Associate Design Director, Growth

Confirmed live in the last 24 hours

VML (Wunderman Thompson)

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Hybrid

Posted March 16, 2026

Job Description

Who We Are

VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

About WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

Who We Are Looking For

We are seeking a dynamic and creative Associate Design Director to lead design initiatives within our fast-paced Growth Team. This role is at the heart of our new business efforts, responsible for guiding the compelling visual narratives that win pitches for VML and our integrated WPP partners. As a hands-on design leader, you will be instrumental in translating strategic opportunities into visually stunning, 360-degree experiences, mentoring a talented team of creatives while driving our growth across North American and global opportunities.

What You'll Do

Lead the design and execution of all visual components for new business pitches, collaborating with strategists, writers, and account leads from initial concepts to final delivery.
Oversee and contribute to the creation of compelling, high-impact presentation decks across Keynote, PowerPoint, and Google Slides that tell a clear and persuasive story.
Mentor and guide junior creatives, providing constructive feedback to foster their growth and ensure design excellence across all pitch materials.
Conceptualize and direct the design of immersive room installations, printed collateral, microsites, and video assets that create memorable brand experiences.
Champion design excellence and creative innovation within the Growth team, ensuring all work is strategically sound and visually impeccable.

Who You Are

A Strategic Leader: You are a hands-on leader who not only connects the dots between a business challenge and a creative solution but also inspires your team to see and execute that vision.
An Effective Collaborator & Mentor: You build strong partnerships with a diverse team and have a passion for developing creative talent, guiding others to bring a unified vision to life under tight deadlines.
A Proactive & Resilient Driver: You excel in a fast-paced, high-volume setting, embracing ambiguity and leading your team to drive bold ideas forward and win.

What You'll Need

Proven experience leading design in a high-volume environment, with a portfolio that showcases leadership on brand identity systems, presentation design, and production.
Demonstrated experience in mentoring junior designers and providing clear, actionable creative direction.
Expert-level proficiency in Keynote, PowerPoint, and Google Slides is essential.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to articulate and defend design decisions to internal and external stakeholders.
Experience across diverse categories (e.g., CPG, phar

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