Job Description

The Creative Director, Marketing & Brand is responsible for setting and delivering brand definition, brand story, and brand experience for Opry Entertainment Group (OEG) brands and channels as well as leading the development and execution of high-quality marketing creative that aligns with business objectives, engages audiences, and delivers measurable results. The Creative Director, Marketing & Brand is a key partner to the marketing strategy and planning teams, ensuring that brands are consistently and effectively represented across all channels. Brands currently include the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Ole Red, Austin City Limits Live, Category 10, and work with WSM Radio. Partners include marketing planning & strategy, retail and e-commerce, sponsorships, artist relations and programming, human resources, and sales.

The Creative Director, Marketing & Brand plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing creative strategy, brand tone and style, and content strategy across OEG brands and channels. This position ensures the development of high-quality marketing collateral and promotional materials that support advertising, brand campaigns, and audience engagement efforts. This role ensures that brand standards are documented and upheld through all marketing executions and that the brand experience for customers is competitive and excellent when engaging, buying, or interacting with us. The Director works closely with marketing leaders to translate strategy seamlessly into compelling creative executions that enhance the brand experience and achieve business goals.

Responsibilities include overseeing the creation of digital and traditional advertising, point-of-sale materials, presentations, signage, in-venue and offsite activations, and other brand-aligned creative and content. The Director directly manages an in-house team of designers, copywriters, and external creative partners for design, content, web and mobile development, video, photography, and other media production--all while meeting program objectives and budget targets.

The Creative Director, Marketing & Brand works closely with marketing leaders across research, strategy, planning, and audience acquisition to align on audience needs and marketing strategies. Additionally, this role contributes to workflow optimization and cross-functional collaboration, ensuring efficiency within the marketing team and across OEG departments. Reports to Vice President of Integrated Growth Marketing.

• As a key member of the marketing management team, collaborate closely with marketing strategy colleagues to ensure creative and branding efforts align with and drive business objectives. Contribute to goal setting, campaign direction, strategy evaluation, budgeting, and performance assessment to support measurable growth and engagement.
• Lead, manage, and develop a team of creatives, including designers, writers, and freelancers, fostering a collaborative, solutions-oriented environment that produces high-quality work while meeting strategic goals.
• Direct the creation of brand-aligned visual and written content, including ads, logos, digital and print materials, and collateral. Stay current on design trends, animation, and emerging creative techniques to maintain a fresh, cutting-edge approach.
• Partner with business unit marketing leaders and cross-functional departments to assess creative needs and develop effective solutions. Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills are essential to ensure the creative vision supports marketing priorities and business success.
• Maintain and enforce creative brand standards across all OEG departments (Marketing, Sales, Retail, Ticketing, Customer Service, Operations, etc.) and with brand partners, sponsors, and external collaborators. Ensure brand consistency across all consumer touchpoints.
• Actively seek, positively accept, and thoughtfully incorporate feedback from marketing stakeholders and business partners, leading by example and fostering a team culture that values constructive critique and continuous improvement. Mentor team members in balancing creative vision with business needs, helping them develop resilience and adaptability in refining their work.
• Leverage tools, platforms, and automation to increase efficiency, streamline workflows, and enhance creative output. Identify and implement solutions that reduce manual effort, lessen the burden on the team, and enable the delivery of high-quality work at scale.
• Oversee creative project planning and prioritization, ensuring the efficient allocation of resources (internal and external) to meet deadlines, maximize impact, and deliver high-quality creative outputs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors, agencies, and freelancers, ensuring high-quality work, favorable pricing, and seamless execution of creative projects. Oversee production bidding, proof approvals, and order placement as needed.
• Actively network with creative agencies and industry professionals, attend design conferences (virtual or in-person), and explore new tools and technologies to keep OEG at the forefront of design and marketing innovation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree in advertising, communications, or design preferred

Experience

• 10+ years proven graphic design experience at an agency, in-house team, or related
• 5+ years leading a team of creatives at an agency, in-house team, or related

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Creativity and versatility with a mind for ideas and concepts to create best-in-class work from digital to experiential creative
• Strong passion for creativity, copy, art, design, and fine attention to detail
• Ability to organize information into marketing-related positioning and campaign themes and visuals that result in action/conversion
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work well in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team; ability to supervise designers, content writers, copywriters, graphic design interns, content interns, project managers, freelance artists and writers, and agency staffers responsible for brand marketing projects
• Advanced knowledge and proven experience with Adobe Creative Suite, iWorks, Figma, Canva, and Microsoft; familiarity with Workfront, WordPress, HTML, Flash, Final Cut Pro, and After Effects a plus

Location

Opry Entertainment Group

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