Associate Director, Custom Creative Design
Description
The Opportunity:
IGN is looking for an exceptional Associate Design Director to work within our creative solutions team. This role will oversee and be a part of creating the custom design-based components of the commercial campaigns that IGN Entertainment runs for its clients. This can be anything from custom ad units, to microsites, to motion graphics, to promotional material and more. To excel in this role you must be able to manage a team of designers and work on multiple projects at once, whilst communicating ideas clearly both verbally and in written form. You will work alongside the global design teams, project managers and sales teams, and report into the Global Design Director.
The successful candidate will need to be an influential and persuasive leader, whilst being a proactive team player that’s keen to maintain the high standards we strive for with each campaign we deliver. You will be providing direction, guidance and inspiration on multiple campaigns, so excellent time management and organisation is critical, as is a creative mind and an obsessive attention to detail.
This role follows a standard full-time schedule, with no expectation to work weekends, holidays, or unusual hours unless there is a project-specific need. Travel is not required for this position. This role primarily involves computer-based work with extended periods of sitting or standing and regular use of hands and vision for tasks such as typing.
This is a hybrid position in Los Angeles, CA with a requirement to work out of our offices 3 days each week.
Key Responsibilities:
This role will generate and execute creative ideas and concepts which fulfil the advertising and marketing needs of our clients, and manage a team of US-based designers who do the same. This includes:
- Ideating and working closely with the team to take mock designs and ideas from initial concept to final working builds
- Providing direction, guidance and inspiration to the team in the creation and development of sold and internal projects such as site graphics, banner ads, and microsites
- On all projects the team is responsible for: making sure client and internal brand guidelines are stuck to
- Designing and building compelling sold digital experiences (e.g. ads, microsites, promo collateral etc) as well as mocks that will help sell a concept or pitch through
- Being the face of the design team internally in the US and participating in meetings and presentations with teams across the business
- This could see you advising on anything from the feasibility of creative ideas, technical considerations for new ad formats, resourcing needs - as well as any other information specific to the work the design team fulfils on
- Working closely with the Sales team and participating in client-facing calls to help brainstorm first-to-market design ideas and form a productive creative partnership with our clients
- Assessing and tracking the design project pipeline, allocating resource, and advising on what to outsource where necessary
- Collaborating with Creative Strategy, Sponsorship, Revenue Operations, Brand Design, Product, Sales Leadership, and Editorial Operations to incorporate their projects and needs into the team’s workflow
- Providing insight and direction for the project management team when needing design resources
Job Qualifications:
- The Must-Haves:
- 5+ years experience working in digital media, both as a hands-on designer and as a creative leader
- Strong design ability and fluency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop and Illustrator
- Experience with Celtra, Webflow or similar digital building tools
- Expert knowledge in front end web development, specifically HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Experience with responsive and adaptive design and a keen eye for detail in regards to UI/UX
- Strong project management skills and a deadline oriented approach to projects
- Excellent conceptual thinking and problem solving skills
- Excellent interpersonal abilities to effectively communicate with all internal and external teams and all levels of management alongside a collaborative mindset
- Self-motivated, proactive and able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
- Intimate knowledge of online and mobile advertising with proven ability to create compelling, sophisticated products
- Up-to-date understanding of the changing digital landscape as it pertains to design, advertising and development changes
- An openness to implement and evolve processes and best practices
- Lead by example, showing a willingness to dive into the creative process and contribute hands-on when needed
- Experience managing and developing small-medium sized teams
- Not Required, but Nice-to-Have:
- Knowledge of DFP/Google Ad Manager
- Experience working alongside technical specialists and freelancers
- Experience working across global time zones
About IGN:
IGN Entertainment, a division of Ziff Davis, is one of the world’s largest gaming and entertainment media platforms for fans to explore and celebrate games, film, TV, comic, and much more. Across its 15 digital properties, IGNE reaches more than 490 million monthly users in 110 countries and engages with 85 million fans on social media. Through its online digital store Humble Bundle, IGNE has donated over $270 million to more than 38,000 charities worldwide, underscoring its commitment to making a positive impact. Learn more at corp.ign.com.
About Ziff Davis:
Ziff Davis (NASDAQ: ZD) is a vertically focused digital media and internet company whose portfolio includes leading brands in technology, shopping, gaming and entertainment, connectivity, health, cybersecurity, and martech. Today, Ziff Davis is focused on seven key verticals – Technology, Connectivity, Shopping, Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cybersecurity and Marketing Technology. Its brands include IGN, Mashable, RetailMeNot, PCMag, Humble Bundle, Spiceworks, Ookla (Speedtest), RootMetrics, Everyday Health, BabyCenter, Moz, iContact and Vipre Security.
Our Benefits:
IGN Entertainment offers competitive salaries in addition to robust, health and wellness-focused benefits, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as life and disability benefits. Our employees enjoy Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), a 401(k) with company match, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
We are committed to work-life balance with Flexible Time Off, Volunteer Time Off, and paid holidays. We offer family building and caregiving support and generous Family Care and Parental leave, when you need it. We also provide Fitness Reimbursement and access to wellness programs, ensuring our team stays healthy both physically and mentally.
At Ziff Davis, we remain dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. We offer Employee Resource Groups, company-sponsored events, and regular opportunities for professional growth through educational support, mentorship programs, and career development resources. Our employees are recognized and celebrated through employee engagement programs and recognition awards.
If you're seeking a dynamic and collaborative work environment where you can see the direct impact of your performance and thrive both personally and professionally, then IGN Entertainment is the place for you.
Compensation Range:
Ziff Davis provides a range for the base pay. Factors that may be used to determine your actual pay may include your specific job related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographic location. The total salary compensation for this role is $110,000 - $135,000. Individual pay within the compensation range for this business unit specific role is determined based on a variety of factors including experience, scope of the role, capabilities to perform the role, education and training, as well as business and company performance.
Ziff Davis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. At Ziff Davis, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has always been about fairness, equal opportunity, and belonging. DEI enables us to attract and retain the best talent, regardless of background or circumstances, while enabling our thousands of employees worldwide to thrive.
#IGN #LI-IGN