This is a role that you can make your own, and a company where we make space for you. The people here are all smart, hardworking, committed to each other, and are kind. Culture has always been a key driver of our decision making, and it means that this team all pulls in the same direction – there is no politics or BS to navigate here. And we will keep it that way. We want you to have the support and the team around you to do incredible work – and while you’ll still work the occasional late night, a balance in life is non-negotiable, and you’ll find it here. From long Christmas breaks to flex days, holidays, extra-long summer long weekends, a benefits plan and flexibility when you need to work from home, we know that part of our job is supporting the overall health and wellness of this team.
And, as an agency, we consistently punch above our weight. Our award-winning team is small and made up of best-in-class folks. We work closely as a unit and you’ll be part of that top-performing, supportive and integrated group – there’s no real creative/accounts divide here, and the partners at Berlin work alongside the rest of the team as we work to solve complex, interesting and meaningful challenges. Together, we understand that the way we deliver a message is just as important as the message itself.
Day-to-day, we most often deal in what we refer to as issues of public interest. That means that our team gets to see the way their work affects our community, the key institutions in it and the organizations that both advocate and support a diversity of groups. We work with public and private organizations and corporations and do large-scale public-facing campaigns, and we work behind the scenes on many of the key issues facing our community today. Working here, you’ll be able to see the real impact of your work on our city and province and the people in it. Much of it deals with pretty sensitive topics, and so we won’t get into it here, but we’d be happy to tell you more in an interview.
As our Creative Director, you fill your working life leading our team through work that builds on strategy and delivers a meaningful experience for any audience. You are comfortable delivering your work through any medium. You work and play well with others. You’ve gained a body of knowledge and like to share it with your teammates, but you recognize there is always more to learn, and you’re excited to mentor and support the rest of the creative team as they grow. And most of all, you are passionate about visual communication, branding and advertising.
Our goal at Berlin is to create space for great people to do great work. To do so, we acknowledge and respect the humanity in ourselves and others, we are curious about the world around us and the culture we live in, we don’t do things by accident, and we always find a way to make things happen. The right candidate for us will embody these values as well as possess the skills required to succeed in this role.
We’ve also built the kind of trust with our clients that has allowed us to creative that innovates and engages. And, with that work we’ve recently won a ton of awards locally, nationally and even internationally – From ACE, Ad Rodeo, Communication Arts, the ADCC, Applied Arts. While awards aren’t the only metric of success, we also know that they’re meaningful to the team, and really show that our clients trust us and are open to trying new things.
We’re open to a CD that has risen through either the copywriting or art direction channels – we want to find the right cultural fit, and we can hire in behind you to fill any gaps. Also – We’d love to hear from experienced CDs, but we also think this could be a great opportunity for a rockstar Copywriter or Art Director type to step into that senior role.
If you think that you’re the kind of person that would fit here, regardless of your specific journey, we want you to make a case for yourself. Pitch us.
You will:
- Concept ideas and lead creative work for our clients
- Be a part of the leadership team at the agency, and participate in broader strategic planning
- Lead a multi-disciplinary team and participate in a peer review process
- Partner with third-party vendors to see your creative vision through to completion
- Present your work to project team members and clients
- Deliver tidy, organized files for physical and digital media
- Provide mentorship to junior team members
You have:
- 8-18 years (or so) experience in design, advertising and interactive
- A jaw-dropping creative portfolio
- The ability to articulate creative ideas and communicate professionally in person or in writing, whether that be email, documents or a text message
- An aptitude for quick creative thinking with sharp attention to detail within a fast-paced setting
- An ability to manage multiple projects
- An unwavering commitment to the quality of the work exiting the shop
- High proficiency with Mac OS and the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite
- An open mind and curiosity about communication and the world at large
- A passion for nurturing relationships, mentoring, and collaborating with others to discover creative solutions for clients’ strategic goals
Please include a link to your portfolio – and let us know about any other skills you have that relate to working in a creative industry.
We are an equal opportunity employer. Wherever we’re able, we want to add people to the team that will bring a new perspective – diversity in lived experience brings so much value to a team like ours and to our clients, and we’re always looking to find new ways to add that diversity
Our pay scale in line with industry standards. The right person in this role should expect to negotiate a strong salary. Your experience and qualifications will determine the actual number, but the 90-120k range is probably a reasonable expectation.
Berlin ensures that we provide our employees and clients a safe and healthy environment. As part of that commitment, we require that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We will accommodate employees who are unable to be vaccinated for medical or other reasons protected by human rights legislation in Alberta.
If you’re interested in applying, please email a cover letter, resume, and link to your portfolio/work samples to our Managing Partner, Michael Brechtel, no later than December 1, 2022.
Please don’t wait to send in your application; we will be reviewing them and conducting interviews on an ongoing basis. We’re grateful for everyone’s interest, but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.