Director, Brand Creative

Benefits Overview

A career at CoBank can offer you the opportunity to make a personal impact on the people and communities where we do business. In order to be the best, we hire the best! Benefits Offered by CoBank:

• Careers with a purpose
• Time-Off Packages, 20 days of vacation, 10 paid sick days and 11 paid holidays
• Competitive Compensation & Incentive
• Hybrid work model: flexible arrangements for most positions
• Benefits Packages, including Medical, Dental and Vision coverage, Disability, AD&D, and Life Insurance
• Robust associate training and development with CoBank University
• Tuition reimbursement for higher education up to $10k per year
• Outstanding 401k: up to 6% matching and additional 3% non-elective contribution & Student Loan Match
• Community Impact: United Way Angel Day, Volunteer Day and Associate Directed Contribution
• Associate Resource Groups: creating a culture of respect and inclusion
• Recognize a fellow associate through our GEM awards

Job Description

As a key member of the Corporate Communications leadership team, the Director of Brand Creative leads a high-performing team responsible for brand creative strategy and execution. The director participates with senior management to establish strategic plans, delivers objectives, processes, and partnerships that bring the brand to life—guiding creative direction, optimizing workflows, and ensuring alignment with business goals and support of the company's reputation.

Essential Functions

• Manages and mentors a team of creative professionals responsible for the design, execution and production of print and digital media products, including podcasts and video.
• Translates business and marketing strategy into creative plans and guides execution, ensuring that projects are delivered on budget and on schedule.
• Establishes, maintains and effectively cascades corporate brand guidelines and design standards and ensures adherence to across all internal and external materials.
• Oversees and leads the creation of communications that align with corporate identity and brand guidelines, including advertising materials, apparel, brochures, emails, infographics, invitations, newsletters, podcasts, posters, presentations, signage, videos, web pages, and other materials as required.
• Maximizes available systems and processes to prioritize, track and manage team-wide workflow for successful execution and delivery.
• Directs the work of external creative agencies, including project briefing, quality control, and performance evaluation.
• Manages, and is accountable for, multiple projects across the team with a variety of timelines and complexities.
• As a people manager at CoBank, you will be expected to manage and lead associates. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, associate performance management, talent strategy, workforce planning, change management, conflict resolution, and relationship management. You will drive and be accountable for the team’s development, alignment with the division’s objectives, as well as with CoBank’s strategy and mission.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in graphic design, visual communications or a related field required

Work Experience

• 12 years of progressive experience in brand management, creative design management or related disciplines, preferably in a corporate environment, including 5 years of experience in team management required
• Prior Experience represented by a strong portfolio of original, high-quality design samples required
• Prior Experience managing budgets, timelines, and resource allocation for creative production required
• Prior Experience developing and enforcing brand standards and guidelines across all touchpoints required
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor cross-functional creative teams and external agencies, manage performance, and deliver brand-aligned creative output and foster a culture of innovation.
• Strong creative direction skills, including oversight of visual design and storytelling.
• Proficiency in workflow systems and creative project management tools to prioritize and track deliverables.
• Familiarity with web content and digital asset management systems.
• Thinks strategically about how information is organized and communicated.

Physical Exertion Details

Sedentary Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work