Creative Manager (Fixed-Term Contract) - Markham

The Creative Manager I is responsible for leading creative initiatives across digital and product platforms. They manage design delivery, mentor junior talent, and collaborate cross-functionally to ensure brand consistency and user-focused design. This role remains current with industry trends.
<ul><li>A relevant Tertiary qualification&nbsp;</li><li>8+ years' experience as a Creative Lead, Creative Manager or Creative Director role.</li><li>Proven experience in managing and developing creative teams.</li><li>Able to perform effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, with a strong understanding of workflow management and online traffic coordination.</li><li>Prior retail experience is essential</li><li>Ideally have experience leading teams within premium creative agencies or established retail environments</li><li>Capable of both producing high-quality design work and managing a team</li></ul><p><strong>Skills:</strong></p><ul><li>Managing studio workflow, traffic and team capacity.</li><li>Ensuring briefs are strategically and creatively sound before entering production.</li><li>Leading creative reviews and maintaining quality standards across all work.</li><li>Conducting creative audits and identifying opportunities to strengthen the brand's creative output.</li><li>Mentoring and developing designers within the studio.</li><li>Personally contributing to campaign development, design execution and creative delivery when required.</li><li>Supporting the team during peak workload periods and helping ensure projects are delivered on time and to a high standard.</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Behaviours:</strong></p><ul><li>Being Resilient - rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.</li><li>Building Effective Teams - forms, develops and leads a group of individuals toward the achievement of a common team objective</li><li>Builds Networks - establishes and nurtures internal and external relationships in order to create robust, and mutually beneficial, partnerships</li><li>Cultivates Innovation - creates an environment that fosters and nurtures a culture of creativity which drives success</li><li>Decision Quality - consistently makes timely, well-rounded and informed decisions</li><li>Drives Engagement - inspires, motivates and empowers individuals to go above and beyond for the benefit of the team and the organisation</li><li>Ensures Accountability - takes accountability and ensures others are held to account on agreed upon performance targets</li><li>Manages Complexity - interprets and simplifies complex and contradictory information when resolving organisational problems</li><li>Organisational Savvy - understands and navigates dynamics created by processes, systems, and people</li><li>Situational Adaptability - effectively adjusts their behaviour, approach, and decision-making based on the situation</li><li>Strategic Mindset - thinks and plans strategically, focusing on the long-term goals and objectives of the organisation.</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br><strong>Preference will be given, but not limited to candidates from designated groups in terms of the Employment Equity Act.</strong><br>&nbsp;</p><ul><li>8+ years' experience as a Creative Lead, Creative Manager or Creative Director role.</li><li>Proven experience leading and mentoring creative teams within a fast-paced retail, fashion, lifestyle, or agency environment.</li><li>Strong conceptual thinking and ability to develop compelling campaign ideas from brief through to execution.</li><li>Advanced design capability with a portfolio demonstrating original conceptual work and high-quality execution across multiple channels.</li><li>Ability to personally contribute to design work, campaign development, creative problem-solving, and art direction as part of the studio workload.</li><li>Strong understanding of typography, layout, visual communication, branding, and integrated campaign development.</li><li>Experience managing studio traffic, workflow planning, resource allocation, and project prioritisation.</li><li>Ability to unpack, challenge and refine briefs before they enter the studio workflow.</li><li>Strong operational mindset with the ability to build structure, accountability, and delivery discipline within a creative environment.</li><li>Ability to conduct creative audits and identify opportunities to elevate brand communication, campaign effectiveness, and creative standards.</li><li>Experience working across retail marketing, digital, social media, content, print and campaign production.</li><li>Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.</li><li>Experience using Monday.com or similar workflow management platforms.</li></ul>