Associate Creative Director (Freelance to Full-Time)

Fanatics • Irvine, CA

5d • $110,000 - $166,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Fanatics is rewriting what it means to be a modern brand in sports. Across licensed apparel, athlete collaborations, collectibles, live events, and global fan experiences, we’re building a world where creativity drives the business. And we’re looking for an Associate Creative Director to help shape the next era of social storytelling for our commerce business. Fanatics is seeking an Associate Creative Director (Art-based) focused on organic social, sports fashion, and e-Commerce. This position will be freelance to full-time.

Requirements

• A builder. A taste-maker. A creative leader who sees around corners.
• Minimum of 8 years of creative experience in advertising, social, content and specific expertise in fashion and sports — with at least 4 years leading teams.
• A conceptual thinker with an art/design background.
• A self-driven leader who can independently move projects from concept to execution while keeping partners aligned.
• Highly hands-on with the practical skills to execute an idea from scratch when needed — from concept to design to finished social-ready execution.
• Deep understanding of social media, fashion moments, and e-commerce storytelling.
• A portfolio full of ideas that have resonated in culture, that showcase your socially native thinking, and are beautifully crafted.
• Comfortable collaborating with talent, athletes, creators, and cross-functional partners.
• A leader who raises the bar, pushes teams, and builds environments where ideas can go from cool to cultural.
• Highly skilled at using Adobe Creative Suite to deliver highly crafted post-ready assets.

Nice To Haves

• Recommended Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g. communications, arts, graphic design).
• Knowledge of, and passion for AI creative tools
• Industry recognized / Awarded work

Responsibilities

• Set the creative vision across our commerce-first everyday social and campaigns - including product drops, launches, brand and athlete collaborations and championship merch.
• Develop ideas that flex across platforms — while also driving best-in-class performance within platform-specific behaviors on Meta, TikTok, X, and more.
• Lead and elevate a team. Mentor a dynamic group of designers, writers, editors, and creators, building a high-performing culture obsessed with sports, creativity, and craft.
• Blend storytelling + fashion. Make product releases feel like entertainment — building hype, shaping demand, and driving conversation.
• Partner closely with strategy, production, marketing, and e-comm teams to deliver work that drives relevance and social KPIs.
• Bring a strong creative POV grounded in experience of how fashion brands best show up on social media.
• Push Fanatics into new creative territories — new formats, new aesthetics, new ways of earning attention.
• Champion creative standards across the org: conceptual rigor, impeccable taste, and scroll-stopping craft.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees