Sporting Kansas City · 19 hours ago
Head of Creative
Kansas City, MO
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expSporting Kansas City is seeking a visionary Head of Creative to lead and inspire their creative organization across all fan touchpoints. This role is responsible for setting the creative direction and storytelling while driving innovation and emotional connection with fans.
Sports
Responsibilities
Define and evolve the creative vision and brand identity across all channels
Champion a fan-first approach to storytelling that reflects Sporting KC’s heritage, values, and product promise
Lead the development of seasonal creative strategies and designs that align with business goals and marketing campaigns
Leverage consumer and cultural insights to inform creative decisions that drive engagement and strengthen brand connection
Inspire, mentor, and manage a multidisciplinary team of merchandise, creative director, designers, videographers, and photographers
Foster a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement
Collaborate cross-functionally with Partnerships, Youth Soccer, Ticketing, Marketing, E-commerce, and Retail teams to ensure creative direction supports business goals and strengthens Sporting KC’s club distinction
Champion a fan-first approach, ensuring all design and merchandising decisions enhance engagement, conversion, and loyalty
Define and execute a holistic creative vision aligned with Sporting’s long-range brand plan and marketing strategy
Oversee the creation of high-impact creative assets with a digital-first mindset (social, e-commerce, email), stadium and in-store environments
Drive a high-performance creative culture that values innovation and results, while ensuring creative expressions reflect Sporting KC’s unique brand voice, maintaining consistency and emotional resonance across every touchpoint
Lead creative innovation by exploring emerging trends, cultural insights, and emerging technologies that keep Sporting Kansas City’s brand innovative, relevant and aspirational across the MLS
Measure and assess creative effectiveness, optimizing output to maximize brand and business impact
Champion creative consistency across all channels—retail, digital, social, stadium and events—to deliver a cohesive and inspiring brand experience
Define and track KPIs to measure visual merchandising’s impact on the fan experience
Partner with external agencies and vendors as needed to scale creative output
Collaborate with external agencies to deliver integrated campaigns that uphold brand integrity and inspire meaningful consumer action
Encourage cross-functional partnership to align creative execution with marketing and brand storytelling
Align physical and digital experiences through integrated design systems and innovation
Qualification
Required
10+ years of progressive creative direction experience within sports, apparel, lifestyle, or agency environments
Proven success driving brand evolution through emotionally resonant, purpose-driven creative work
Experience developing and mentoring diverse, high-performing creative teams
Strong ability to build trust and alignment across internal partners and external agencies
Expertise in design, photography, and digital best practices with a strong understanding of omnichannel marketing
Ability to assess and optimize creative performance against business goals
Exceptional storytelling, presentation, and interpersonal skills
Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Workfront, G-Suite, Keynote, and related tools
Willingness to travel as needed to support creative initiatives and cross-functional collaboration
Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Marketing, Communication, or a related field
Portfolio of work that reflects omnichannel creative leadership
Strategic and conceptual thinker with a deep understanding of brand storytelling
Inspirational leader with excellent communication and presentation skills
Highly collaborative with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization
Passion for quality, craftsmanship, and the customer experience
Clear understanding of merchandise design
Understanding of soccer culture and/or professional sports
Preferred
Master's degree or additional certifications in Creative Direction or Brand Strategy is a plus
Company
Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City is proud to be the only professional sports organization in Kansas City
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Alan Dietrich
Chief Operating Officer
Dan Lolli
Chief Operating Officer
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