Creative Manager

Job Description

OVERVIEW

Across our organization, we're building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success.

NPR's Marketing team is responsible for building brands and growing our audience for podcasts, programs, and platforms. The team seeks to grow the reach and impact of everything NPR puts out in the world - from our up-to-the-minute digital and broadcast content to our on-demand podcasts, events, videos, apps, and smart speaker content.

The Creative Project Manager will play a key role in turning NPR's brand and audience development strategies into a reality. They will plan and manage the creative side of all projects that pertain to brand-building and marketing campaigns. This will involve managing the work streams of the creative team and our freelancers, partnering closely with the Senior Director to ensure projects are staffed effectively and work gets done.

A creative spirit themselves, this individual will deeply embed within NPR's Marketing Creative Team, partnering with Designers and Copywriters to build out timelines, solve creative challenges, and mitigate problems before they occur. Thus, a deep understanding of the ins-and-outs of the creative process - from designing a brand identity, to naming a new product, to producing a promotional video, to building out a multi-platform campaign - is essential. This individual will also have an appreciation for how great work gets done-not only through well-executed processes, but through a warm, cooperative team spirit.

This individual will also be an excellent problem solver, actively monitoring project status and proactively communicating and addressing any challenges that put a project at risk. They will resolve obstacles and manage change requests as they arise, working with cross-functional colleagues to adjust timelines, project scope, and/or resources as needed. And, they will ensure stakeholder feedback is incorporated in a timely manner and that final deliverables meet project requirements.

This role will report to NPR's Senior Director of Brand and Marketing.

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Manage the creative elements of marketing projects, from beginning to end, ensuring deadlines are met and needs fulfilled. This will require building project plans, establishing timelines, leading planning meetings, and setting quarterly/monthly/weekly creative priorities.
• Team up with Designers and Copywriters to brainstorm brand identities and develop marketing campaigns, acting as a valuable thought partner to these creatives as they dream up ideas and incorporate feedback from across the organization.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Brand and Marketing to map out, staff and track all creative projects, balancing budgets and workloads across the Creative Team.
• Identify and hire additional freelance creatives as projects require. Oversee freelancer work as needed.
• Keep all timelines and project plans up to date, identifying process gaps, workflow improvement needs, resource deficiencies, and potential roadblocks and escalate to management as needed.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with external vendors.
• Continually evaluate the effectiveness of the Marketing team's processes and working rhythms, proactively proposing new ideas and methods to improve performance.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

REQUIRED SKILLS
• 5-8 years of experience project managing creative work at a media company or creative agency.
• Expertise in the latest theories and best practices of Project Management, particularly in creative fields.
• Knowledge of creative processes, such as how to name a product, build a visual identity, craft compelling promotional copy, and create a video
• Ability to interpret creative briefs and understand the resources and skills required to deliver exceptional, high-quality work.
• Exceptional organizational, planning, and time management skills.
• An ability to prioritize effectively and make smart decisions under pressure.
• A forward-thinking mindset and unique ability to anticipate and solve problems before they occur.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills
• Knowledge of basic project management tools, interfaces, and visual asset databases.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• Effective interpersonal skills with peers, supervisors, and clients. Is sensitive to style differences among others and makes adjustments to own style when working with different people.
• A close reader of trends in the ecosystems of modern media, podcasting, and marketing a huge plus
• An interest in the world of branding and evolving design trends beyond the podcasting space