Manager, Creative - Social

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Manager, Creative - Social

🔹 Company: Thrivent

🔹 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

🔹 Job Type: Full-Time

🔹 Category: Financial Services

🔹 Date Posted: July 7, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years

🔹 Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Leading a team of social content creators to bring bold, innovative ideas to life.
• Collaborating with Thrivent’s brand and social strategy teams to define and evolve the creative vision for social media content.
• Translating briefs into visually compelling, high-impact video content across platforms.
• Ensuring brand consistency in style, tone, and messaging across all social media assets.
• Staying ahead of social trends, platform updates, and emerging technologies to drive innovation in creative development.

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong background in social media and video content creation, with a deep understanding of the creative development process specific to social content.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing team of social content creators to bring bold, innovative ideas to life.

✅ Guide the team in delivering effective presentations of creative concepts and work, ensuring they are well-researched and tailored to the audience.

✅ Collaborate with Thrivent’s brand and social strategy teams to define and evolve the creative vision for social media content, maintaining alignment with brand strategy.

✅ Work closely with social strategists and creatives to translate briefs into visually compelling, high-impact video content across platforms, using briefs as a key tool to evaluate work.

✅ Ensure brand consistency in style, tone, and messaging across all social media assets.

✅ Stay ahead of social trends, platform updates, social-first video production techniques, and emerging technologies to drive innovation in creative development.

✅ Use data-driven insights to optimize creative content for engagement, shareability, and performance.

✅ Recruit, develop, and sustain a high-performing team while promoting a culture of shared accountability, operational excellence, and partnership across the organization.

✅ Model Thrivent’s leadership competencies – Model the Way, Rally the Team, and Deliver Outcomes.

✅ Support and/or develop an environment in which Thrivent employees and colleagues are focused on continuous improvement, exceptional employee engagement, and an unwavering commitment to clients, shaping and/or supporting a culture that represents Thrivent’s purpose, promise, and values.

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate with a team, as well as a deep understanding of the creative development process and social media trends.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing, design, or a related field.

Experience: 6+ years of corporate communications, journalism, marketing, or creative department/agency experience.

Required Skills:

• Thorough knowledge of the creative development process specific to social content creation.
• Experience in creative team leadership.
• Experience working in a corporation with an internal creative team.
• Has attended photoshoots, video shoots, directed social content creation, etc.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with social media analytics tools.
• Fluency in Spanish (or other languages).

ASSUMPTION: Candidates with a strong portfolio showcasing their creative direction and social media content will be highly competitive for this role.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $107,125 - $144,933 per year. This range factors in various geographic regions and is subject to change based on factors such as location, relevant experience, skills, and knowledge, business needs, market demand, and other factors Thrivent deems important.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health savings account and flexible spending account
• 401k and pension
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid time off, sick and safe time, and paid company holidays
• Volunteer time off and paid parental leave
• Employee assistance program and well-being benefits
• Various bonuses, including annual or long-term incentives

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility for meetings and project deadlines.

ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a manager role in the financial services sector with 6+ years of experience. Actual compensation may vary based on the factors listed above.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Thrivent is a Fortune 500 financial services organization that offers financial advice, investments, insurance, banking, and generosity programs.

Company Size: Thrivent has 5,001-10,000 employees, providing a large and diverse work environment.

Founded: Thrivent was founded in 1902 and has a 100-year legacy in the financial services industry.

Company Description:

• Thrivent is committed to helping people build their financial futures and live more generous lives in their communities and beyond.
• The company believes that money is a tool, not a goal, and focuses on helping clients make the most of all they’ve been given.
• Thrivent offers a wide range of financial services and products to meet the diverse needs of its clients.

Company Specialties:

• Financial advice
• Investments
• Insurance
• Banking
• Generosity programs

Company Website: https://www.thrivent.com

ASSUMPTION: Thrivent’s focus on generosity and helping clients build their financial futures creates a unique work environment that prioritizes purpose and impact.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: This role is a mid-level management position, requiring a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on creative direction.

Reporting Structure: The Manager, Creative - Social will report directly to the Director of Creative Services and oversee a team of social content creators.

Work Arrangement: This role is on-site, with the expectation of working from the Minneapolis headquarters. However, there may be flexibility for remote work on an as-needed basis.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advancement to a senior management role within the creative services department.
• Expansion of responsibilities to include additional channels or content types as the company grows.
• Development of leadership and management skills through mentorship and training opportunities.

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to expand their skills and advance their career within the organization.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Thrivent’s headquarters is a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster creativity and innovation.

Office Location(s): 600 Portland Ave S., Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55415-4402, US

Geographic Context:

• Minneapolis is a vibrant, midwestern city known for its arts, culture, and outdoor recreation opportunities.
• The city has a diverse and growing job market, with a strong presence in the financial services industry.
• Minneapolis offers a high quality of life, with affordable housing, excellent schools, and a strong sense of community.

Work Schedule: The work schedule for this role is Monday through Friday, with core hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, the role may require additional hours to meet project deadlines or attend evening events.

ASSUMPTION: The work environment at Thrivent’s headquarters is designed to support collaboration, creativity, and work-life balance, with a focus on employee well-being and engagement.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Initial phone or video screen with a member of the HR team.
• In-depth behavioral interview with the hiring manager and/or other members of the creative services team.
• Creative challenge or presentation, followed by a final interview with the Director of Creative Services.

Key Assessment Areas:

• Candidates’ understanding of Thrivent’s brand and creative vision.
• Candidates’ ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate with a team of social content creators.
• Candidates’ creative direction and strategic thinking skills.
• Candidates’ ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

Application Tips:

• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role.
• Include a portfolio or examples of your creative direction and social media content work.
• Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

ATS Keywords: Social media, creative direction, video content creation, team leadership, brand strategy, presentation skills, trend analysis, data-driven insights, collaboration, content optimization, employee engagement, continuous improvement, operational excellence, client focus, innovation

ASSUMPTION: Thrivent’s application process is designed to assess candidates’ fit for the role and the organization’s culture, with a focus on behavioral interviewing and creative challenges.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects)
• Social media management platforms (Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer)
• Analytics tools (Google Analytics, Sprout Social Insights, Hootsuite Insights)
• Project management tools (Asana, Trello, JIRA)

ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite and social media management platforms is essential for this role, as they are used daily to create and publish content.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Act with Integrity
• Put People First
• Grow Stronger Together
• Reveal Christ’s Love

Work Style:

• Collaborative and team-oriented
• Focused on continuous learning and improvement
• Committed to delivering high-quality work on time and within budget
• Adaptable and responsive to change

Self-Assessment Questions:

• Do I align with Thrivent’s values and commitment to putting people first?
• Am I comfortable working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment?
• Do I have a strong desire to learn and grow professionally, and am I open to feedback and constructive criticism?

ASSUMPTION: Thrivent’s culture is centered around its values, with a strong emphasis on integrity, collaboration, and putting people first. Candidates who align with these values and are committed to growing stronger together will thrive in this environment.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Managing a team of creatives with varying levels of experience and expertise.
• Balancing the need for innovation and creativity with the requirement to maintain brand consistency and alignment with business goals.
• Keeping up with the fast-paced and ever-changing social media landscape.
• Working with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to ensure creative content aligns with overall business strategy.

ASSUMPTION: These challenges are inherent to the role and require a strong leader who can balance strategic thinking with hands-on creative direction, and who can effectively manage and motivate a team of social content creators.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• This role is unique in its focus on social media content creation and management within the financial services industry.
• Compared to similar roles in other industries, this position requires a strong understanding of financial services and the unique challenges and opportunities that come with creating content for a financial services organization.
• Career paths for this role may include advancement to a senior management role within the creative services department, or expansion of responsibilities to include additional channels or content types as the company grows.

ASSUMPTION: While this role shares similarities with other creative management positions, its focus on social media content creation and management within the financial services industry makes it unique and requires a specific set of skills and experiences.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing a social media content strategy for a new financial product launch, including video content, graphics, and copy.
• Creating a series of social media videos to educate customers about a specific financial topic or product feature.
• Managing a team of social content creators to produce a live social media event, such as a Q&A session with a financial expert.

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the range of responsibilities and creative challenges that the Manager, Creative - Social may face in this role.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• Can you describe the team I will be managing, and what are their current strengths and areas for improvement?
• How does this role fit into the overall creative services department and the organization as a whole?
• What are the biggest challenges facing the creative services department currently, and how can this role help address them?
• How does Thrivent support the professional development and growth of its employees?
• What is the company’s approach to work-life balance, and how does this role fit into that framework?

ASSUMPTION: These questions are designed to help candidates better understand the role, the team, and the company culture, and to assess whether the position is a good fit for their skills, experiences, and career goals.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your resume to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role, including specific examples of your creative direction and social media content work.
• Write a cover letter that explains why you are interested in this role and how your skills and experiences make you a strong fit for the position.
• Prepare a portfolio or examples of your creative direction and social media content work to showcase during the interview process.
• Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to inquire about the status of your application and reiterate your interest in the role.

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.