Director of Advertising and Creative Design

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Grand Casino Mille Lacs/Hinckley

Director of Advertising and Creative Services

DEPARTMENT:

Advertising and Creative Services

EXEMPT (Y/N):

Y

REPORTS TO:

Head of Marketing Strategy

SALARY GRADE:

E12

Lead the Vision. Elevate the Brand. Drive Results.

As the Director of Advertising and Creative Services, you’ll serve as Grand Casino’s enterprise advertising leader and the primary advertising business partner to property leadership. You’ll translate business objectives into integrated advertising, creative, media, and content solutions across Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Hinckley, leading a hybrid in-house model that pairs the speed and brand knowledge of internal resources with the scale and specialized capabilities of external partners. You’ll set clear priorities, develop Associates, strengthen workflow and accountability, protect the Grand Casino brand, and ensure campaigns are delivered with strategic focus, creative excellence, operational discipline, and measurable impact.

What You’ll Do

Leadership + Business Partnership

• Lead Advertising and Creative Services as a shared service supporting Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Hinckley.
• Serve as the primary advertising business partner to property leadership, translating business objectives, audiences, market conditions, and revenue priorities into clear recommendations and into annual and campaign-level advertising plans.
• Lead, coach, and develop Associates through role clarity, performance expectations, development plans, cross-training, and succession readiness, including mentoring, stretch assignments, and readiness plans that support Band Member advancement.
• Present strategies, concepts, budgets, risks, and results clearly to property leaders, senior leadership, and cross-functional partners.

Advertising + Creative Direction

• Set the creative vision and quality standards for advertising campaigns, brand communications, promotional materials, and Guest-facing content across print, digital, social, email, web, signage, video, broadcast, and on-property channels.
• Lead integrated campaigns from business brief through strategy, concept, production, media activation, launch, and performance review.
• Develop campaign briefs that define the business problem, audience, objective, message, offer, deliverables, timing, budget parameters, compliance considerations, and measures of success.
• Provide creative direction from concept through final production and oversee brand governance, ensuring work is strategically sound, Guest-centered, accessible, and consistent with Grand Casino brand standards, voice, visual identity, trademarks, and required disclosures.
• Guide integrated media and channel planning with internal specialists and Strategic Partners so the creative idea, audience strategy, media approach, and on-property execution work together.

Creative Operations + Agency Management

• Own advertising intake, briefing, prioritization, capacity planning, scheduling, and status reporting, creating one clear front door for requests without becoming the approver of every project.
• Coordinate internal creative, production, digital, media, and project-management resources so campaigns move efficiently from concept through execution, launch, and closeout.
• Manage agency, production, and vendor relationships, including scope, estimates, deliverables, timelines, quality, and performance review; recommend the internal-versus-external resource model for each assignment based on strategic importance, capability, speed, cost, and risk.
• Establish service standards, workflow controls, templates, approval paths, and version control; lead campaign readiness reviews and resolve competing priorities, unclear decision rights, incomplete briefs, and capacity constraints before they affect launch quality or timing.

Budget + Performance + Compliance

• Provide budget recommendations and manage approved departmental, campaign, production, and agency expenditures; review estimates, monitor commitments and forecasts, identify variances, and pursue efficient use of resources.
• Define campaign KPIs with business and analytics partners, and ensure campaign recaps connect creative and media performance to awareness, visitation, retention, revenue, or other approved business outcomes.
• Use research, Guest insights, competitive activity, market trends, and campaign results to strengthen creative strategy and to identify opportunities in personalization, production efficiency, and the responsible use of emerging tools and artificial intelligence under Grand Casino technology and AI governance policies.
• Partner with appropriate leaders and subject-matter experts to ensure advertising complies with applicable gaming, promotional, privacy, accessibility, intellectual-property, and sponsorship requirements, including GRA and DGR obligations.
• Perform other departmental duties as assigned to contribute to the overall success and efficiency of the team.

What You Bring

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Design, Business, or a related field preferred. An associate degree with relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience, will be considered.
• Experience: Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience in advertising, creative services, integrated marketing, media, or brand management.
• Leadership: Two (2) or more years of experience leading people, or leading cross-functional projects with responsibility for directing the work of others.
• Campaign + Agency Experience: Demonstrated experience leading or substantially contributing to campaigns from brief through creative development, production, launch, and performance review, including managing or coordinating agencies, production partners, scopes of work, budgets, and timelines.
• Creative Portfolio: A portfolio or work samples demonstrating integrated advertising or creative work will be requested from all candidates as part of the selection process.
• Skills: Strong creative judgment, business and financial acumen, project and workflow management, presentation, facilitation, negotiation, coaching, conflict resolution, and executive communication skills. Balances bold ideas with sound judgment, financial discipline, and respect for deadlines.
• Technical Knowledge: Working knowledge of the digital, social, email and SMS, paid media, print, broadcast, and on-property channels listed above, with proficiency in project-management, creative-review, digital-asset-management, and marketing-performance tools.
• Preferred: Experience in casino gaming, hospitality, entertainment, resort, or another highly regulated, Guest-focused, multi-channel environment, including property promotions, entertainment, player loyalty, and Guest segmentation.
• Licensing: Must be able to secure and maintain a license from the Gaming Regulatory Authority (GRA) and follow all Detailed Gaming Regulations (DGRs).
• Preference: Mille Lacs Band Member and American Indian preference will be exercised in the hiring process.

Success Measures

• Grand Casino has one clear advertising leader connecting property strategy, agency work, internal production, creative quality, brand standards, workflow, and campaign performance.
• Property leaders receive responsive, well-reasoned recommendations and clear visibility to priorities, timing, budgets, and risks.
• Campaigns are strategically focused, creatively strong, compliant, on brand, delivered with discipline, and evaluated against agreed business outcomes.
• The team has clear roles, effective processes, and consistent accountability across both properties, with a visible pathway for internal talent, including Band Members, into advertising and creative leadership.

Physical Requirements + Work Environment

• Position supports both Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Hinckley, with regular travel between properties and other business locations as required.
• Work is primarily sedentary and includes frequent use of computers and mobile devices, extended periods of sitting and viewing screens, and frequent communication with Associates, Guests, and Strategic Partners. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
• Work requires periodic standing, walking, and movement throughout casino and resort facilities to review creative output, signage, and on-property execution, and occasional lifting of materials up to twenty-five (25) pounds.
• Work may involve exposure to indoor casino environments, including noise, smoke, crowds, and varied lighting, as well as outdoor elements during events or production activities. Availability for occasional nights, weekends, and holidays as business needs require.

What You’ll Get

Growth + Support

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision).
• 401(k) with employer match, tuition reimbursement, and paid parental leave.
• Generous PTO, holiday pay, and recognition for birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones.
• Opportunities for professional development and advancement within Grand Casino.

Culture + Legacy

• A culture grounded in the Seven Values: Wisdom, Love, Respect, Truth, Humility, Bravery, and Honesty.
• A foundation of Servant Leadership that fosters empowerment, decision-making, and engagement across all levels of the organization.
• A workplace that celebrates individuality, community impact, and purpose-driven service.
• Every experience we create is Friendly, Effortless, Fun, and Memorable — for our Guests and for each other.