The opportunity
We are seeking an Associate Creative Director who will step in as a creative lead on our employee experience portfolio – a client list of global businesses which includes the likes of LEGO, Coca-Cola and IHG Hotels & Resorts. We’re looking for someone who shares our energy – to challenge the ordinary, drive up standards in our people and create exciting work which others wish they had done. You’ll be responsible for developing exceptional ideas, building strong client relationships – and guiding the next generation of creative talent. This role will be prominent, client-facing and influential in building our reputation in employee experience and internal communications.
Here’s what the role will involve:
Creative leadership
As an experienced art director, you lead with creative authority, inspiring the team with your ideas, and clients with your collaborative leadership style.
- Demonstrating expert creative thinking in employee experience, both in inspiring our people and in exciting our clients
- Overseeing design, copywriting and art direction across all media channels including video, digital, print, experiential, and social
- Line managing 2-3 designers/art directors, conducting regular 1:1s, setting and monitoring performance objectives
- Helping to establish our reputation in employee experience through our own marketing and brand, and through raising your own profile online and at events
- Supporting the Executive Creative Director in inspiring the team with our creative ethos of ‘never ordinary’, developing creative processes and recruiting the very best talent
- Working with the wider agency team to sharpen our approach to employee experience.
Campaign expertise
You’ll be working for some of the world’s biggest brands on employee experience campaigns, as well as national B2B and B2C campaigns. You’ll be hands on in:
- Developing integrated campaign ideas that work seamlessly across multiple platforms and audiences
- Breaking new creative ground while maintaining strategic relevance and commercial viability
- Working closely with strategists to craft thinking that drives change
- Creating compelling visual narratives for employee experience campaigns
- Presenting creative concepts to clients and senior stakeholders with confidence and strategic rationale
- Ensuring brand consistency and creative excellence across all touchpoints
- Jumping on the tools when needed to bring your concepts to life
Essential requirements:
Experience and background
- 10+ years in creative roles with significant art direction and employee engagement experience
- Proven track record developing integrated campaigns across multiple platforms
- In-depth experience working in internal communications and employee experience
- Portfolio demonstrating range across multi-channel experiences
- Agency background essential
Creative and technical skills
- Strong conceptual thinking with ability to translate strategy into compelling creative ideas
- Exceptional visual storytelling abilities
- Experience directing photography, film, and digital content creation
- Understanding of current creative trends and emerging technologies
- Proficiency in Creative Suite (particularly Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator)
- Understanding of digital platforms and social media creative requirements
Team leadership
- Proven ability to lead creative teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Strong presentation and communication skills
- Mentoring and line management experience of junior to senior creatives
All about us
Mr B & Friends is an independent agency with a global perspective – our clients range from entrepreneurial start-ups to global brands such as LEGO and Coca-Cola, and we work frequently with clients in the USA and Asia. Our expertise lies in three areas – brand strategy & identity, brand communications and employee experience. We are sector agnostic, working equally across B2B and B2C, but with particular strength in tech, leisure, manufacturing, property and sport.
With a full-time staff of c.30 people, we’re well placed to handle complex strategic projects entirely in-house, while still feeling like the energised, supportive team we’ve been from the start (some 19 years ago).
But if you really want to ‘get’ our culture, then you have to understand our ethos – Never Ordinary. It’s the lens we apply to everything we do – challenging sector norms and driving up quality standards in ideas and execution.
And the ‘Friends’ in our name isn’t spin. We look after our people – many have been with us for five or more years (and there’s loyalty bonuses that go along with that).
If it’s glory you’re after, then we win awards too, including the likes of The Drum and the Transform Awards. But really, it’s a bi-product – our focus is building great relationships with clients who come to us for exciting and effective work.
We also have a great Employee Benefits scheme called The Friends Pact – offering a host of additional benefits outside salary, holiday and pension on offer for all the team to enjoy. This currently includes flexible hours, a hybrid work policy and a 4.5day week with half-days on Fridays. Full details will be shared during the recruitment process.
If you don’t have a traditional creative education, you won’t be alone here. We value aptitude and experience over certificates, and welcome untypical perspectives.
Essential information
- Job Title: Associate Creative Director
- Team: Creative
- Reporting to: Executive Creative Director
- Location: Based in our central Bristol office, but with a hybrid option of 2-3 days WFH
- Package:
- Salary: £65k p.a.
- Workplace pension
- 24 days annual leave
- Flexible hours
- Full employee benefits package detailed in ‘The Friends Pact’. Full details will be shared during the recruitment process.
Applications
In the first instance, please email your CV and PDF/URL portfolio to:
Kate Gorringe
Executive Creative Director
kate.gorringe@mrbandfriends.co.uk
Let us know if there’s anything we can do to make our application or interview process more accessible for you.
