Senior Creative Lead

About the role

The Senior Creative Lead for the US creative studio plays a key role in Displate's global art and design teams. The role focuses on Sports and Collectibles, where design quality is most visible to fans and most material to the business. The ideal candidate will build Displate's US creative studio from the ground up and lead art direction across Displate's physical products.

Responsibilities

• Own the creative vision and quality standard for Displate's art production globally
• Lead concepting and execution for Limited Edition drops, collectibles, and retail packaging
• Produce hands-on work while progressively shifting toward full creative direction as the team grows
• Develop and maintain style guides, design systems, and quality standards across the portfolio
• Manage licensor submission and approval processes for all US-originated artwork
• Build the Orlando studio from scratch — workspace, tooling, asset management, team
• Hire and mentor a starting team of 2–3 designers (first hire: Sports Designer)
• Partner with the European studio operations lead to align creative direction across time zones
• Run regular creative reviews across both studios to raise the output standard company-wide
• Partner with the Sports Category Manager on fast-turnaround moments content tied to live events
• Collaborate with Retail and B2B teams on packaging, PDQ displays, and retail-specific creative for Limited Edition and collectibles lines
• Report directly to C-level leadership

Requirements

• 7–10+ years as an illustrator, designer, or art director with a strong portfolio of published product artwork, licensed IP, or entertainment design
• 3–5+ years leading creative teams across multiple product lines, geographies, or studios
• Deep experience with licensed IP (entertainment, sports, gaming, anime) and navigating licensor approval processes
• Expertise in digital illustration and visual storytelling for physical products: prints, collectibles, limited editions, packaging
• Track record of building creative systems — style guides, workflows, quality standards — that scale
• Print production and color management experience is a strong plus
• Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite; proficiency in Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, or equivalent
• A natural cross-functional connector who can hold the creative point of view in a licensor meeting, a retail planning session, and a C-level review
• Entrepreneurial mindset — you build structure in ambiguity and move fast
• Genuine passion for pop culture, sports, anime, gaming, or collectibles

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or related field (optional)
• Experience with AI and data-driven design
• Experience with remote team management

Skills

• Adobe Creative Suite
• Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, or equivalent
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience with digital illustration and visual storytelling for physical products
• Experience with print production and color management

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Flexible working hours
• Health insurance
• Retirement plan
• Professional development opportunities
• Work-life balance

Pay

Commensurate with experience

Schedule

Full-time