-By Andrew McMains

NEW YORK TBWA\Chiat\Day is in contract negotiations with Young & Rubicam Chicago chief creative officer Mark Figliulo about taking the top creative job in its New York office, sources said.

It is believed that the role also involves New York management duties. The agency declined to comment, and Figliulo could not immediately be reached.

If Figliulo accepts the offer from the Omnicom Group shop, he'll fill a creative vacancy left by the early March exit of executive creative director Gerry Graf, who became chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi here.

Figliulo has worked at WPP Group's Y&R since late 1999 on accounts such as Sears and Miller Brewing Co., for which the agency handles Miller Genuine Draft. A Y&R representative had no immediate comment.

TBWA\C\D New York's top clients include Mars (Snickers, Skittles, Starburst, Combos), Biersdorf (Nivea) and Absolut.

At Saatchi, Graf succeeded Tony Granger, who in November resigned to become worldwide cd at Y&R, though he remains at Saatchi, given the one-year notice period in his contract. Sources, however, now expect Granger to join Y&R here in early May.