Associate Design Director (XD)

• Sets creative direction throughout all phases of project work from discovery to launch and beyond with ongoing optimization
• Acts as a creative lead for one or more accounts, managing multiple tracks of work across a variety of teams
• Works internally and with clients to develop the strategy, experience concepts and establish the overarching design direction for the experience
• Produces compelling and highly usable experience solutions in response to client needs
• Communicates and represents creative vision and execution with client partners
• Continually develops processes to inspire, innovate, and harness new ways of thinking
• Inspires and leads by example, setting professional standards for the team and the department
• Actively trains, mentors, and manages junior to mid-level creatives and designers
• Responsible for managing and guiding junior to mid-level creatives’ careers within AKQA (including regular one-on-one check-ins), writing and delivering annual performance reviews, and taking responsibility for on-boarding new employees and guiding them through a successful tenure at AKQA
• Creatively participates in new business pitches – i.e. responsible for ideas and creative work, and competently presents pitches
• Be able to guide but also prepared to be hands on with exceptional experience in industry design tools

• A minimum of 7 years’ experience in the creative industry
• Native or fluent Japanese reading and speaking ability is essential
• All candidates must possess a portfolio showcasing a comprehensive understanding of how their creative disciplines comes to life and how they applied their thinking, including conceptual and executional (art direction, user experience and UI design) contribute to a finished product
• Demonstrated creative success in leading collaborative cross disciplinary teams
• A solid understanding of the marketing industry at large
• an ability and a desire to adapt to the changing landscape of technology
• Experience in, and enthusiasm for, creating digital platforms and products from brief to delivery and beyond
• Experience in side-by-side collaboration with UX and development teams and leaders
• Strong working knowledge of user interface, application, mobile and responsive design
• Exceptional communication skills: Verbal, written, interpersonal and inter-departmental
• Superb professionalism and mature presence in all aspects of the job
• Thought leadership: A strong point of view
• ability to contribute to the strategic development of an assignment
• creative ideas and the ability to promote conceptual thinking among the team

hybrid working approach