Art Director, Contract-to-Hire (Sports & Entertainment / Social Media)
Remote (San Diego a plus) | Contract-to-Hire | $41.73-$49.04/hr About the Role A social-first marketing agency that works with some of the biggest brands in sports and entertainment is hiring an Art Director on a contract-to-hire basis. The agency powers global tentpole events, builds fanbases, launches shows, and shapes culture for partners across professional sports leagues, major streaming platforms, and global consumer brands. The art director will lead creative output across all social platforms and client touchpoints, translating social strategy and brand stories into compelling, high-performing content. The role goes beyond execution. This person is expected to think critically about how brands show up in the sports and entertainment space, identifying opportunities to push toward creative that feels culturally relevant rather than just brand-compliant. The position is client-facing, reports to the Senior Creative Director, and involves mentoring designers and ideators while maintaining high standards across multiple channels. What the Role Covers • Participating in and leading ideation and concept creation for social campaigns, tentpole events, live coverage, and client requests • Overseeing review and approval of ideation and creative concepts developed by the internal team • Translating client and partner briefs into clear, actionable creative direction • Executing and overseeing art direction and creative production for client projects • Taking a hands-on role in establishing art and design structure across all creative output • Maintaining and updating social identity guidelines as brand looks shift and grow • Working closely with the video team on lo-fi and high-level video executions with a social-first approach • Providing detailed feedback and creative input for both static and motion projects • Staying on top of social media trends and emerging creative executions • Attending client meetings to pitch ideation, explain creative decision-making, and ensure alignment on strategy and execution • Leading and mentoring designers and ideators with clear direction and constructive feedback Qualifications • 5+ years of experience as a designer, art director, or design director • Experience working within agency, sports, and/or entertainment environments • Experience working in the social media space, preferably within sports and entertainment • Strong understanding of social-first storytelling and how content performs on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube • Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) • Proficiency with Google Suite, especially Google Slides • Base knowledge of Figma or comparable design and collaboration tools • Strong portfolio demonstrating brand campaign, social media, and marketing work • Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills • Ability to operate autonomously, balancing creative quality, timelines, and budget constraints • Passionate about sports and entertainment, specifically basketball (NBA, WNBA, NCAA) and football (NFL, NCAA) • Comfortable with occasional evening, weekend, and travel requirements tied to live sports and entertainment events To Apply Visit Mediabistro for full details and application instructions.
