Title: Strategic Brand and Creative Manager
State Role Title:
Hiring Range: $124,000 to $162,000
Pay Band: UG
Agency: Virginia Lottery
Location: Virginia Lottery
Agency Website: www.valottery.com
Recruitment Type: Agency Employee Only - A
Job Duties
For more than three decades, the Virginia Lottery has worked to build a strong reputation, one synonymous with providing fun, entertaining experiences and doing so responsibly and with integrity. Proceeds from traditional Lottery games support K-12 public education in Virginia. Taxes generated by sports wagering and casino gaming, which are regulated by the Lottery, benefit other priorities of the Commonwealth.
The Virginia Lottery is currently seeking a Strategic Brand and Creative Manager to join our Marketing Department.
The Strategic Brand & Creative Manager is responsible for developing the overall creative direction of the Lottery. This position will lead the entire Brand & Advertising Team by setting the overall creative direction that best aligns with the Lottery objectives.
The Strategic Brand & Creative Manager will oversee the creative process for creative designs and advertising campaigns from concept to execution to ensure consistency across all projects and maintain high standards of quality and innovation. This position will effectively translate design and campaign concepts to the Deputy Executive Director of Marketing and other internal stakeholders that will be completed by the Brand & Advertising Team. This position will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure a cohesive message and unified brand identity for the Lottery.
The Strategic Brand & Creative Manager will work closely with the Lottery’s media buying partner to ensure that creative campaigns are effectively supported and delivered to the public. The position will provide strategic direction on media and event sponsorships. The Strategic Brand & Creative Manager will oversee and set the creative budgets. This position will establish short-term and long-term goals for the Brand & Advertising team.
Creative Direction and Oversight duties include:
• Develop the overall creative direction and strategy including the brand image.
• Oversee the creative process for creative designs and advertising concepts from concept to execution.
• Maintain consistency across all projects.
• Ensure high standards of quality and innovation in all advertising.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to align creative projects with strategic objectives.
• Manage the overall relationship with relevant third-party partners for creative development support.
• Consistently update the Lottery’s brand guidelines to reflect changes in offerings and position in market.
• Establish policies and procedures that ensure creative designs and advertising campaigns are completed on time and on budget.
• Monitor the performance of advertising efforts to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Research advertising trends and make recommendations/changes for potential improvements.
Media Buying duties include:
• Lead the media buying process with the Lottery’s media buying partner to develop an effective media plan for distributing the campaign assets.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to develop additional opportunities to communicate campaign creative to players.
• Ensure that the media plan aligns with the Lottery’s overall vision of engagement with players.
• Identify new media opportunities and work with the media buying partner to review and test new opportunities.
• Research media trends and make recommendations/changes for potential improvements.
Sponsorships & Events duties include:
• Provide strategic direction and oversight into the selection and execution of media and events sponsorships.
• Lead efforts to optimize the efficiency of executing at events including the selling of games.
• Establish and report on agreed upon KPIs with internal stakeholders to maintain alignment on results.
• Research sponsorships and events trends and help identify new potential sponsorship partners.
• Ensure that all sponsorships, events, and premiums align with the overall Marketing direction.
Management & Budget Tracking duties include:
• Lead and mentor the Brand & Advertising Team.
• Ensure that all tools and contract needs necessary to succeed are procured for the team and readily available.
• Effectively communicate any updates or high-level direction to the team.
• Communicate and reinforce the overall direction for the Lottery.
• Recruit and develop the necessary team members.
• Establish short-term and long-term goals for the Brand & Advertising team.
• Set and oversee the campaign production budget, campaign media budget, creative design, sponsorships and events budget.
• Collaborate with all cost center managers and internal teams to ensure spending is within approved budget and funds are moved between cost centers as appropriate.
Note - This position requires in-office work three days per week including Tuesday and Wednesday.
Minimum Qualifications
• BA in Marketing or Advertising.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in the field of marketing/advertising.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience on an internal advertising team for a gaming operator and/or lottery.
• Effective communication and organizational skills required.
• Knowledge in the principles, practices and theory of advertising and creative production and the policies and procedures governing their application.
• Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing with all levels in many different departments within the Lottery and with external stakeholders.
• Ability to oversee creative development and vision that is effective in achieving its objective.
• Ability to develop an effective media buying campaign for creative campaigns.
• Ability to manage complex programs requiring the involvement of groups inside and outside the Lottery.
• Ability to analyze the performance of campaigns from start to finish.
• Knowledge of administration and operations of state lotteries and the lottery industry.
• Effectively execute strong advertising campaigns.
• Ability to work within tight timelines.
• Ability to manage multiple projects without missing deadlines.
• Ability to utilize vendor resources to develop cohesive and effective programs.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with Marketing, Sales, and Communications and Customer Relations teams.
A comparable amount of training and experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications.
Additional Considerations
See Minimum Qualifications.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
The selected candidate will be required to complete a background investigation.
The Virginia Lottery is unable to provide sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
The Virginia Lottery is an independent state agency, and as such all positions are exempt from the Virginia Personnel Act, as well as most Executive Branch human resources policies. The Virginia Lottery is a fun place to work and values diversity in the workforce. We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits. The Virginia Lottery is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Only online applications completed in their entirety will be accepted for this position. The Virginia Lottery will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodation to applicants in need of accommodation in order to provide access to the application and/or interview process. If any assistance is needed when applying online, please contact the Virginia Lottery’s Human Resources Department at (804) 692-7000.
Applications will be accepted until a suitable pool of candidates is received. After 5 business days, this position may be closed at any time.
Contact Information
Name: Human Resources
Phone: 804-692-7000
Email: N/A
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.