Head of Creative, Athleta

About the role

The Head of Creative for Athleta leads the brand’s visual identity and storytelling across all consumer touchpoints, driving creative excellence that connects purpose, performance, and community.

Reporting directly to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Head of Creative is a key member of the Athleta Leadership Team and oversees the internal creative organization—including art direction, copywriting, design, and styling—while partnering cross-functionally across Marketing, Product, Visual Merchandising, and external creative agencies.

This role will champion emotionally resonant, strategically grounded creative that evolves how customers experience and engage with the Athleta brand.

Responsibilities

• Center on the Customer: Lead and evolve a creative strategy that authentically connects with women and girls, inspiring confidence, movement, and connection.
• Champion creative concepts that build belonging and purpose across retail, digital, social, packaging, and experiential channels.
• Ensure all creative expressions reflect Athleta’s unique brand voice, maintaining consistency and emotional resonance across every touchpoint.
• Leverage consumer and cultural insights to inform creative decisions that drive engagement and strengthen brand connection.
• Lead with Purpose and Performance: Define and execute a holistic creative vision aligned with Athleta’s long-range brand plan and marketing strategy.
• Drive a high-performance creative culture that values inclusivity, innovation, and results.
• Partner with Brand Marketing, Product, and Visual Merchandising to ensure creative direction supports business goals and strengthens Athleta’s market distinction.
• Collaborate with external agencies to deliver integrated campaigns that uphold brand integrity and inspire meaningful consumer action.
• Inspire and Develop Teams: Build and inspire a diverse, world-class creative organization through mentorship, empowerment, and ongoing development.
• Athlete teams who bring Athleta’s mission and values to life.

Requirements

• Creative Leadership: 10+ years of progressive creative direction experience within 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, G-Suite, Keynote, and related tools.
• Flexibility: Willingness to travel as needed to support creative initiatives and cross-functional collaboration.