Overview
Executive Creative Director (ECD) role at MKG, reporting to the Chief Creative Officer and VP, Creative. This is a hands-on leadership position focused on creative excellence across new and active business, shaping the agency’s strategic direction and mentoring creative talent.
About MKG
MKG is a women-led creative agency founded in 2003, specializing in brand experience. We connect brands with people through storytelling, purpose-driven engagement, design, and production. We work with brands like Google, Target, Netflix, Meta, HBO, Delta Air Lines, Béis, and Spotify, with offices in NYC and LA and work across locations as needed.
Working at MKG
We aim to create incredible experiences for consumers, clients, and teammates. You will collaborate with bright, compassionate, and collaborative peers and participate in in-person collaboration on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays if based near NYC or LA.
What You Will Do in This Role
- Own a large volume of new business pitches and active projects, guiding creative output and/or overseeing project teams including strategists, creative directors, copywriters, art directors, and designers.
- Develop creative concepts aligned with client objectives and strategy, tied to measurable impact and client KPIs, with concepts approved within 2–3 rounds.
- Deliver original concepts and executions that are culturally relevant and trend-aware, elevating the agency’s reputation.
- Ensure quality execution and delivery of results, driving performance against client goals as measured by client sentiment, audience sentiment, and press/award recognition.
- Interpret client briefs, uncover deeper insights, and guide strategy.
- Lead brainstorms and creative strategy development, fostering innovative, brand action–driven ideas that align with client goals.
- Craft compelling creative and pitch decks, collaborating with Art Directors and Designers to ensure strong visual storytelling.
- Provide decisive creative leadership, making informed decisions to move projects forward while maintaining high-quality output.
- Push for innovation and results-driven creativity, encouraging bigger thinking and continuous quality improvement.
- Deliver creative milestones on or before deadlines, targeting 90%+ on-time delivery.
Design & Execution Excellence
- Maintain a high caliber of talent and output across visual creative disciplines, including art direction, branding, motion graphics, and related areas.
- Maintain high-caliber output across innovative marketing concepts, campaigns, storytelling, and audience experiences.
Client Relationships & Growth
- Lead key client relationships from a creative perspective, ensuring strategic alignment and identifying growth opportunities.
- Interpret client feedback strategically, collaborating to build satisfaction and trust in the creative partnership.
- Build trusting client relationships through high-quality output and credible point of view; ownership of key clients shared among Creative Leadership roles.
New Business & Pitches
- Serve as a key external-facing creative leader for new client relationships, adjusting the creative team and output for strong pitches.
- Lead or support pitches with organization, creativity, and collaboration to maximize quality and win rates.
- Participate in the Business Growth Team (BGT), shaping MKG’s strategic direction and identifying opportunities.
- Represent MKG’s creative capabilities in client presentations and agency capability meetings.
Talent Development, Mentorship & Culture
- Mentor and develop direct reports with career guidance, constructive feedback, and leadership coaching.
- Conduct bi-annual performance reviews and foster accountability.
- Provide mentorship to other team members through project work.
Staffing, Resourcing & Budget
- Assist in determining project team structures, roles, and hour estimates in partnership with Accounts.
- Approve resourcing plans for Creative roles across MKG work.
- Participate in full-time talent acquisition interviews where necessary and contribute to freelance roster growth.
- Advise on departmental budgets in collaboration with the CCO, President, and Finance, and advise the Executive Team on staffing needs.
Internal Collaboration & Communication
- Collaborate across departments to set up projects for success with active listening and cross-functional teamwork.
- Oversee workloads, timelines, and proposals; monitor hour tracking and forecasting to avoid overservicing.
Awards, Agency Marketing & Recognition
- Support opportunities for press and awards and oversee award submissions.
- Oversee agency marketing and creative content, guiding social media, case studies, and website updates to showcase MKG’s work.
Requirements
What you will bring to this role:
- 10+ years of experience in creative leadership, ideally within experiential marketing, brand activations, or related field.
- Proven track record of developing and executing innovative brand experiences that drive engagement and results.
- Cultural curiosity and awareness to connect ideas with people and communities.
- Strong strategic thinking to translate business objectives into creative solutions.
- Exceptional leadership and team management experience; mentoring and developing talent.
- Expertise in storytelling and concept development with a strong portfolio.
- Ability to present creative ideas to clients, stakeholders, and executive leadership.
- Experience overseeing multiple projects, balancing hands-on direction with strategy.
- Understanding of design, production, and emerging technologies for experiential marketing.
- Ability to guide cross-functional teams including designers, strategists, producers, and account leads.
- Experience in business development and pitching with a record of winning new clients and expanding accounts.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills for alignment across teams.
- Ability to make decisive creative and strategic choices while keeping projects on track.
- Experience managing budgets and resources to deliver profitable projects.
- Knowledge of social media and digital integration to amplify activations.
- Passion for innovation and staying ahead of industry trends.
Compensation
Salary: $200,000 – $230,000 annually
This reflects the base salary range the company is willing to pay at posting; salary is commensurate with experience.
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