Director, Creative Services

NAU aims to be the nation’s preeminent engine of opportunity, vehicle of economic mobility, and driver of social impact by delivering equitable postsecondary value in Arizona and beyond.

• This position is a hybrid position which allows the incumbent to complete their work at both an NAU site, campus, or facility and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.
• This position is posted as Director, Creative Services, which is a working title. The NAU system title for this position is Director, Marketing.

Reporting to Associate Vice President, Marketing, this position oversees business operations, people, capacity, and the overall performance of the creative services teams - writing and editing, design, and photo and video teams. This position not only provides strategic oversight and leadership to the Creative Services teams, it also plays an important role in ensuring the alignment with University Marketing’s (UM) mission, supporting brand, enrollment, and institutional strategic goals, as well as client-specific objectives.

Functional Direction - 45%

• Develops and executes the business strategies for the creative services unit to achieve optimum efficiency, productivity, and creativity while ensuring delivery of high-quality services to all of our campus clients (UM internal clients included).
• Provides strategic advice to the AVP, Brand and Creative Services to ensure leadership has a clear and accurate view of the creative operations.
• Ensures efficient synchronization between creative services and brand management team on integrating branding efforts.
• Analyzes and provides solutions to problematic creative operation and team management situations and occurrences to ensure team health and growth.
• Ensures appropriate policies, processes, and guidelines are in place, well established within the creative teams, and well communicated with both internal teams and external clients, in coordination with other UM marketing directors.
• Develops and maintains trust relationships with other UM team leads and campus clients.
• Partners with UM Client Service team to provide applicable consulting services.
• Projects, monitors, and manages budget for creative services.

Supervision - 30%

• Coaches, mentors, and motivates leaders of the creative services teams, including defining work goals and standards, delivering formal feedback, directing work, resolving conflicts, and addressing performance issues.
• Monitors employee interactions and promotes a productive and inclusive work environment.
• In collaboration with individual creative team leads, manages team performance, prevents and resolves any performance issues, and develops leadership capacity across the creative teams.

Leadership - 20%

• As a senior leader of the University Marketing department, demonstrates alignment with NAU’s values and commitment to the marketing department’s guiding principles.
• Maintains currency in leadership trends and best practices, applying to all facets of leadership, from team supervision and culture to business innovation and impact.
• Applies collaborative approaches to problem-solving; proactively identifies opportunities for tighter cross-team alignment on priorities, resources, process improvements, etc.
• Identifies opportunities for change and improvement; identifies strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions and recommends creative approaches to solve complex problems.
• Establishes and maintains ongoing proactive engagement with other university departments to meet institutional priorities.
• Follows through on action plans in a straight-forward, professional, timely and consistent manner.
• Proactively reports/presents program and team outcomes to leadership and colleagues.
• Represents University Marketing on various university committees.
• Understands and applies knowledge of appropriate handling of university information and marketing data.

Other - 5%

• Performs other duties necessary for the effective operation of the department.

Work Environment

• Working indoors with occasional travel to meet external agencies, partners, and freelancers, also participating in relevant branding/marketing activities on behalf of the University Marketing unit.

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• 5-7 years of relevant functional experience.
• 3-5 years of management or supervisory experience.
• Any combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.

• Master’s degree in relevant field.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience.
• Previous work experience in a university setting or a complex organization.

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of best practices, developments, and techniques used in brand and marketing communications, as well as creative operations.
• Knowledge of brand/marketing communications industry trends in higher education.
• Knowledge of effective brand/marketing communications strategies for diverse populations.
• Knowledge of budget monitoring, resource and fiscal management.
• Knowledge of current/effective leadership and management tactics and practices.
• Knowledge of university policies and procedures, strategic goals, influencers, competitors, and performance metrics.

Skills

• Strong leadership skills, including leading and developing successful teams.
• Demonstrated skill in project planning and execution.
• Demonstrated people management skills.
• Strong mediation, negotiation, customer service, and conflict management skills.
• Strong planning, organizing, directing, and facilitating skills.
• Excellent communication skills (written, oral, presentations, training delivery, etc.).
• Excellent reasoning and analytical skills.
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills.
• Strong financial planning and goal development skills.

Abilities

• Manages and drives change; communicates the benefits of change to employees.
• Effectively manages relationships with peers, partners, stakeholders, and employees.
• Advocates for optimum balance between creativity and efficiency.
• Promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• Demonstrates strong problem solving, organizational, and analytical capabilities.
• Supervises team leads, delegates effectively, and assigns work appropriate to accomplish goals; balances competing priorities.
• Applies advanced knowledge of employee regulations, policies, and procedure, including delivering formal feedback, planning work, motivating and empowering employees, resolving conflicts, and addressing performance issues.
• Communicates effectively; facilitates communication across individuals and teams.
• Pays close attention to detail in work productivity while remaining flexible for big-picture/systems thinking.
• Serves as point of escalation for assigned functional areas.
• Demonstrates strong organizational and analytical capabilities.
• Uses impartial judgement, diplomacy, and equity while working with various stakeholders.
• Works in a dynamic, collaborative, and deadline-driven environment.

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Additionally, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States. Finally, each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Anticipated salary range is $95,809 - $119,761. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and therefore will not earn overtime or compensatory time for additional time worked.

This is a Service Professional (SPF) position. NAU offers an excellent benefit package including generous health, dental and vision insurance; participation in the Arizona State Retirement System or the Optional Retirement Program; 22 days of vacation and 10 holidays per year; and tuition reduction for employees and qualified dependents. More information on benefits at NAU is available on the Human Resources benefits website. NAU is a tobacco and smoke-free campus. Service Professionals are hired on a contract basis, renewable each 6 months according to terms of the Conditions of Professional Service. Employees offered a position will be eligible for state health plans (including NAU's BCBS Plan). New employees are eligible for benefits on the first day of the pay period following their enrollment, after their employment date. Employees will have 31 days from their start date to enroll in benefits. If a new employee chooses the ASRS retirement option, participation in the Arizona State Retirement System, and the long-term disability coverage that accompanies it, will begin on the first of the pay period following 6 months after the new employee's start date. New employees who choose to participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), which is an alternative to the ASRS plan for faculty and other appointed staff, will begin to participate on the first day of the pay period following election. Additionally, the long-term disability plan that accompanies the ORP will begin on the first day of the pay period following election.

Your career at Northern Arizona University includes the opportunity for professional development. New employee on-boarding training includes courses to be completed within the first 30 days.

NAU will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

July 24, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by clicking on the "Submit" button by midnight of the application deadline. If you need assistance completing your application there are instructions available on the Human Resources website or in person in the Human Resources Department located in Building 91 on the NAU Campus - on the corner of Beaver and DuPont Streets.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.

Northern Arizona University is a committed Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. NAU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

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NAU is an Employer of National Service. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other National Service alumni are encouraged to apply.