NovationIQ is hiring: Head of Creative in Kansas City

Job Description Summary

Sporting Kansas City is seeking a visionary Head of Creative to lead and inspire our creative organization across all fan touchpoints, driving creative excellence that connects purpose, performance, and soccer culture. The role sets the creative direction, design, and storytelling while driving innovation and emotional connection with our fans. The candidate is a strategic and conceptual thinker with deep understanding of brand storytelling and will work directly with national partners like adidas and the MLS office. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Head of Creative leads the internal creative & merchandise team, including art direction, copywriting, design, video, merchandise and styling, and partners cross‑functionally across teams and external agencies.
Essential Functions

Creative Leadership & Vision

– With the CMO, 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.
Team Management & Collaboration

– 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.
Execution & Innovation

– 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.
Operational Excellence

– 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.
Cross‑Functional Partnership

– 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.
Skills & Experience

Experience: Creative Leadership – 10+ years of progressive creative direction experience within sports, apparel, lifestyle, or agency environments.
Strategic Storytelling – Proven success driving brand evolution through emotionally resonant, purpose‑driven creative work.
Team Building – Experience developing and mentoring diverse, high‑performing creative teams.
Collaboration – Strong ability to build trust and alignment across internal partners and external agencies.
Execution Excellence – Expertise in design, photography, and digital best practices with a strong understanding of omnichannel marketing.
Analytical Mindset – Ability to assess and optimize creative performance against business goals.
Inspirational Communicator – Exceptional storytelling, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
Tools – Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Workfront, G‑Suite, Keynote, and related tools.
Flexibility – Willingness to travel as needed to support creative initiatives and cross‑functional collaboration.
Education – Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Marketing, Communication, or a related field. Master’s degree or additional certifications in Creative Direction or Brand Strategy is a plus.
Key Competencies

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.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Sporting Kansas City is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create an empowering environment for a diverse and inclusive team of associates and celebrate individuals from all backgrounds.

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