Vans: Associate Creative Director, Brand Narratives

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.  

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

What will you do?

You are an expert in crafting compelling brand and product narratives through transmedia storytelling. Your outstanding brand communication skills span digital and physical consumer journeys. You will build and maintain the brand tone of voice for Vans, creating meaningful connections with consumers. You are passionate about writing stories, concepts, and narratives that stand out and deliver brand distinction.

A day in the life of a ACD, Brand Narrative at Vans looks a little like this:

As a trusted member of the Global Brand Creative team reporting to the Sr. Creative Director, Global Brand Creative, you will initially oversee one Sr. Copywriter as you build your team. You will work closely with Creative teams, Category Marketing leads, and Functional Marketing leads. Your primary role is to develop seasonal brand narratives and concepts that are the creative and strategic backbone to our brand marketing map. You will work hand-in-hand with Creative teammates to deliver best-in-class storytelling across all levels of the marketing funnel. Most importantly, you will help Vans deliver sharp, culturally relevant, and meaningful stories to consumers.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Develop global guidelines and playbooks for Brand Tone of Voice
• Craft brand and product narratives aligned with the Global Brand Marketing Map
• Create compelling campaign messaging hierarchies including taglines, secondary messaging, and product messaging
• Innovate storytelling across transmedia platforms
• Collaborate with Creative, Category Marketing, Retail Marketing, Social, PR, Media, and Culture Innovation teams to ensure consistent and impactful messaging

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 7-10 years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Passion for storytelling and creativity
• Strong problem solving skills
• Strong connection to culture
• Intuitive understanding of cultural trends and shifts
• Dependable and accountable
• Ability to work under tight deadlines
• Leadership and mentorship abilities
• Curiosity and eagerness to learn and experiment
• Fluency in transmedia storytelling platforms and modern consumer touchpoints
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and change
• Experience with cross-functional teams and agency partners

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Authentic connection to skateboarding and/or skate culture
• Brand Narrative and/or Brand Comms experience at a major brand
• Familiarity with other creative disciplines such as Art Direction, Graphic Design, Motion/Video Design, Retail Design, Digital Design, etc.

What do we offer you?

At Vans, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions, a competitive compensation package, and a strong benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

Our commitment extends beyond this and into your daily work life. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture based on respect, connection, and authenticity. Our focus on DEI is at the foundation of who we