Associate Creative Director, Content Focus

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration.

With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150 offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology.

We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work. VML is seeking a content-focused Associate Creative Director with a strong creative mindset and proven background to join our world class creative team on a top-50 client within the military category. Were looking for someone with excellent storytelling skills that lean toward the journalistic and documentarian and who can deliver consistently high-level digital-space work in both long and short forms.

The ideal fit will be someone who possesses a talent for transforming great ideas into award-winning creative content of all types. Beyond that, we want this lead to effectively utilize the other creative talent present within our team and help grow their ability to create smart, effective content. As the ACD with focus in this area, you should be able to work hands-on and to lead others.

Youll work independently as well as collaboratively - bringing vision, craft and owning and overseeing multiple projects and project types as appropriate. Your opinions and judgement will shape our brands output and youll work with other creative leads to elevate the work. Youll own an array of client projects that focus on the digital realm, including web and apps, along with social and other content.

The role will also require the ability to coincide with campaign work and branded entertainment. Excellent client relationship and presentation skills are expected. What youll do:

Youll be a channel-agnostic storyteller, but channel-deliberate in the way you tell those stories. Youll be involved in the identification of unique opportunities and the planning required to make them reality. Youll pivot between the creation of website content, apps content and social content.

Social represents a significant workstream, but the opportunity to grow your role lies in emerging digital opportunities. Youll contribute significantly to the creation and implementation of a long-term, sustainable plan for website content development. Youll lead the creation of digital content including content related to the brands website.

You and your team will operate with knowledge and expertise within digital spaces, taking on website-specific writing that takes SEO and web best practices into account. Youll take command of a robust social media and content calendar, working with adjoining strategic disciplines and other creative leads to plan and execute a range of smart, innovative content projects that uniquely reflects the brand and its message. Youll lead the execution of a significant regular volume of social media placements, working with other creative and production partners to create a consistently elevated product that delivers impact and spurs engagement.

Youll drive the effort to regularly identify and collect new visual and audio content that will furnish unique assets for the brands social efforts, as well as for other efforts the creative teams take on throughout the year. Youll collaborate with other creative leads, along with strategy, production, communication architecture and media disciplines to create social media and content executions that intersect with and complement campaigns and other less social-specific work. Youll maintain an expertise in how content should behave from platform to platform, becoming a trusted voice for the creative team and for the brand.

How youll operate: Youll concept and collaborate on multiple digital and social content tactics with creative teams and other content creators. Youll collaborate with adjoining disciplines to contribute to the translation of the clients vision into a content roadmap that guides our agency.

Youll craft original content-focused concepts, based on an established and unique brand voice/tone and strategic messaging. Collaborate with other leads, creatives and cross-discipline partners from concept to execution. Youll fully embrace the brands tone and manner, becoming a student of its nuances and evolving into an important brand voice.

Youll utilize both custom-captured and existing assets to develop brand-relevant graphics, videos and other content focused on engaging social-first communities. Youll partner with senior creative leadership to refine concepts, and then create, present, and defend strong, strategically sound work in client settings. Youll collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams across the agency to define social content strategies, research, and insights that identify industry-leading social trends.

Youll utilize trend insights to proactively pitch content ideas that drive our clients brand forward. Youll anticipate team and client needs, project risks, and participate in driving resolution. Youll live our company values of connecting meaningfully and approaching positively; inspiring both clients and co-workers through excellent work, a positive attitude, and good communication.

What youll need to be successful: Current credibility as either a Senior Creative or ACD with minimum of 6 years of experience as a content creator/journalist at gradually more senior levels. Portfolio with successfully launched client projects and concepts across digital, social, and branded entertainment.

A working understanding of Information Architecture and content matrices, as well as solid working knowledge around SEO and other web best practices. Working knowledge of Content Management Systems and Digital Asset Management A strategically informed and creative approach to technology-driven content solutions including DCO and content automation. Must understand how to apply data and CRM fundamentals to identify insights for creative optimization for leads generation.

The ability to bring original thinking and concepts to life in the social space; not just beautiful images or styling that are solely aesthetically pleasing. The ability to drive the development of critical assets including original photography, graphics and video assets. This will be a combination of hands-on work and the correct deployment of surrounding expertise that will deliver an elevated product.

A passion for - and commitment to - creating work that reflects the desire for all forms of diversity contained within and desired by the brand and by the agency. Solid understanding of creative development-from working with Strategy to draft briefs to executing social and both long and short-form content-focused deliverables. Hands-on experience with content management systems, digital asset managers, and other content automation tools.

Advantageous if experienced with consumer data platforms. Ability to direct and mentor other team members in critical areas of social and content-based work. Ability to handle a high-volume environment with rapid turnaround times and manage multiple tasks and project details.

Experience in government, military or related category highly valued. Practiced time management skills and a strong work ethic. At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward.

Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization-creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers-who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.