Creative Services Manager

Team Penske’s Creative team leads the team’s content, social and digital strategy and execution for internal and external channels including social, as well as team and partner requests, across all series in which Team Penske participates. Those on the team are provided a unique opportunity to be creative storytellers for a top-tier professional sports team.

The Creative team is a part of the Team Penske Communications team and serves as a key resource for Team Penske’s Marketing department, which helps foster relationships with the team’s 45+ corporate partners. This coverage extends to working through relevant social strategy and storytelling needs with the team’s drivers, collaborating closely with the team’s public relations representatives, in addition to the brand and licensing team.

The Creative Services Manager will lead the team responsible for content creation and management of the cohesive brand tone and image across Team Penske’s digital mediums, as well as supporting the strategy and growth of Team Penske’s social properties. This role oversees production of all in-house content ideation and production through graphics, photography and video, as well as tactful social execution and data analytics and reporting, mindful of needs across the team, its partners and key stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have strong collaboration and organizational skills, including 7+ years of experience related to managing a creative team and its processes. A passion for storytelling and thought leadership is key. The role will require travel.

Responsibilities

Team & Project Management

• Lead day-to-day management of the creative services team across its content, digital, and social verticals

• Oversee all phases and timelines related to creative projects, including planning, execution/production, partner liaising, distribution, and reporting

• Implement a system/calendar for tracking, reporting and visibility into creative services workload and output, supporting ongoing project management

• Maintain that projects are presented and delivered in a timely fashion and at the highest quality

• Drive reporting on delivered content and related social performance both to internal stakeholders and external partners

• Produce creative team travel schedules both related to race events and marketing operations to ensure appropriate staffing at related activities

• Set clear and measurable objectives and goals for the team to drive production

• Provide ongoing feedback to team members to support professional growth, including leading annual performance reviews

• Identify hardware and software tools and resources to assist in overall efficiency of team operations including delegation, project execution, content distribution and archiving

• Manage special projects as assigned

Communication and Collaboration

• Serve as creative team lead, collaborating with team leaders and directors to align creative services with internal and external stakeholder expectations

• Participate actively in internal meetings, as well as partner meetings, to devise engaging and strategic programs to showcase our team, drivers and partners

• Foster a creative and collaborative work environment for creative team members that drives a cohesive and compelling approach

• Support development and management of team’s editorial calendar which includes applicable dates and milestones to drive content ideation and production

• Oversee relationships with sanctioning bodies and broadcast partners to understand guidelines for shooting at events, as well as procuring licensed/archived video for team use and relevant projects

• Mentor team members in best practices and approach to content creation and strategy, including fostering their professional development through hands-on activities and trainings

Social Strategy and Content Production

• Oversee social media content creation, posting strategies and trends; working closely with the social media manager on calendar maintenance and implementation

• Understand best practices of varying social and digital platforms to develop content within the guidelines of the designated mediums

• Direct maintenance and reporting of Team Penske’s social performance metrics to show success and impact of creative output, as well as guide a strategic approach to forthcoming content development and social programming

• Work closely with team’s third-party vendors in photography and video production to maximize resources including photo shot lists and imagery organization, as well as access of assets to internal team and partner ecosystem

• Possess ability to lead and prepare annual production days, as well as project- and partner-specific production requests

• Actively research emerging video and graphic trends and technology to find opportunities for implementation and position Team Penske as a content leader

• Support team in executing content creation where applicable, including photography and videography

Brand Identity & Elevation

• Align team communications and content output with the Penske brand identity

• Drive and maintain a cohesive look across team channels and online presence including mediums like digital newsletter, website and team communications

• Work alongside the Team Penske brand team for unified aesthetic and relevant approvals of brand elements

• Investigate innovative ideas to elevate the Team Penske brand and establish the team as thought leaders and trendsetters within creative services

• Serve as an active contributor to elevating the Team Penske and Penske brand, maximizing team resources to do so

• Understand privacy restrictions when shooting at a place of business (i.e., race shop) or other licensed protected venues/events

Qualifications

• Minimum 6-7+ years of relevant experience related to managing a creative services team across all creative areas including graphic design, video production, photography, social media and performance analytics

• Sports and/or professional sports team experience, as well as partner marketing experience, is preferred

• Advanced experience and proficiency in content production equipment and related creative software, specifically the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere and After Effects)

• Ability to adapt and react to evolving storylines and industry trends

• Be a strategic thinker who connects Team Penske’s team members, drivers, partners and history to authentic storytelling

• Actively rally team members to put forth engaging and original concepts and influence creativity

• Dedicated to building trust and leading conversations with team leaders and partners to deliver exceptional work

• Passionate about creative storytelling and inspiring team members in a similar fashion

• Firm understanding of social platforms and a strategic approach to social planning and execution

• Exceptional level of organization and attention to detail

• Self-starter and highly motivated to succeed

• Bachelor\’s degree or equivalent work experience within the field

• Ability to work weekends and travel as required; mostly race weekends (both NASCAR and INDYCAR, in addition to IMSA) with some weekday travel required

• Adherence to all company policies and procedures

What you can expect in return

• An opportunity to work with globally recognized brands across multiple top-tier motorsports series

• A network of team members to collaborate and be creative with as you share the success, history and milestones of a Championship-winning team

• A treasure trove of storytelling opportunities founded in the organization’s 60-year history