Associate Creative Director

Location: Johannesburg
Work model: Full-time, in-office (some flexibility)
Salary: R50 000 - R62 000 CTC

Why you’d want to work here

• Work at a highly strategic branding and design agency with a strong reputation for solving complex creative challenges

• Exposure to exciting, often non-traditional industries across Africa and globally

• A collaborative, low-drama environment with a strong focus on positive team dynamics

• Performance-based bonus model (up to five bonuses, depending on company performance)

• Medical aid (tax benefit) and provident fund

• Strong leadership presence, regular town halls, Friday drinks and breakfast clubs

• A culture of ownership, trust and flexibility – balanced with high standards and accountability

About our client
Our client is a mid-sized, highly respected branding and design agency working across luxury travel, hospitality, finance, infrastructure and pan-African brands. They’re known for strategic thinking, beautifully crafted work and tackling complex briefs with intelligence and care. This is a brilliant opportunity for a senior creative who wants to lead, influence and build genuinely excellent work alongside a strong, focused team.

What the job involves

• Leading, mentoring and inspiring a team of hybrid creatives (designers, art directors, finished artists and copywriters)

• Driving the development of award-worthy branding, design and marketing solutions

• Playing a key role in studio planning and resourcing alongside traffic management

• Ensuring work is delivered on time, on brief, on budget – and to a very high standard

• Presenting creative work confidently and persuasively to clients

• Building strong, positive relationships across the wider agency team

• Actively contributing to the creative profile of the agency, both internally and externally

• Driving innovation, fresh thinking and design excellence within the studio

• Balancing creative ambition with commercial awareness and profitability

What you need to be considered

• 6+ years’ experience as a designer within a branding, design or advertising agency

• Proven experience leading and managing creative teams

• Strong brand identity experience – from concept to rollout (including guidelines and corporate literature)

• Solid understanding of brand strategy and commercial realities

• Experience across digital and traditional marketing communications

• Excellent conceptual thinking and information design skills

• Confidence presenting ideas and selling creative work to clients

• Advanced Mac skills across relevant design software

• A relevant diploma or degree

• A portfolio is essential – we’ll be looking for high-quality brand identity work, strategic thinking and beautifully executed design (no portfolio, no response)

Bonus points if you…

• Have won (or helped win) creative awards and enjoy driving an awards agenda

• Have experience across environmental design or internal brand engagement

• Thrive in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments without losing attention to detail