Freelance Copywriter

Group Creative Director 

Are you a conceptual problem solver? Passionate about ideas that breakthrough in culture? Do you get energized by building solid client relationships?  If so, we have an opportunity for you.

Weber Shandwick is looking for a Group Creative Director with an earned-first lens and a diverse agency background to manage several large-scale accounts.

You’ll have the chance to create award-winning work for national and global brands through earned, social, and traditional media for clients across industries, including travel, food and beverage, healthcare, technology and beyond.

You’ll be someone who excels in mentoring and managing a team of senior and junior creatives, leading by example, with a keen eye for organization and detail. You’ll keep our teams motivated and focused on the task at hand – but you’ll still love getting your hands dirty and creating the work alongside them.  

You’ll work closely with our strategy and integrated media teams, and client leaders to help propel the work forward and grow our business. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Develop and deliver creative solutions that strengthen clients’ market distinction and leadership position  
• Generate innovative ideas across existing and emerging digital platforms and inspire colleagues to create world-class, pioneering ideas  
• Articulate and justify conceptual and design choices  
• Build a culture hungry for smart creative by guiding, teaching and mentoring and underscoring the need for continual creative improvement
• Promote and actively contribute to a culture of innovation, excellence and accountability  
• Mentor and lead staff to maintain consistent creative quality and award-winning work  
• Lead concept, creative development, and presentation of new business development efforts  
• Continually develop practices and processes to inspire, innovate, and harness new ways of thinking 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS 

• A strong portfolio of work 
• 10 years of experience in a creative leadership role  
• Demonstrated experience managing the creative development process in a client-services environment  
• Advanced knowledge of user-centered experience design, brand development, digital marketing and the creative process    
• Strong ability to provide clear creative direction and provide timely, helpful feedback to improve creative processes and to keep work on budget and schedule  
• Excellent presentation skills and communication abilities, both internal and client-facing  
• Ability to prioritize work and resources across engagements based on short and long-term needs 
• Proven mentoring and team-building skills 
• A real understanding of what makes for compelling work  
• The ability to concept across a broad range of media, in a variety of tones and voices 
• Resilient mindset, a cheerful and positive attitude, and respect for others 
• A willingness to push creative boundaries 
• And most importantly a kind leader who loves what they do and can have fun while doing it!

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• RRSP (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money – $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) – $50 monthly cell phone reimbursement
• MyDays – Flexible time off
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave Policy

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Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership:

• Partner with the President and CEO of Canada and SVP, People to develop and implement HR strategies that support the agency’s goals and objectives
• Serve as a strategic partner to senior management, providing guidance on HR matters and their impact on the organization
• Understand the business of the agency and share that knowledge with other team members
• Bring a diverse perspective to help influence new ways of solving challenges and shape an inclusive team environment

Organizational Effectiveness, Engagement, Development, and Inclusion

• Build and leverage internal relationships to assess engagement, recommend and implement solutions to drive improvements where needed
• Conduct best practices research and utilize findings to ideate, inform, and support engagement, DEI, and culture initiatives that align to the business strategy
• Provide coaching for managers and employees on key talent initiatives and practices
• Help activate diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and programs in partnership with leaders, employee resource groups, and local Diversity Councils
• Support talent review discussions and implement recommended actions; partner with managers to identify top talent, provide counsel on development and engagement strategies and career pathing to retain key talent
• Productively develop messaging and use internal communications to drive engagement

Performance Management and Compensation

• Partner with leaders on performance management, including development of performance improvement plans and provide support and counsel for these conversations and actions required
• Partner with Compensation colleagues to support compensation review to ensure equitable market competitive compensation approaches; make recommendations for adjustments as needed
• Drive performance management and salary review process, supporting managers on the development and delivery of clear, objective and consistent performance reviews, ratings and feedback, recommendations for increases, and guidance for managers on communicating compensation changes; support career check-in discussions

Employee Relations, Benefits and Workforce Planning

• Provide guidance to client groups around all HR-related legal concerns, including performance issues, visa applications, employment law and employment classifications
• Provide coaching and counseling to employees in areas such as conflict resolution and career development
• Support implementation of HR policies and guidelines and ensure compliance within Canadian/Provincial laws; stay on top of legislation, recommend solutions to stay compliant

Employee Experience

• Conduct new hire check-ins, providing feedback to leadership and managers
• Provide direction to junior team members around onboarding
• Exhibit thorough understanding of organizational structure and business goals, ensure seamless and accurate employee status
• Manage exit process, and analyze and present quarterly exit interview data to inform and shape recommendations for programs
• Partner with the talent acquisition team on the recruiting process as needed

Qualifications:

Any combination of education and experience providing the required skills and knowledge for successful performance would qualify. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or 7-12 years progressive human resources experience in HR/Talent Management role
• Demonstrates teamwork, tact, leadership, confidentiality, flexibility, initiative, dependability, and influence talent at all levels
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Attention to detail, multi-tasking, and strong follow through
• Ability to function in a fast-paced dynamic environment
• May require occasional travel
• Professional services or agency experience a strong plus
• HR Certification preferred  

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• RRSP (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money – $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) – $50 monthly cell phone reimbursement
• MyDays – Flexible time off
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave Policy

Weber Shandwick is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Weber Shandwick recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, age, ethnic or national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or citizenship status.

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Vice President, Strategic Planning

We are looking for a strategic leader who sees business problems from the eyes of real people, using data, observation and experience to create strategies that will benefit a client’s brand and business by engaging audiences and delivering measurable value. With an emphasis on developing compelling insights, this person will be an active member across client teams and large contributor to new business opportunities. They will be responsible for challenging conventional thought and providing a neutral point-of-view for communications strategy and planning. Our ideal candidate should have experience building brand and creative strategies with a global lens that deliver ideas across channels, tactics and content, and possess the ability to guide measurement that is aligned with strategy.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and guide the quality of strategic output of a key relationship including client stewardship, briefs, strategic narratives and POVs.
• Create a culture of insight, ensuring the practice is embedded into our client delivery and that the broader agency is educated on brand and communication strategy fundamentals.
• Collaborate with CX leads to guide key clients and provide consistent thought leadership.
• Champion and enhance the methods by which teams uncovers insights and measures results.
• Lead, motivate and grow a team of planners, analysts and subject matter experts.
• Serve as an opinion leader by sharing best practices, case studies and thought leadership.
• Participate in industry events to help position Weber Shandwick as a strategic leader.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of experience in strategic planning, preferably at an agency.
• Global brand experience a bonus.
• Experience in PR, Advertising and digital (social, content, video, media, influencer) is preferred.
• Persuasive presenter and speaker, able to tell a story based on data and hypothesis.
• Experience building, managing and mentoring a team.
• Deep industry network and credibility within the industry.
• Self-motivated, fun, entrepreneurial and endlessly curious.

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• RRSP (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money – $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) – $50 monthly cell phone reimbursement
• MyDays – Flexible time off
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave Policy

Weber Shandwick is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Weber Shandwick recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, age, ethnic or national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or citizenship status.

#LI-SK1