Associate Creative Director
Champro Sports, Bannockburn, IL, United States
About Us:
Champro® is a privately-owned sporting goods and apparel manufacturer that has been in business for 30+ years. We deliver high-value, traditional & innovative athletic equipment and apparel via outstanding, integrity-driven customer service. Our business philosophy is focused on our customers and we take pride in providing them with the best overall values in team sports products.
Position: Champro is on the rise, and we’re seeking a visionary Associate Creative Director to help shape and elevate our brand. Reporting to the VP of Marketing and partnering closely with the Marketing Director, you will lead the creative team to deliver bold, innovative campaigns that connect with team dealers, partners, and athletes, while supporting key B2C and digital touchpoints.
This is a unique opportunity to build the brand from the ground up—combining hands‑on execution with strategic leadership to ensure every campaign, product launch, and marketing asset is compelling, consistent, and impactful. You’ll bring Champro’s story to life across channels while mentoring a high‑performing team and elevating our visual identity.
Key Responsibilities: Creative Leadership & Brand Direction
Define and lead creative direction across all channels, prioritizing dealer and team focused campaigns while supporting B2C/digital
Translate business objectives into compelling, multi‑channel creative strategies
Ensure consistency across brand voice, visual identity, and storytelling
Evolve and maintain brand standards and guidelines
Lead concept development and execution across digital, print, social, video, experiential, and catalogs
Act as creative steward, approving concepts and final deliverables
Team Leadership & Execution
Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary creative team (design, copy, content)
Oversee end-to-end creative development, ensuring high‑quality, on‑time delivery
Build campaign toolkits and asset systems to support internal teams and partners
Foster a collaborative, high‑performance creative culture
Manage workloads, timelines, and creative budgets
Cross‑Functional Partnership & Activation
Partnering with Marketing, Sales, Product, and Operations to deliver integrated campaigns
Translate brand strategy into dealer‑facing, partner, and athlete‑driven storytelling
Collaborate with external agencies and vendors to deliver best‑in‑class creative
Support rebranding and brand evolution initiatives
Operational Excellence & Innovation
Optimize creative workflows for speed, scale, and quality especially across high‑volume B2B campaigns
Introduce new tools and technologies (including AI) to improve efficiency and output
Use performance data and insights to refine creative and improve ROI
Stay current on trends, tools, and best practices
Qualifications:
5+ years of progressive creative experience, including leadership responsibility
Experience developing B2B and multi‑channel campaigns, with exposure to B2C/digital
Background in team sports, athletic apparel, or related industries preferred
Proven ability to lead and mentor creative teams in fast‑paced environments
Strong portfolio demonstrating integrated campaigns and product storytelling
Deep understanding of team sports culture
Skills & Tools:
Creative direction: strong eye for design, storytelling, and brand systems
Execution: ability to manage multiple projects with speed and precision
Leadership: team development, coaching, and performance management
Collaboration: cross‑functional influence and communication
Software & Tools
Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects)
Figma or Sketch
Wrike (or similar PM tools)
Salsify (or similar DAM/PIM tools)
Microsoft Office / Google Workspace
Company Culture: We are proud to offer eligible associates a full‑range of benefits including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, as well as short‑term and long‑term disability, 401K, Profit Sharing, paid time off, holidays, and reimbursement toward gym membership fees. A collaborative atmosphere working together to exceed our customers’ expectations, as well as, an Equal Opportunity Employer bringing together diverse individuals to develop new and innovative solutions
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Position: Champro is on the rise, and we’re seeking a visionary Associate Creative Director to help shape and elevate our brand. Reporting to the VP of Marketing and partnering closely with the Marketing Director, you will lead the creative team to deliver bold, innovative campaigns that connect with team dealers, partners, and athletes, while supporting key B2C and digital touchpoints.
This is a unique opportunity to build the brand from the ground up—combining hands‑on execution with strategic leadership to ensure every campaign, product launch, and marketing asset is compelling, consistent, and impactful. You’ll bring Champro’s story to life across channels while mentoring a high‑performing team and elevating our visual identity.
Key Responsibilities: Creative Leadership & Brand Direction
Define and lead creative direction across all channels, prioritizing dealer and team focused campaigns while supporting B2C/digital
Translate business objectives into compelling, multi‑channel creative strategies
Ensure consistency across brand voice, visual identity, and storytelling
Evolve and maintain brand standards and guidelines
Lead concept development and execution across digital, print, social, video, experiential, and catalogs
Act as creative steward, approving concepts and final deliverables
Team Leadership & Execution
Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary creative team (design, copy, content)
Oversee end-to-end creative development, ensuring high‑quality, on‑time delivery
Build campaign toolkits and asset systems to support internal teams and partners
Foster a collaborative, high‑performance creative culture
Manage workloads, timelines, and creative budgets
Cross‑Functional Partnership & Activation
Partnering with Marketing, Sales, Product, and Operations to deliver integrated campaigns
Translate brand strategy into dealer‑facing, partner, and athlete‑driven storytelling
Collaborate with external agencies and vendors to deliver best‑in‑class creative
Support rebranding and brand evolution initiatives
Operational Excellence & Innovation
Optimize creative workflows for speed, scale, and quality especially across high‑volume B2B campaigns
Introduce new tools and technologies (including AI) to improve efficiency and output
Use performance data and insights to refine creative and improve ROI
Stay current on trends, tools, and best practices
Qualifications:
5+ years of progressive creative experience, including leadership responsibility
Experience developing B2B and multi‑channel campaigns, with exposure to B2C/digital
Background in team sports, athletic apparel, or related industries preferred
Proven ability to lead and mentor creative teams in fast‑paced environments
Strong portfolio demonstrating integrated campaigns and product storytelling
Deep understanding of team sports culture
Skills & Tools:
Creative direction: strong eye for design, storytelling, and brand systems
Execution: ability to manage multiple projects with speed and precision
Leadership: team development, coaching, and performance management
Collaboration: cross‑functional influence and communication
Software & Tools
Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects)
Figma or Sketch
Wrike (or similar PM tools)
Salsify (or similar DAM/PIM tools)
Microsoft Office / Google Workspace
Company Culture: We are proud to offer eligible associates a full‑range of benefits including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, as well as short‑term and long‑term disability, 401K, Profit Sharing, paid time off, holidays, and reimbursement toward gym membership fees. A collaborative atmosphere working together to exceed our customers’ expectations, as well as, an Equal Opportunity Employer bringing together diverse individuals to develop new and innovative solutions
#J-18808-Ljbffr