Creative Services Manager

The City of Arvada promotes Equal Pay for Equal Work. Starting salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity. The range listed reflects the entire range and typical placement is entry to mid range.

Responsible for leading the development and execution of creative content that aligns with the organization's communication strategies. Manages the creative services team, oversees digital and visual content production, and ensures that all content initiatives support broader organizational goals.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Lead the creative services team in developing high-quality visual, digital, and multimedia content for all platforms, including social media, websites, newsletters, and print materials.

• Develop and oversee the content strategy to ensure it aligns with the organization's goals, audience engagement targets, and branding guidelines.

• Collaborate with communication managers to translate strategic priorities into creative, actionable campaigns that effectively reach target audiences.

• Oversee and implement digital media strategies that improve engagement, brand awareness, and audience growth across platforms.

• Provide creative guidance and direction to the team, ensuring alignment with communication strategies and organizational objectives.

• Plan, produce, and manage content calendars across multiple channels, ensuring timely and relevant content delivery.

• Manage the creation of digital content, including videos, graphics, social media posts, email campaigns, and web content.

• Ensure consistency in visual identity and branding across all channels and projects.

• Monitor digital trends, audience behavior, and analytics to optimize content performance.

• Lead creative projects from concept to completion, ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables are on-brand and effective.

• Manage workflow and prioritize creative requests from various departments, ensuring the creative team is responsive and efficient in delivering assets.

• Manage and troubleshoot equipment needed to operate KATV Channel 8 and Creative Services.

• Work closely with other departments to ensure that their creative needs are met and that the content aligns with broader city or organizational goals.

• Coordinate with external vendors and freelancers when outsourcing content or design work.

• Travels to and attends team and organizational meetings, training, events and activities and appropriately and professionally represents the department.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated experience overseeing content development across multiple platforms.

• Strong background in design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud), content management systems, and digital production tools.

• Excellent project management skills with a track record of delivering high-quality creative content on time and within scope.

• Strong understanding of digital media, social platforms, and audience engagement strategies.

• Ability to balance creative innovation with practical business needs, ensuring that content meets strategic goals.

• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a team.

• Ability to effectively communicate information, both verbally and in writing, to support organizational objectives and interact with all levels of personnel within the city in a positive and cooperative manner.

• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle.

ESSENTIAL SUPERVISORY DUTIES

• Develops and/or participates in the development of staff work plans, measures and tracks progress towards goals, prepares and conducts timely and constructive performance appraisals.

• Schedules staff, assigns and supervises work, prioritizes programs and projects and effectively uses available resources to accomplish objectives.

• Makes decisions or recommendations for hiring, promotions, transfers, disciplinary action, and other personnel actions as necessary.

• Coaches, counsels and supports staff to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Consistently educates and advises staff on organizational rules, regulations, policies and procedures. Supports creative thinking and problem solving and encourages participatory decision making when appropriate.

• Provides training and job enrichment opportunities and encourages professional growth and development.

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Act as a liaison between creative services and external partners such as other local channel 8s when needed.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

-Employees are held accountable for all duties of this job-

SCOPE OF AUTHORITY:

Receives general supervision under the direction of the director of communication and engagement. Prepares and/or develops plans for projects and programs involving coordination with other departments and/or outside organizations. Few precedents and/or procedures are readily available. Employee originates and develops complex ideas in new and undefined areas impacting a major segment of the organization.

Financial Accountability:

Responsible for developing the budget for division/department. Responsible for making decisions that affect the outcome of allocations of money for projects. Makes recommendations to supervisor for budget allocations pertaining to the department. Approves expenditures up to a certain amount and prepares financial statements and reports. Monitors the tracking of accounts payable and/or receivables. Responsible for researching and recommending equipment purchases up to $100,000 per year and personnel contracts up to $50,000 per year for KATV.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Directly supervises KATV8/Creative Services staff.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES:

The work environment/physical activities described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.

Work is primarily performed in an office environment with moderate noise levels and occasional outdoor environments for video shoots. Physical effort and activities include: occasionally operating a personal or City-owned motor vehicle to drive to and from meetings and business locations; ability to talk, hear and listen, use of hands/fingers to type and handle, feel or manipulate objects constantly; frequent sitting; occasional standing, walking, and reaching with hands and arms; visual acuity to focus on details at a close distance, and make general observations and inspections; frequent handling of objects weighing up to 10 pounds, and up to 50 pounds occasionally.

MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION, LICENSE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE):

Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Broadcast Journalism, or related field or equivalent combination of education and related experience Five (5) years of experience in creative services, content strategy, digital communications, or a related field. Three (3) years of supervisory experience. Experience with video production and editing, web design, or animation. Experience with still photography. Familiarity with data analytics tools to assess content performance and inform strategy. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt to changing prior. A valid Colorado driver's license and acceptable driving record is required.

The City is anEqualEmployment Opportunity

The City's Core values are in every employee's individual Performance Plan which helps us to reinforce our expectations for living and working by our Core Values.

Every City employee is expected to perform his/her job to the highest professional standards. This includes upholding the City's values with integrity and accountability, acting in a manner that is respectful and inclusive towards others, and adhering to the City's policy on employee conduct as detailed in the personnel rules sec. 70-143.

Vision:We Dream Big and Deliver

Mission: We are dedicated to delivering superior services to enhance the lives of everyone in our community.

Values:

Innovation:We excel in creativity, flexibility and the use of best practices while valuing diverse backgrounds, ideas and perspectives.

Passion: We are a high performing, inclusive team inspiring each other to pursue excellence.

Opportunity:We value our diversity, embrace possibilities, face challenges, persevere and take action to deliver quality results.