Creative Manager

Creative Manager

As manager of the Creative team for marketing our natural markets brands, this position works closely with other marketing team members, merchandisers, operators, corporate teams, and store staff to lead and execute brand projects for Lazy Acres Natural Market and New Leaf Community Markets. In partnership and under direction of Marketing and Business leadership, this person will help develop and update brand standards, identity, and visual customer experience. This person will directly supervise internal creative team members and coordinate the management of external contractors. This is a management position. You are responsible for providing leadership in line with company values and promoting a positive and progressive work environment in alignment with our company mission, vision values and policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

General Requirements:

• Understands and models our company culture. Acts as a steward of company resources, mission, vision and values. Promotes sustainable business practices.
• Embraces an agile work environment and guides others through change and continuous improvement.

• Builds community within and outside of Lazy Acres Natural Market and New Leaf Community Markets. Works in stores and other offsite events and locations as needed to support our core business and community.
• Works cooperatively and positively with fellow team members, customers and vendors spiriting a respectful workplace where everyone is welcome.

• Demonstrates ability to manage own time and models a flexible work style. Shifts tasks as priorities and circumstances change based on needs and conditions of department. Creative with problem-solving and is solutions-oriented.
• Utilizes strategic thinking, data and industry knowledge, and calculated risk-taking to create competitive advantage.
• Communication style is confident, informative, adaptive to different styles and effective.
• Gives and receives feedback in a constructive manner demonstrating company Speak Up culture.
• Maintains confidentiality and exercise good judgment around sensitive information.
• Adheres to work and food safety policies set forth by the company and all local, state and federal regulatory agencies. Contributes to store and office cleanliness, maintains equipment.
• Observes all company rules and policies. Understands and complies with specific department or location guidelines, tasks and responsibilities.

Position Responsibilities:

• Facilitates the day-to-day flow and workload of creative team.
• Supports Marketing Director to serve both brands, Lazy Acres Natural Market and New Leaf Community Markets, as a team leader.
• Unifies the workflows of design resources to create efficiency and find new ways to support both brands.
• Develops and implements production schedules for all projects in accordance with the marketing calendar; in partnership with the Marketing Coordinator.
• Serves as a primary partner to other shared service groups within Good Food Holdings
• Develops direction for photoshoots
• Promotes company values by pursuing environmentally-responsible print vendors and products for production, as often as possible
• Acts as a key player for guiding visual store experience, including new store design Regularly communicates any problems affecting job quality, due dates and costs.
• Verifies specs against estimates before release of any project, and balances the needs of the business with controlling expenses.
• Works with project managers to traffic final files to print vendors for production.
• Reviews print proofs with designers and other key stakeholders.
• Manages image requests and deploys creative assets (images, logos) to internal clients and outside resources.
• Supports marketing team in keeping supplies and equipment up to date.
• Supports other marketing team members when help is needed.
• Performs other tasks and duties as assigned.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities and requirements, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function within our company. Lazy Acres Natural Market / New Leaf Community Markets reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet changing industry or business needs as necessary.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of creative/marketing experience required.
• Minimum of 3 years management experience required. Experience managing and mentoring multiple direct reports, including across multiple geographic regions is a plus.
• Previous food and/or grocery specific industry experience preferred. Experience in a multi-unit, high growth retail or similar environment required.
• Knowledge of Marketing and/or Communications experience required.
• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Graphic Design, Communications, Business Administration or related fields preferred, however relevant work experience in lieu of formal education is acceptable.
• Mid to high-level proficiency with MS Office and the Adobe Creative Suite required. Skills to learn new computer programs and systems.
• Experience with a project management system preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including tact and diplomacy, to collaborate, negotiate and communicate effectively and professionally with cross-functional partners at all levels in the company.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with problem-solving, project management and execution of initiatives across multiple locations and regions.
• Proven experience driving and executing strategic initiatives, policies, programs and projects that achieve measurable business results.

Language Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.

Mathematical Skills

Basic math and computation skills required.

Reasoning Ability

Skills to read, understand and follow through on verbal and written instructions. Skills to exercise good judgment at all times. Skills to resolve conflicts and analyze a variety of situations to find a solution.

Knowledge of English

Should have the ability to speak, read and understand English.

Physical Demands

This position works consistently at a light work level and may be asked to work on occasion at a medium or heavy work level when supporting stores or other offsite events. Frequently required to sit, walk, reach and grasp. Occasionally required to be on feet with a mix of standing and walking throughout shift. Up to occasionally, dependent on location, required to climb stairs, step stool and /or ladders.

This position works with standard office equipment. May be required to use the following tools and equipment when working in stores or offsite; baler, hand truck, POS, industrial kitchen equipment (i.e. blast chiller, grill, knives/blades, oven, grills, scales, etc.) and basic housekeeping / janitorial items.

Work Environment

Work occurs in office, a variety of off-site environments and in a grocery store environment which includes surfaces that can be wet and slippery, moderate noise level, and temperature extremes in controlled environments in the cooler and freezer, and depending on location, working outside in all temperatures. There may be exposure to certain allergens and / or chemicals. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and other applicable state or local law, we will make reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

Travel

Ability to travel regularly to store locations, trade shows and other off-site locations throughout the United States. Valid Driver License and vehicle required.

Why You'll Love Working at Lazy Acres Natural Market

• Amazing earning potential, paid weekly!
• A values-based culture that will engage and empower your growth and development
• A strong training program that will build your guest service skills
• Opportunity for growth within our family of brands
• Benefits available – Including medical, dental, vision, and 401K
• Numerous scholarship opportunities are available to full & part-time team members
• 20% discount at all Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres locations
• $60 credit to Shoes for Crews every 6 months of employment