Associate Director, Communications Design

Business Overview 

We believe in the power of media to reshape our industry and orchestrate a brand’s entire consumer experience, by balancing both what unites people and what makes them different. When brands unite people in culture, they build Fame, and when brands connect individuals to their unique journeys, they build customer Flow. Initiative builds Fame & Flow for brands like Nike, Amazon, Merck, and T-Mobile. Media responsibility is at the forefront of everything we do, whether it’s creating media plans that reflect the diversity of our communities, promote brand safety, and foster sustainability. Our agency celebrates diversity in an inclusive environment where all of our 6,000+ strong talent across 90+ markets feel seen, heard, and valued. Our vision is to create not only a better media company, but also a better media industry, and maybe even a better world.  

We make a promise to our people that we double down on seeing, celebrating & elevating all the things that make you, uniquely you. And just as we do for our brands and clients, we connect our people to the journeys that matter in building a meaningful career.  

There are four I’s in Initiative and these represent our core values and behaviors.  

• INDIVID[YOU]ALITY – you bring your genuine and unique self to and into the work, every day.  

• INSTINCT – you’re tuned in and armed with intelligence; you have a bias for action – shit happens when you’re around.  

• IMPACT! – you care deeply about the impact you have on our clients, their customers, our community, the media landscape and our world at large.  

• IMAGINATION – your ability to imagine and bring to life the ideas, solutions, and the future of Initiative, makes us THE create media agency in the world. 

Position Overview 

As Associate Director, Communications Design you are the orchestrator of the Communications Plan, and all its detail. Working with the Director, Communications Design, you oversee the translation of the idea approach into the detailed communications architecture and connected plan, the brand will take to market, tied to culture. Your role is to curate every detail to create powerful experiences for your client’s brands in market, aligned to the strategy and idea leaning into your knowledge of how communications work in today’s dynamic landscape.  

As the Associate Director, Communications Design, you will help to manage the delivery of next generation plans. You will work with the Specialty Business Units, and creative partners to design the right tactics for the idea. You will work with strategic audience experts on the right high value audiences to meet the brief. You will work with growth analytics to guide the appropriate high-level communications goals required to deliver the business outcomes. You will work with partnerships to identify and vet the short-list of the right channels and partners for the task, you help to make the strategic direction and idea a reality.  

Responsibilities 

• Oversees the development of the detailed communications plan to power the idea 

• In conjunction with Director, Communications Design present the Connections Design holistic approach to the relevant stakeholders 

• Manage the outputs of day-to-day requirements and workflow of the client as it relates to Communications Design 

• Present client education program around Communications Design relevant marketplace trends. 

• Oversee the management and training of design team in communications planning fundamentals 

• Spearhead the best practice application of planning approach including key tools and techniques to surface media and marketing intelligence and insights to produce an impactful, culturally rich communications plan across owned, earned, shared, paid (OESP) 

• Write and manage outputs from RFP submissions from the Design discipline, in collaboration with Partnerships leads 

• Contribute to client Key Performance Indicator (KPI) delivery and to Specialty Business Units (SBU) growth and client profitability 

• Contribute to new business as required 

Required Skills and Experience 

• Experience in an integrated planning role in media, publisher / vendor, or communications discipline (digital, content) 

• Ability to delegate and oversee direct reports 

• Proven ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships with clients, colleagues, and vendors 

• Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills 

• Strong time-management and organizational skills 

• Required PC proficiency and solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) 

Desired Skills and Experience  

• 6+ years relevant experience with 3+ years managing or developing staff  

• Category or audience experience as relevant per assignment 

• Proven problem-solving ability 

• Ability to work successfully within a team, handling multiple projects and meeting tight deadlines under pressure