Associate Creative Director Job at Monks Associates in Chicago

Associate Creative Director Chicago United States

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About the Role

This is a role for a visual leader whose primary tool is design but whose canvas is the entire digital ecosystem. As an Associate Creative Director (ACD) at Monks, you are a key creative leader, acting as the bridge between high-level strategy and flawless execution. You are a "player-coach"a master of your craft who can create stunning visuals while also guiding and inspiring a team to do the same. Youll partner with copywriters, strategists, and prompt engineers to shape the visual world for campaigns that are natively AI. You understand that a great concept today requires a deep understanding of both human insight and machine capability. This pivotal position requires you to be both a hands-on creator and a sharp supervisor, steering the team toward excellence while building the visual case that sells our most ambitious ideas.

Responsibilities:

• Lead Concept and Visual Development: Drive the creation of innovative visual concepts for marketing campaigns. You will be instrumental in defining the look, feel, and overall aesthetic, ensuring it is smart, impactful, and aligned with our clients' advanced technological focus.
• Partner with Copy and Tech: Collaborate deeply with copywriters and other creative partners, providing sharp, constructive feedback to create unified solutions. You will ensure the visuals, copy, and underlying technology work as one cohesive idea.
• Mentor and Guide: Mentor junior designers and art directors, providing clear feedback that elevates their work. You will teach them the craft of design and the art of collaborating with intelligent tools.
• Drive Creative Excellence: Uphold the highest standards of creative excellence from ideation to production. You will be the authority on visual quality, present work confidently to clients, and ensure the final work is innovative and award-worthy.
• Master New Workflows: Embrace and help pioneer new creative processes that integrate AI. This includes guiding teams on everything from prompt crafting for image and video generation to leveraging AI for mood boarding and concept art.

About You

The essentials:

• 5-7+ years of professional experience in art direction or design at a top-tier agency or tech company.
• Portfolio demonstrates a track record of excellent, concept-driven work with a strong eye for craft; deep understanding of brand systems across formats (digital, video, social, etc.) and a curiosity for technology.
• Hands-on experience with generative AI platforms. Proficiency with visual generators (e.g., Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, Runway, Gemini, Veo2) and understanding of how LLMs can inform the creative process.
• Exceptional designer and confident presenter, able to build client relationships and lead conversations about visual strategy and execution.
• Collaborative, resilient, and able to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with efficient project management.
• Experience building and implementing brand identity systems. Tech industry experience is highly desired.
• Proficient with industry-standard tools like Figma and the full Adobe Creative Suite.
• Ability to thrive under pressure, adapt to changing priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong creative background with an understanding of digital, thinking beyond traditional ad formats and budgets.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, meticulous attention to detail, and a proactive approach to delivering high-quality work.

Your Working Style:

• Passionate about AI.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and committed to grammatical precision.
• Self-motivated, resilient, and adaptable, thriving in fast-paced environments.
• Comfortable with quick turnarounds as part of a collaborative team.
• Constructive, solution-oriented, client-centric, balancing a strong work ethic with humility, and eager to learn from clients and teammates.
• Efficient at managing projects and minimizing friction to maximize productivity.
• Collaborative, able to find compromises without sacrificing brand voice or integrity.
• Open to feedback, able to provide rationale and alternative solutions while transitioning between projects and brands.
• Comfortable working both independently and with others.
• Driven to become a subject-matter expert, crafting relatable product-focused copy.
• Stay ahead of trends, cultures, and technologies in creative fields.
• Committed to equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all aspects of the role.

Working Conditions:

• The role may involve long hours and tight deadlines; collaboration across locations and time zones is common.

We are a hybrid-friendly team and welcome flexible work arrangements.

What We Offer

• Excellent, full-coverage medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer-paid HRA
• Generous PTO and 15 company-wide holidays
• 401k with company contribution
• Paid parental leave
• Work-life balance with an emphasis on personal well-being
• Career growth in a disruptor space and entrepreneurial opportunities within the Monks network
• A globally diverse and inclusive culture with employee resource groups such as S4 Melanin, Pride.Monks, Cultura.Monks, and more
• Authentic commitment to DEI and sustainable growth

Monks is an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people. We value diversity in all respects and welcome fresh voices and unique points of view.

Salary Range: $110,000$120,000 USD

About Monks

Monks is the global, digitally native, unitary operating brand of S4Capital plc. It combines a broad range of global marketing and technology services to accelerate business possibilities and redefine how brands interact with the world. Its AI-driven approach powers content production, experiences, technology, and data science to help the world's trailblazing companies outpace their competition.

Monks has received recognition from Forrester, Adweek, Cannes Lions, AdExchanger, Webby, FWAs, and others for its innovative work in AI and digital marketing. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to maintaining a respectful and empowering workplace for all.

Interested? Apply for this job! We will be in touch via email. If you want to learn more, visit our careers page at monks.com/careers.

We protect your personal information. As part of our recruitment process, we collect and process personal data to evaluate your application. To understand how we handle your information, please read our Candidate Privacy Notice at monks.com/careers/privacy.

Thank you!

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