Creative Manager - Concepts

Job Introduction

Are you looking for a new challenge that gives you the chance to get creative and use your expertise in concepting to take our Creative Direction at Selfridges to the next level? Looking for a company that wants to help further your career as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work?  

If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re just the kind of person we’re looking for! 

Role Responsibility

The Creative Direction team operates as Selfridges’ in-house creative agency.  We provide the business with creative concepts and future-thinking research material spanning creative schemes, advertising campaigns, architecture and retail spaces, customer experience, brand guardianship, customer behaviour, business culture, alternative business models, and future opportunities and risks. Our key objective is to provide exceptional creative direction that pushes the brand and business forward in a way that is consistent with our brand’s values and identity.

Role Purpose

As a Creative Manager, your specialism in the team will be to research and craft unique creative concepts that position Selfridges at the forefront of culture and creativity. This involves the ideation, conceptualisation, and communication of ideas through building imaginative, clear, and captivating presentations. Here you will harness the power of creative storytelling and original writing alongside relevant and tasteful visual references. You will be required to work independently, using your own initiative, as well as collaborating with team members. As part of this, you will:

• Create original, innovative concepts for retail, content, marketing, and brand culture projects across physical and digital outputs.
• Build captivating presentations that combine excellent original writing with benchmarks, culturally relevant references, and excellent imagery selection. All writing will be grammatically correct, and spell checked.
• Present concepts to internal teams as well as external teams on a regular basis.
• Engage in relevant research to inform your projects and point of view – both online and in-house as well as out in the field, visiting relevant competitors, benchmarks, seminars, exhibitions, and events in the UK.
• Research and demonstrating awareness of current creative and cultural movements including, but not limited to, fashion, art, design, digital, architecture, food, health, and retail throughout your projects.
• Use your research and knowledge of the brand to craft creative concepts and ideas that position Selfridges at the forefront of culture and creativity and steer the brand forwards.
• Extensive online and magazine picture research. It is important our images have creative integrity and relevance (no ‘corporate’ imagery).
• Designing, and/or briefing presentation layouts and graphic identities for high quality presentations.
• Attending relevant project and steering meetings to communicate Creative Direction ideas and guide delivery teams to ensure briefs stay true to concept and brand.
• Ensuring the department maintains high standards regarding operating in an environmentally sustainable and ethical manner.

The Ideal Candidate

• BA / MA graduate in art, design, advertising, fashion, journalism, or related creative field
• At least 5 years professional experience within a creative business environment
• An understanding of how creative campaigns work to support commercial goals
• Ability to work in a high-paced environment to tight deadlines, as well as manage multiple projects simultaneously
• A creatively driven and passionate person with a professional and confident manner
• A great eye for detail and a mind full of ideas
• Ability to present to larger groups and externals in a confident and appropriate manner
• Confidence to express opinion and provide direction and guidance within meetings and other teams.
• Excellent computer presentation skills on Mac, using PowerPoint and Adobe Creative Suite. Web and digitally savvy
• Confidential and discreet
• Highly organised with an ability to develop and work to processes and deadlines
• Team player with ability to work under own initiative
• Keen interest in creative and popular culture, the arts and social anthropology

About the Company

Our Creative Spirit 

We are more than a shop. We are a social space where culture and commerce collide to release an energy that we call the Selfridges spirit. We are here to make our world brighter, and everyone is welcome. 

Our Awards Cabinet 

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign.  

Our Future 

Since 1909 we have been at the forefront of retail and today our stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham – alongside selfridges.com and the Selfridges App – continue to redefine the way we shop and socialise. As a Selfridges team member, you will learn what it takes to consistently drive innovation, success and amazing customer experiences. 

Everyone is welcome

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive working culture, and we see this as key to our success and our working culture. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome - irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all. We are diverse, we are inclusive, we are Selfridges.

The Fun Stuff  

There are lots of reasons to be excited about joining Team Selfridges – from our fantastic team member communities to volunteer days and behind-the-scenes Selfridges experiences throughout the year. 

Other benefits and rewards include:

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme 
• Discounted gym memberships 
• Pension contributions  
• Annual travel pass and cycle to work schemes 
• A volunteer day for all team members 
• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development

Selfridges