About VML
VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestl, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML's specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world's largest and most awarded health agencies. VML's global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, So Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.
VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information,please visit www.vml.com, andfollowalong on Instagram,LinkedIn, andX.
Role Description
The
Associate Creative Director (Copy-Based) is a pivotal creative leader responsible for elevating the verbal identity and strategic messaging across client accounts. Reporting to an Executive Creative Director or Creative Director, you will lead the development of compelling narratives, powerful concepts, and impactful copy that resonates with audiences and drives business results. You will mentor and inspire a team of copywriters, ensuring all creative output is strategically sound, impeccably crafted, and consistently delivers on VML's standard of creative excellence. This role demands a master storyteller, a strategic thinker, and a hands-on writer who can articulate a vision and bring it to life through words across all media.
Key Responsibilities
- Conceptual Leadership: Lead the ideation and development of breakthrough creative concepts, campaign platforms, and strategic narratives from a copy-first perspective.
- Copy Excellence & Craft: Write, edit, and oversee the creation of high-quality, persuasive, and on-brand copy for a wide range of channels including digital, social, traditional advertising, content marketing, CRM, and emerging platforms.
- Strategic Messaging: Ensure all verbal communication is strategically aligned with client objectives, brand voice, and target audience insights. Translate complex marketing strategies into clear, compelling, and actionable messages.
- Team Leadership & Mentorship: Guide, inspire, and mentor a team of copywriters, fostering their growth, providing constructive feedback, and ensuring the highest standards of craft and conceptual thinking.
- Client Presentation & Persuasion: Confidently present and articulate creative concepts and copy strategies to clients, effectively selling ideas and building strong client relationships.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work seamlessly with Art Directors, Designers, Strategists, Account Teams, and Technologists to ensure integrated creative solutions where copy and visuals work in harmony.
- Brand Stewardship: Act as a guardian of brand voice and tone, ensuring consistency and distinctiveness across all client communications.
- Trend & Innovation: Stay abreast of industry trends, cultural shifts, and emerging communication technologies to bring fresh perspectives and innovative verbal solutions to client challenges.
- Project Management: Oversee multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to creative briefs and strategic goals.
Qualifications & Experience
- Experience: 8-12+ years of progressive experience in an advertising or marketing agency, with a significant portion in a senior copywriting or copy-focused leadership role.
- Portfolio: A strong, diverse portfolio showcasing exceptional copywriting, conceptual thinking, and successful campaigns across various media, demonstrating a clear understanding of how words drive impact.
- Conceptual Strength: Proven ability to generate big ideas and translate them into compelling verbal concepts that can be executed across integrated campaigns.
- Strategic Acumen: A deep understanding of marketing strategy, consumer insights, and how to use copy to solve business problems and achieve client objectives.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Demonstrated experience in leading, inspiring, and developing creative talent, particularly copywriters.
- Communication Skills: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to both internal teams and clients.
- Adaptability: Ability to adapt writing style and tone to suit different brands, audiences, and platforms.
- Collaboration: A highly collaborative spirit, with experience working effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Advertising, Marketing, English, Journalism, Communications, or a related field.
We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we've adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
When you click Submit Application, this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.
