Associate Creative Director - Brand Job at Madewell in New York

Introduced in 2006, Madewell is a premium denim brand for men and women. Beautiful construction, the world’s finest fabrics and an original approach to design—we don’t spare any details. No one makes denim like we do, but we don’t stop there. The perfect tee, the most versatile shoe, an essential leather bag—if it came from us, it’s made well.

Beyond our impeccably designed products, we're committed to making a difference. At Madewell we believe in being better when it comes to sustainability. We’re committed to exploring new ways to protect our planet and its people—and that means thinking about how our clothes are made from start to finish. Our story is just unfolding and there’s so much more to come. Join us at Madewell.

Our dedication to Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Sustainability has been celebrated with industry recognition, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive and sustainable workplace.

Role and Purpose:

The Associate Creative Director will work closely with the SVP Brand Creative and Marketing to creatively manage projects from concept to completion. You will partner to develop and transform ideas into creative solutions managing the team day to day to ensure objectives are achieved.

The role will direct and manage a team of 11 across art direction, ecommerce photography stills studio, editorial voice and copy. Together you will deliver on the brand 360 visual identity and photo direction for multi-channel campaigns that touch all areas of the customer journey—including site experience, ecommerce, email marketing, digital advertising, video, social, events and more.

Job Description:

• Partner with SVP Creative & Marketing to conceptualize and execute campaign concepts, gain leadership alignment on strategy and execution.
• Develop culturally relevant creative executions that meet our business and brand objectives with a customer-centric mindset. Concepts should be insightful, relevant, innovative and effective.
• Build, own & deliver against creative budget, strategically allocating resources for content by channel, freelance talent, technology & tools, and other investments to drive our business priorities forward.
• Partner with VP Creative Ops & Production to ensure team resources and budget are allocated according to project needs.
• Evaluate creative team performance and guide improvements.
• Review and edit copy to ensure accuracy, clarity, consistency, and adherence to brand guidelines and style standards. Track the performance of content using analytics tools, analyzing metrics such as engagement, conversion rates, and ROI, and adjusting strategies accordingly.
• Develop and review solutions to business briefs that provide strategic insights and creative inspiration.
• Develop and oversee work through lifecycle of project—concept, development, refinement, execution.
• Represent and rationalize own and team’s work in creative shares and leadership presentations.
• Manage multiple creative projects at the same time, for self and team.
• Partner with team leads to serve as daily support in navigating and synthesizing creative feedback, adhering to timelines, balancing priorities and refining strategies.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to inform creative approaches and solutions.

Who You Are:

• 10+ years of art direction / design / creative experience, retail or luxury experience preferred.
• Has worked or has experience in leading an in-house team in a vertical retailer.
• 4+ years of management experience.
• Candidate must be on site 3 days a week.
• Expert in the Adobe Suite, G-Suite, Keynote. Experience in video editing, animation, 3D/AR development are a plus.
• An innovative and conceptual creator, skilled at merging art with commerce.
• You have a compelling portfolio of distinctive work.
• A deep knowledge of fashion, image making, and branding with a brand-right sensibility.
• Strong casting and creative partner book of contacts.
• Experience concepting and directing video and moving image, digital storytelling.
• Passion for culture and zeitgeist (contemporary spirit of the times), trends in social media, understanding of retail landscape and performance drivers.
• Up-to-date knowledge of creative best practices.
• Inspiring leader with the ability to both mentor and manage.
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to clearly and articulately explain your rationale and evoke excitement with your recommendations.
• Strong organizational skills, keen eye for detail, and ability to manage multiple projects at once.
• Skilled at working cross-functionally—especially with merchandising and ecommerce.
• You thrive in a fast-paced environment where deadlines, priorities, and initiatives pivot frequently.
• Love collaboration, discourage competition.

We welcome you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes. Our passion is scouting life-long learners who are driven by curiosity, and who feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact. We’re always seeking bright new talent who leverage their unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.

Benefits + Perks

• Health & Well-being - Eligible associates and family members receive medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance, family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support), fitness discounts, medical travel and more.
• Associate Discount - We love our products just as much as you do! That’s why we offer a great associate discount across all of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell).
• Flex Fridays - In addition to our hybrid work model, we also close our office at 1:00 PM every Friday year-round.
• Community Impact - We support the communities where we live and work through our philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.
• Winter Break - In addition to our PTO package, J.Crew Group offers a winter break at the end of December to eligible full-time associates at the Home Office to provide time to refresh and recharge.

Note: Availability of these benefits and perks may be subject to work location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements.

At J.Crew Group (JCG) we aim to pay competitively for our company’s size and industry. The base salary offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region of work premises, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The base salary is just one component of J.Crew Group’s competitive total rewards strategy that also includes the opportunity for bonus, competitive benefits and perks.

One of our core focuses here at JCG is creating a community and culture that builds belonging. We are deeply committed to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and we warmly welcome job applicants of all backgrounds.

JCG is proud to affirmatively provide equal opportunity to all associates and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, legally protected physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected under applicable law.

#J-18808-Ljbffr