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GolinChicago is looking for a VP, Creative to supercharge a marquee account with earned-first ideas that break culture. In this role, you'll be the hands-on, Chicago-based partner to our ECD, shaping the work from the first strategic spark through launch and liftoff.

Golin has been on a winning streak of recognition: PRWeek's Best Place to Work, Provoke Media's Global Agency of the Year, PRWeek's Large Agency of the Year, and winning two Grand Prix at Cannes.

Riding this wave of recognition and award-winning work, the VP, Creative has an incredible opportunity to toggle between real-time activations, social-led brand storytelling, passion projects, and the occasional logo or visual system that helps promote and protect the brand in Chicago and keep Golin on top.

It's an exciting time for the agency to continue delivering impactful earned work that builds brands and reputations, benefiting other brands through our award-winning creations.

Our ideal candidate is both a player and a coach: a thinker who can spot trending moments and guide them into full launch campaigns. You see a single insight, craft the sharp "what-if," and turn it into a deck clients buy on the spot.

What really sets you apart? You thrive amidst multiple stakeholder voices, mentor junior talent, and keep your creative muscles active. You know how to sell—calibrating "safe but smart" to "wild and audacious" concepts—and you relish the moment a headline drops.

What you'll do:

1. Generate and shepherd earned-first, culture-breaking ideas across briefs, real-time social moments, design craft, and passion projects.
2. Lead and mentor cross-disciplinary teams—pushing insight, storytelling, and design craft while acting as the senior creative voice in Chicago.
3. Package ideas into full-bleed, minimal-copy decks that clients can't resist; present, defend, and refine them confidently.
4. Balance multiple stakeholder inputs, championing a clear creative POV while maintaining smooth collaboration.
5. Set the bar for craft and culture, fuel trendspotting, and model a "builder" mindset for the team.

What you have:

1. 8-10 years of creative leadership with a portfolio of social-led, earned-media ideas that have garnered headlines or trophies.
2. Strategic skills to interrogate insights, distill the "one thing," and translate it into big, executable solutions.
3. Mastery in deckcraft: visuals, concise copy, storytelling that makes complex ideas effortless.
4. A collaborative spirit and an "adult in the room" presence—able to mentor, push back, and keep teams aligned.
5. Realtime social fluency and cultural trend awareness; data-curious enough to speak ROI when needed.
6. Chicago-based (hybrid; 3 days in-office), ready to act quickly and eager to elevate both the agency and your career.

Please note: This is a hybrid role in Chicago, IL. You will collaborate in person three days a week and have flexibility for remote work.

About Golin:

Golin is a global public relations agency helping companies create meaningful change. We discover human truths, create bravely, and collaborate inclusively. With 1700+ employees across 50+ offices, we offer comprehensive solutions for multi-market, regional, and global communications.

We value diversity and inclusion, striving for an inclusive, equitable culture. Our expertise spans brand-building, digital content, corporate reputation, healthcare advocacy, and measurement. We align earned-first, data-driven creative with the customer journey through our collaborative team model.

We are committed to going all in—for our people, with comprehensive benefits and a culture of happiness and excellence.

Salary range: $120,000 - $219,000. Actual compensation depends on skills, experience, and market factors.

All employment offers are made by authorized Golin representatives. We do not require sensitive info during the application process.

We provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics.

If you need accommodations during the application process, contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This is for accessibility, not general inquiries. Messages unrelated to accommodations may not be answered.