Executive Director, Creative Design, Department of Athletics

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Job Description Summary

Job Description

Essential Functions:

• Creative Leadership & Direction
  • Provide overall creative direction design leadership and visual storytelling strategy for Wake Forest Athletics across all print digital social in-venue and event platforms.
  • Lead the execution of major Athletics and University-level design initiatives including campaigns institutional events postseason branding bowl design needs major announcements sport-specific branding and strategic graphic needs.
  • Uphold and advance Wake Forest Athletics brand identity ensuring consistent application of visual standards across all units and external channels.
  • Partner closely with Communications Fan Experience Creative Video Photography Deacon Club Ticketing Facilities and Licensing to deliver integrated creative campaigns.
• Creative Staff Leadership & Management
  • Manage mentor and develop the two Assistant Directors Creative Design establishing clear roles workflows and accountability.
  • Coordinate daily and long-range project workflows to balance volume deadlines and creative quality.
  • Oversee creative collaboration with student workers contractors and external partners as needed.
  • Create and enforce design processes and request systems that ensure efficiency and clarity.
• Examples of Projects by Area Include
  • Fan Experience & Game Presentation: Weekly This Week at Home assets sport-specific game graphics orientation and Wake the Demons materials A-frames/banners and t-shirt/giveaway designs.
  • Deacon Club / Development: Membership and ILC guides donor collateral event branding (alumni weekends ILC events BOD/AAC) major fundraising event creative invitation mailers Hall of Fame and Scholarship Brunch materials.
  • Communications Support: Annual awards and recognition graphics Hall of Fame/Trailblazer/Moffitt assets memorial graphics institutional celebration logos and brand-strategy collaboration.
  • Licensing & Merchandise: Logo creation and updates championship marks retail/t-shirt graphics and marketing design templates.
  • Ticketing: Football/Mens Basketball ticket collateral parking passes and ticket sales campaign graphics.
  • Facilities Signage & Venue Branding: Large-scale facility branding postseason and event signage maps and operational signage and annual stadium/venue updates.
  • Event Operations: Credential design postseason/tailgate branding event logo creation and annual event collateral refreshes.
  • Campus Life & Student Engagement: Materials for We Are Wake Wake Women first-year traditions student tailgate #WFFridays Deacs Decide and other campus-partner events.
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Serve as a liaison for Athletics content creators working closely with internal and external departments to execute campaigns generate revenue and communicate Wake Forests brand and institutional messaging.
  • Assist with shooting photography shooting and editing video (as able) and creating graphics as needed.
  • Work with Assistant AD of Communications & Content on weekly analytics reports and sets future goals and benchmarks.
  • Assist fan experience communication Deacon Club and ticketing staff with the execution of creative media needs in support of ticket sales attendance and fundraising.
  • Provide leadership in coordination with the Assistant AD of Creative & Communications and Senior Director of Creative Media & Content Strategy and Assistant AD Creative & Communications in determining creative direction plans estimates & timetables for projects.
  • Upholds Wake Forest Athletics branding guidelines & identity standards.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

Lead Creative Graphic Designers student design volunteers and design interns.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Graphic Design Fine Arts Communications or related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in design branding or creative leadership (college athletics or higher education experience preferred).
• Mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop Illustrator InDesign; After Effects preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to lead creative teams and deliver high-quality high-volume design work under tight deadlines.
• Advanced understanding of branding typography color theory layout and visual hierarchy.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with communicators videographers photographers administrators coaches and external partners.
• Strong storytelling capabilities with an understanding of Athletics brand voice and visual identity.
• Ability to work evenings weekends and irregular hours as required by Athletics events.

Knowledge Skills Abilities:

• Professional optimistic positive problem-solver.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience within the NCAA Division I college athletics program desired.
• Proven success producing creative and innovative multi-media content as well as experience in other multi-media production platforms (web sites animation graphic design) desired
• Ability to translate ideas and understand limitations in a variety of creative applications such as Adobe Creative Suite Adobe Premier Photoshop Prelude Lightroom Google Drive along with limitations of physical production and computer generated post production techniques.
• Creative thinker who can balance the institutional brand and key Athletics initiatives with novel concepts.
• Familiarity with digital media workflows and audio production equipment including the various uses capabilities applications limitations and costs.
• Must possess superior image-making and storytelling capabilities.
• Must collaborate with a variety of media experts across integrated campaigns.
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently; ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in high pressure situations.
• Knowledge of superior customer service standards and practices.
• Ability to work after hours and/or weekends and on-call as specified by supervisor and availability to travel with teams.
• Valid driver license with good driving record; must be insurable.

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Note to Applicant:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race color religion national origin sex age sexual orientation gender identity and expression genetic information disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please contact or .