a number of different projects at once
Able to translate ideas into actionable projects
Contributes to the success of the University by performing any other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE
Proficiency in graphic design, creative campaign messaging, and visual development as a primary discipline or proven ability to lead conceptual work
Passion and interest in supporting marketing campaigns through the development of multi-level, engaging collateral and designs
Strong working knowledge of project management, design, brand development, and marketing
Significant familiarity with a variety of branding and marketing activation tactics that support brand and marketing strategies
Knowledge of how to nurture and adopt an existing brand to suit changing circumstances within the University and the industry
Must be creative with a unique approach to solving persistent problems

SKILLS
Contributes to the success of the University by performing any other duties as assigned
Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving, independent judgment, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management, and presentation skills
Exceptional communication skills and be able to bridge the gap between the academic and creative sides of the University
Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite and Adobe suite)
Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills
Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Kennesaw State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for living, work and study. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, the University prohibits harassment of or discrimination against any person because of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment, pregnancy, and medical conditions related to pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran or military status by any member of the KSU Community on campus, in connection with a University program or activity, or in a manner that creates a hostile environment for members of the KSU community.

For additional information on this policy, or to file a complaint under the provisions of this policy, students, employees, applicants for employment or admission or other third parties should contact the Office of Institutional Equity at English Building, Suite 225, eeo@kennesaw.edu

Other Information

This is a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position may travel 1% - 24% of the time

Background Check

Standard Enhanced
Education
DMV
9 Panel Lab Drug Test

Per the University System of Georgia background check policy, all final candidates will be required to consent to a criminal background investigation. Final candidates may be asked to disclose criminal record history during the initial screening process and prior to a conditional offer of employment. Applicants for positions of trust with screening
results which confirm a disqualifying criminal history will be immediately disqualified from employment eligibility.

All applicants are required to include professional references as part of their application process. Some positions may require additional job-based screenings such as motor vehicle report, credit check, pre-employment drug screening and/or verification of academic credentials.

https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Background_Investigation_Employment.pdf

To apply, visit https://careers.hprod.onehcm.usg.edu/psp/careers/CAREERS/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=43000&JobOpeningId=283027&PostingSeq=1