Director, Creative Development & Strategy Los Angeles, CA, United States

Fanatics Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Topps, backed by Fanatics, seeks a Director of Creative Development & Strategy to lead the creative vision and brand storytelling across platforms. You will oversee campaigns, narrative development, and visual identity, directing a cross-functional team to drive cultural relevance and collector engagement.

You will collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Brand partners, champion experimentation, and present concepts to executives and licensing teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of creative leadership experience with a portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking.
• Strong understanding of brand identity, narrative development, and integrated campaigns.
• Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary teams across design, copy, content.
• Experience with licensed brands and partner approvals.
• Excellent storytelling across digital, print, packaging and social.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term creative strategy for the Topps brand, balancing legacy with innovation.
• Produce world-class creative across digital, print, social, and content.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Brand teams to align creative with goals.
• Develop campaign platforms and storytelling for launches and partnerships.
• Guide licensed properties across sports, entertainment, and pop culture.
• Champion experimentation and push the brand into new visual territory.
• Present concepts to executive leadership and licensing partners.
• Maintain brand consistency across all consumer touchpoints.
• Build and mentor a high-performing creative team.

Skills

Creative leadership

Brand strategy

Team mentorship

Cross-functional collaboration

Licensing knowledge

Storytelling

Presentation skills

External partnerships

Job description

About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

About the Company

Fanatics Collectibles is a new company operating at the intersection of collectibles, culture, and technology. Backed by world-class investors, operators, and sports & entertainment partners, we are building the global leader in next-generation collectibles. As part of the broader Fanatics ecosystem, we leverage a digital sports platform that spans over 900 sports properties and engages more than 81 million fans. Together, we are reimagining every part of the collectibles experience for fans, partners, and creators.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

As theDirector of Creative Development & Strategy, you will lead the creative vision for the Topps brand, overseeing the development of campaigns, brand narratives, and visual identity across platforms. This strategic role combines brand storytelling, creative leadership, and cross-functional partnership to drive brand resonance, cultural relevance, and collector engagement.This position will be responsible for handling a wide variety of duties, which include, but are not limited to the ones listed below.

You will:

• Define and drive the long-term creative strategy for the Topps brand, balancing legacy with innovation.
• Produce world-class work creative across digital, print, social, and content.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Brand teams to ensure creative execution aligns with business goals and collector insights.
• Develop campaign platforms and storytelling strategies for major product launches, partnerships, and brand initiatives.
• Guide creative development for licensed properties across sports, entertainment, and pop culture.
• Champion creative experimentation and innovation—pushing the brand into new visual and cultural territory.
• Present concepts to executive leadership and licensing partners with clarity, inspiration, and strategic rationale.
• Maintain brand consistency and creative excellence across all consumer touchpoints.
• Build and mentor a high-performing creative team, fostering a culture of collaboration, feedback, and growth.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 10+ years of creative leadership experience in brand, agency, or entertainment environments, with a strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking and impactful creative work.
• Deep understanding of brand identity, narrative development, and integrated campaign strategy.
• Proven success leading and inspiring creative teams across multiple disciplines (design, copy, content).
• Expertise in working with licensed brands and navigating partner approval processes (experience in sports or entertainment licensing is a plus).
• Strong visual sensibility and storytelling skills, with experience across digital, print, packaging, and social.
• Comfortable leading strategic presentations and creative reviews with senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Experience managing external creative partners, agencies, and freelancers.
• Passion for culture, fandom, and collectibles—a deep appreciation of what makes brands meaningful to consumers.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment that values innovation and experimentation.

WHY JOIN US

At Topps, you’ll be part of a creative-forward team reshaping one of the most storied brands in sports and entertainment. Backed by Fanatics, we’re scaling a creative vision that honors the past while building the future. We are committed to creating an inclusive, collaborative workplace where your ideas—and your design—can make an impact.

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to Los Angeles and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Fanatics Collectibles’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.