Job title: creative director
Department: design
Location: Blackburn or London Office (to be confirmed)
Report to: head of design or managing director
Salary: competitive
At MK illumination we are committed to creating tailor-made experiences that connect with peoples’ emotions. As a global business with local expertise we lead the way in design, innovation, technical excellence, service, and sustainability. We deliver quality in all areas and aspire to exceed our customers’ expectations.
An exciting new position has opened up for a new creative director at MK Illumination. Experiences at different levels are crucial if you are considering this role.
Preferably one-four years’ working as a designer and at least four years working as a senior designer or in a creative director role.
At MK we believe our success is built on the creativity, drive and commitment of our people. We pride ourselves on being a progressive business in a very creative industry with a high achieving work environment and opportunity for employees to grow their careers.
With a projection for growth within our industry, a career with MK offers the chance to be part of a company that is redefining Christmas and the wider art and design installations.
Key objectives:
To work with the sales and design team to develop creative visual solutions to answer briefs for clients for the overall Christmas experiences within our industry.
Main duties and responsibilities:
Creative concepts
work with the head of design to deliver market leading conceptual ideas and design solutions
brief talking and liaising with customers alongside sales managers as the creative ear to the ground for the business
translating customer briefs into thought provoking new ideas and solutions
project managing prestigious customers design proposals
tell a story through creative design – interpret a brief creatively thinking outside the box
Creative inspiration
prepare inspiration ideas on a quarterly basis to drive creative thought within the wider design team
turn Christmas on its head, develop new visual solutions to introduce to the market place
research and develop new innovations to creatively promote forward thinking design solutions
be the go to person for ideas – telling the story of Christmas in a new way
Competitor analysis
visit all key competitor schemes once a year at Christmas time to see first hand what our competitors are delivering and report back to the team with pictures
lead the development of creative ideas that can combat the competition
Customer
develop strong and positive relationships when out in the market with customers- be it assisting on taking briefs for the large budget clients or presenting visual concepts
be an MK brand advocate and inspire others to see us as a creatively lead business– we want to be design lead and innovative
People
work closely with the design team to ensure that you are leading and inspiring in all areas of visual creativity
work in collaboration with the wider sales and project management team to deliver solutions to briefs
Experience and skills
a creative mind and the ability to think outside the norm for new design ideas
ability to create conceptual designs from a brief
ideas orientated– happy to engage with teams brainstorming
good understanding of interiors or decorative urban experiences with the ability to produce full presentation packs for design projects -excellent attention to detail
experience of handing designs over to production
being able to work to tight deadlines and manage your own time effectively and efficiently
project management experience would be of benefit
excellent communication skills– the ability to present ideas if required
fluency in written and spoken English
extensive, specific marketing experience, ideally within either a centre environment or directly within the retail environment
proven experience of delivering relevant and appealing development marketing strategies
a completer of tasks, overcoming obstacles and working to very tight deadlines
a proven track record of flexibility with an ability to manage changing/moving deadlines
a very creative approach to presentations, events and brand imagery
Specific skills
proficient with Adobe Creative Suite to include Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign extra, AutoCAD, a good knowledge of 3D software, Cinema 4D working skills would be advantageous
Education
Creativity is not necessarily connected to education, but certain schools and college courses are an ideal base for an employee; interior design, interior decoration, architecture, lighting design, graphic design, product design.
Values and behaviours:
The core MK values covers our overall brand personality. We want people to be enthusiastic, professional, authentic, inquisitive, progressive, helpful, reliable, flexible,trustworthy, friendly and co-operative. We call these values “The MK Edge” and they are personified in every employee through the following behaviours;
driving creative solutions, ideas and thoughts forward– looking for innovative ideas, thoughts and concepts
focus on achieving high standards of creativity and taking accountability for the direction and inspiration
be proactive, focused and resilient whilst maintaining an adaptive approach
have an open and transparent communication style with the ability to listen, influence and challenge appropriately
cultivate close working relationships within team and colleagues to drive win-win execution
take a fresh and unrestrictive view on current ways of doing things to stimulate innovation and new approaches
embrace change by fostering state-of-the-art knowledge and technology trends to sustain MK’s competitive edge
desire and ability to question and challenge the status quo and build compelling cases for change while still working effectively within a team
be committed– to the job, to your team and to our vision
Application deadline: November 30, 2015
How to apply
Please submit CV by email to a.crowther@mkillumination.co.uk