Thornton and Lever will assume the newly created roles immediately and report to the agency’s executive creative director, Darren Bailes.
VCCP introduced the extra layer of creative management in response to the agency’s growth. Thornton and Lever will support Bailes in looking after the creative output for all of VCCP’s clients, which include Comparethemarket.com and O2.
Thornton joined VCCP in 2012, having worked at agencies including J Walter Thompson and Mother. He said: "It is both an honour and a privilege to be offered this position, especially alongside such a talented young thrusting whippersnapper like Matt.
"I feel a bit like Sir Stanley Matthews must have felt, still playing for Stoke in the first division at the age of 50."
Lever joined VCCP in 2015 from Wieden & Kennedy Portland, where he was a copywriter and worked on accounts including Nike and Old Spice. He said: "Zeta-Jones and Douglas. Murdoch and Hall. Hefner and most of the Bunnies. Conclusive proof that intergenerational relationships can be a success.
"And that’s why I’m certain that Jim and I are going to really enjoy working together to make VCCP the best it can be. Albeit in a purely platonic sense."