The One Centre is a full-service ideas and innovation agency for brands that relies on a global team of in-house and freelance designers and creatives. General Manager, Katie Molloy, always tries to recruit “ambidextrous” branding, design and creative specialists who can deliver cross-disciplinary creative services spanning both design and communications. We chat to Katie about what she looks for in new recruits, and how she fell in love with solving business problems through creative thinking.
Did you have a plan for graduation and what actually happened?
Not at all. I finished my degree and headed straight to Europe for a life of travel. After six months the well of funds was dry and I realized it was time to get a job in London.
I started working in a project assistant role at Ogilvy and soon realised I loved the advertising, brand and design industry and culture, so I accepted a place on the graduate program. My background is in client services, project management and creative strategy, but my passion is delivering in a truly creative way. I love design craft and detail and continue to be passionate about nurturing and creating it.
Give us the elevator pitch on what you do.
I am General Manager at The One Centre, centrally based in Sydney. We are a small, agile branding and marketing innovation company. Clients come to us when they want to do something new. We have a core team who work with clients to help vision this new reality and then build it.
Our roles are very multi-faceted. The beauty of being part of a small agile team is that we get to work on a project end-to-end, working closely with clients to ensure the ambition for the project is followed through at every level. I am the central project director if you like and bring the best specialist resources in to work on the project and engage at the right times.
Talk us through a typical working day for you right now.
On the one hand, I am writing a lot of proposals based on conversations with existing and new clients, outlining how we would approach the business opportunity they have. On the other hand, I am working on running live projects.
Today, for example, I am writing a positioning and creative comms strategy with a digital connections focus for an airline, then reviewing the creative with the team later today. I have met with a new prospect for an exciting innovative product launch in the tech space, so now need to write a proposal for how we would approach their challenge. Plus I am working with a director on a final treatment for a brand video we’re creating. Plus working through creative solutions for the launch of a new loyalty product that is piloting next month. Plus a couple of other small project status reviews. Plus writing this :)
What do you look for in a great portfolio?
Design craft and a considered approach are paramount. I look for evidence of a clear understanding of brands and target audience, and a good understanding of CX in design. Diversity in terms of what they have worked on previously, as well as an ability to work across all mediums and environments.
The designers we hire at The One Centre tend to be quite ambidextrous in their ability to bring brand ideas to life in any context or medium. They can help create a brand’s positioning, and then bring it to life in everything from advertising and branded content to digital, product and merchandise design, fashion, music, events and experiences.
I think many designers understand brand design or brand communication. Fewer understand cross-disciplinary brand expression and experience. At The One Centre, we look for people who can do both.
I look for graduates who are hungry to learn and contribute, who are motivated and energised.
What qualities and skills do you look for in a graduate?
I look for graduates who are hungry to learn and contribute, who are motivated and energised. Beautiful craft is imperative as well as a desire to do things really well. I try to hire people who are all over the latest trends and technologies, and are great communicators who work well in a team.
We seem to attract creative souls who are surrounded by creativity in everything they do. They want to make their mark, and they enjoy working in a more flexible way. We have worked hard to create an environment and culture that rewards diverse thinking.
