Director, Brand and Creative

JOB HIGHLIGHTS The Director of Brand and Creative is responsible for establishing, stewarding, and evolving The Conservation Fund's brand identity across all audiences and all corners of the organization. This is a newly created position that reflects TCF's commitment to dramatically accelerating its visibility and recognition in service to its conservation mission and capital raising goals. The ideal candidate is experienced working with organizations on their creative, marketing and brand elements, bringing deep expertise in creative strategy, brand positioning, audience-specific messaging, visual identity and brand voice. They will thrive at the intersection of concept, strategy and execution. They will serve as the organization's primary creative and brand authority, setting the standard for how The Conservation Fund looks, sounds, and presents itself to three audience sectors: Business to Consumer (B2C), Business to Business (B2B), and Business to Partner (B2P) audiences. They will work closely with the Marketing and Communications Team and leaders across the organization to ensure that every piece of external-facing content — from earned media to paid advertising to donor collateral to partner communications — advances a coherent, compelling, and differentiated brand. They will have experience in change management and problem-solving, working closely with MarCom leadership to evolve internal structure and processes in a way that meets the capital and visibility goals of the organization. This role requires a confident communicator who is as comfortable presenting a brand vision to senior leadership as they are rolling up their sleeves to guide and inspire creative team members on campaign execution. The Director of Brand and Creative reports to the VP of Marketing & Communications and is a critical member of the MarCom leadership team. WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. BRAND STRATEGY & POSITIONING Build, implement and maintain TCF's brand strategy, including brand positioning, audience-specific messaging frameworks (B2C, B2B, B2P), and a unified brand narrative that reflects the organization's conservation leadership and competitive differentiation. Evolve the strategy as needed based on market conditions, 'competipeer' landscapes and results over time. Own TCF's brand positioning, visual identity, brand voice and audience-specific messaging standards; evolve and codify brand guidelines to ensure consistent application across all channels, formats, and departments. Establish field and fundraising enablement strategies and tactics, working closely with field staff and the Strategic Giving team. Manage all institutional messaging work, including organizational talking points, case statements, and pitch decks. Partner closely with the Director of Marketing and Digital Engagement on campaign messaging. Conduct ongoing audience research and brand performance analysis to inform strategy; establish brand KPIs and report on progress quarterly. Serve as the organization's primary brand authority and advocate, building understanding and buy-in for brand discipline across a decentralized, 200-person organization. CREATIVE DIRECTION & CONTENT QUALITY Oversee the Creative team to ensure that all external-facing content — including digital, print, video, and social — meets messaging, brand and creative standards and advances TCF's visibility goals across our target audiences. Review and provide strategic guidance on high-priority creative executions, including the annual report, major campaign assets, institutional presentations, and donor-facing collateral. Lead the development of content and channel strategies, specifically for our field and partner audiences, in partnership with the Marketing & Communications leadership team, ensuring brand coherence across institutional collateral and external-facing content. Manage and oversee TCF’s photo and video storytelling content in line with audience-specific strategies; establish and enforce brand-sensitive creative briefs for external vendors. ORGANIZATIONAL BRAND STEWARDSHIP Act as a cross-organizational brand consultant, advising regional teams, program staff, and other departments on how to align their external-facing content with TCF's brand identity for maximum impact. Develop and deliver internal brand education — including onboarding, refresher training, and accessible guidelines — to build brand fluency across the organization. Partner with leadership to ensure brand considerations are embedded in organizational strategy, major initiatives, and capital campaigns. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Supervise and develop MarCom creative staff as assigned; provide clear direction, constructive feedback, and growth opportunities. Manage external vendors including creative agencies, brand consultants, and production firms. Perform other related duties as assigned. WHAT WE NEED YOU TO HAVE Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience in brand strategy, marketing, communications, or a related field. Minimum of ten years' experience in brand strategy, marketing, or creative leadership roles, with a demonstrated track record of building and stewarding organizational brands and creative teams. Deep expertise in brand positioning, messaging architecture and visual identity development; experience taking a brand from strategy through execution. Proven ability to drive brand consistency across a complex, multi-stakeholder organization; experience working with decentralized teams a strong plus. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to articulate a brand vision clearly to executive leadership, staff, and external partners. Minimum five years' experience managing or influencing creative teams and/or external agencies; strong creative judgment and aesthetic sensibility. Experience developing and working with audience segmentation frameworks; familiarity with B2C, B2B, and/or B2P marketing environments. Highly organized and self-directed; comfortable managing multiple workstreams and priorities in a fast-moving environment. Experience using data and brand performance metrics to inform strategy and demonstrate impact. WHAT WE’D LIKE YOU TO HAVE Experience working in or with environmental, conservation, or mission-driven nonprofit organizations. Familiarity with land conservation or related fields is a plus. Experience with high-net-worth individual (HNWI) audience engagement or donor-facing brand strategy. Experience supporting paid advertising strategies and brand awareness campaigns. #J-18808-Ljbffr Crains Cleveland