Creative Director/Music: Job Description

Advertising agency HUGE is looking for a Creative Director for their LA office, but that's not the point of today's piece. The reason I bring it up is because I couldn't help but notice that the skill set required in order to be a candidate for such a position far out paces that accepted for an equivalent position in common commercial music production. Too often we find the person in charge of a music production environment is a musician with some ProTools chops or the guy with the biggest music collection on his hard drive. That's fine if you're an individual artist writing songs in your bedroom or garage. But it's maybe not the greatest tool kit if you're commissioned with leading a team in the production of audio for a multi-spot TV commercial campaign, a theme park venue or retail installation, network packaging or a million dollar online experience.

I first recognized this point at the beginning of my career, when I was lucky to be working on projects personally helmed by the likes of Ralph Ammirati and Tom Nelson (AP&L), Ron Lawner (Arnold Worldwide), Lee Hunt and other notable creative executives and producers. With access to this much talent I began to model my own professional tool kit by taking my cue from my agency counterparts, and this has served me well.

I’d like to suggest that everyone producing music for media today aspire to this possibly stratospheric level set by our most successful clients –not necessarily other music producers, but typically CDs and EPs at agencies and entertainment companies. They represent both time tested and the most progressive standards for vision and process, while us music and audio oriented cats can provide the ears.

And by this I mean, not just access to Twitter and a wide knowledgeable reference of trending pop artifacts –although that's important, too– but a particularly deep understanding into non-verbal and non-visual communication.

For me this means some understanding about music brain cognition, music memetics, symbolic data distribution and how current theories might apply to media composition. But there are many other topics to draw from which might appeal to one's personal interest and which might serve to enrich one's work creating deliverables for both story driven media and branded audio assets.

To this end, I've re-published the Huge Creative Director job description below, modifying it in order to define the minimum standards that I think we –music, sound and audio professionals in leadership positions– should accept from ourselves.

JOB DESCRIPTION: CREATIVE DIRECTOR/MUSIC

The Creative Director/Music is responsible for developing original music design concepts and approaches, overseeing multiple projects through execution, and managing a team of composers, sound designers and other creative and technical personnel under them. The Creative Director/Music will also contribute to the development of audience experience and marketing strategies; drive the collaborative efforts of the project’s creative, production and technology teams and inspire sonic artisans in all areas of expertise to exceed expectations. The Creative Director/Music is also responsible for managing the client relationship for all things related to creative.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and deliver thought leadership and audio solutions that strengthen clients’ market distinction and leadership position
• Responsible for conceiving, articulating and defending conceptual and directional choices
• Promote continual creative improvement and actively contribute to a culture of innovation, excellence and accountability
• Conceive music design solutions that fulfill strategic business objectives
• Grow new business and develop solid client relationships
• Responsible for inspiring and motivating creative teams and serve as overall creative lead and manage creative teams on and across major engagements
• Direct all phases of creative work from concept through production
• Responsible for cultivating external relationships in both the traditional and new media music space
• Responsible for mentoring and leading junior creative staff through critique of their work to maintain consistent creative quality and award winning work
• Manage the creative staff, as well as helping to review staff members’ performance
• Accountable for developing and directing creative work of the highest caliber with their team
• Participate in many new business development efforts, including giving presentations and leading creative teams

REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated award-wining creative ability
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic vision and marketing objectives into tangible project deliverables.
• Proven ability to balance multiple projects with differing and aggressive timelines, deliverables, and expectations
• Demonstrated understanding of branding, marketing and business strategies.
• 6-8+ years experience in a creative leadership role
• Understanding of both linear (cinematic) and non-linear storytelling
• Understanding of messaging through music, sound and other symbolic data
• A strong working knowledge of interaction design, venue experience, brand development, and the entire creative development process for film and commercials, from concept through postproduction
• Recognized expertise in one of the following: advertising, identity, memetics, semiotics, critical theory, linguistics, network theory
• Recognized expertise in at least one musicological topic of study and application
• Strong knowledge of both Western and non-Western genres of music
• Wide interest in following trending music categories
• Proficiency in at least 1 traditional musical instrument
• Proficiency in both traditional audio production skills/tools/processes and Pro Tools and/or other DAW systems
• Experience dealing with musical content licensing and contracting
• Advanced experience managing the creative development process in a client-services environment
• Comprehensive awareness and interest in new platforms and technologies
• Strong ability to provide clear creative direction and provide timely and helpful feedback to improve creative processes to keep work on budget and schedule
• Excellent presentation skills and communication abilities at all levels of both internal and client organizations
• Strong ability to prioritize work and resources across engagements based on short and long-term needs
• Proven leadership skills with experience guiding both large teams (10+) and music ensembles (quartet, band, orchestra, etc)
• Proven mentoring, supervisory, and team-building skills
• Live Performance experience a plus

* * *

FYI: Here's the original description:

Creative Director at HUGE Inc. in Los Angeles, CA

Job Description
The Creative Director is responsible for developing original creative design concepts and approaches, overseeing multiple projects through execution, and managing a team of designers under them. The Creative Director will also contribute to the development of digital and marketing strategies, drive the collaborative efforts of the project’s creative, user experience and technology teams, and inspire teammates on all levels to exceed expectations. The Creative Director is also responsible for managing the client relationship for all things related to creative.

Responsibilities:
• Develop and deliver thought leadership and creative solutions that strengthen clients’ market distinction and leadership position
• Responsible for articulating and defending conceptual and directional choices
• Promote continual creative improvement and actively contribute to a culture of innovation, excellence and accountability
• Conceive and create experience-oriented design solutions that fulfill strategic business objectives
• Grow new business and develop solid client relationships
• Responsible for inspiring and motivating creative teams and serve as overall creative lead and manage creative teams on and across major engagements
• Direct all phases of creative work from concept through production
• Responsible for cultivating creative online strategies
• Responsible for mentoring and leading junior creative staff through critique of their work to maintain consistent creative quality and award winning work
• Help Creative Director manage the creative staff, as well as helping to review staff members’ performance
• Accountable for developing and directing creative work of the highest caliber with their team
• Participate in many new business development efforts, leading creative teams

Requirements/Qualifications:
• 6-8+ years experience in a creative leadership role (at least 3+ years digital agency environment)
• A strong working knowledge of interaction design, user-centered experience design, brand development, digital marketing and the creative process
• Recognized expertise in one of the following: advertising, collateral, identity, and interactive design
• Advanced experience managing the creative development process in a client-services environment
• Comprehensive awareness and interest in new platforms and technologies for the digital channel (e.g. Flash, Flex, Ajax, etc.) and related mediums
• Strong ability to provide clear creative direction and provide timely and helpful feedback to improve creative processes to keep work on budget and schedule
• Excellent presentation skills and communication abilities at all levels of both internal and client organizations
• Strong ability to prioritize work and resources across engagements based on short and long-term needs
• Proven leadership skills with experience guiding large teams (10+)
• Proven mentoring, supervisory, and team-building skills
• Online advertising experience a plus

HUGE is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We strongly support diversity in the workforce.

HUGE (www.hugeinc.com)