Creative Director - Football Specialist

DFL; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agency in Manchester is seeking a Creative Director with a strong understanding of football culture to develop engaging campaigns for Gen Z. The role involves leading teams and crafting narratives that resonate across various platforms. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment and possess a creative vision that aligns with modern football culture.

Benefits

Private Medical Insurance

Personal Development Coach

Enhanced Maternity, Paternity & SPL

Mental Health Support

Qualifications

• Experience leading football-focused campaigns from concept to execution.
• Ability to work in fast-paced environments and deliver high-impact creative.

Responsibilities

• Craft creative campaigns that resonate with Gen Z audiences.
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams including designers and content creators.

Skills

Creative Vision

Football Culture Understanding

Engagement with Gen Z

Leadership

Spanish Language Skills

Job description

We’re looking for a Creative Director with a deep understanding of global and European football culture to help us craft creative campaigns that bring football culture to life

Overview:

We’re looking for aCreative Director with a deep understanding of global and European football culture to join the team atEar to the Ground. The ideal candidate will be highly skilled in crafting compelling creative campaigns that resonate with Gen Z audiences, bringing football culture to life across multiple platforms.

Key Requirements:

• Strong creative vision and experience leading football-focused campaigns, from concept through to execution.
• Deep understanding of modern football culture, fan behaviour, and how to authentically engage Gen Z.
• Ability to develop creative concepts across partnerships, clubs, athletes, and media platforms (e.g., Rising Ballers, Copa90).
• Comfortable working with non-endemic brands (e.g., FMCG) and translating their positioning into culturally relevant football narratives.
• Experienced in leading multi-disciplinary teams, including designers, copywriters, and content creators.
• Ability to work within fast-paced environments and deliver high-impact creative within tight timelines.
• Spanish language skills are preferable but not essential (English will be the main working language).

Hours: Full time, with some flexibility required to meet needs of business. Hybrid working, in our Manchester office (minimum 3 office days per week)

WORKPLACE AND CULTURE

Ear to the Ground is a place where people grow, develop and thrive.

We are proudly independent. At our core, we understand the importance of culture in enabling you to do your best work.

Progress is possible for everyone that joins us. We reward ambition, invest in talent, and encourage you to forge your own path.

Our commitment to listening is felt by our own people too; this is an agency where every voice is heard. Supportive, collaborative, social, and inspiring.

You will benefit from our Hybrid workingpolicy and we encourage applications from candidates anywhere in the UK.

We encourage employees to be in the office for key team moments, but remain as flexible as possible to accommodate the realities of life. We support you in finding the patterns and location of working that are best for you.

Team Benefits

Private Medical Insurance & Medical Cash Plan

• Two different health plans to help you keep a healthy body and mind, and to access the help you need if you're not well.

Personal Development Coach

• Book time, anytime with our external development coach to support you through your goals, or help you with challenges you may be facing.

Hybrid working Policy

• We take a flexible approach to working arrangements at Ear to the Ground. We encourageemployees to be in the office for key team moments, but remain as flexible as possible to accommodate the realities of life.We support you in finding the patterns and locationof working that are best for you.

Enhance Maternity, Paternity & SPL

• Packages that go above and beyond to support working parents

Mental Health Support inc free counselling

• We want to support our teams' mental health and do so though; mental health support pathway, 24/7 employee support helpline, free counselling, Mental Health Ambassadors

Many more in our brilliant benefits package