Senior Apparel Graphic Designer

Fanatics Commerce; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

Fanatics Commerce is seeking a Senior Designer, Licensed Apparel Graphics in New York for an expert-level leadership role in designing seasonal licensed graphics. You will translate creative direction into production-ready toolkits while mentoring junior designers and coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure brand and licensing standards are met.

You will lead with a bold design voice, apply typography and layout mastery, and explore AI-enabled insights to enhance efficiency without

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional graphic design experience focused on licensed/apparel design.
• Expert-level typography, color theory, layout, and composition with ability to lead direction across seasonal assortments.
• Proficient in Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign; knowledge of AI design tools and integrating AI into the product creation process.

Responsibilities

• Partner with merchants, product developers, and sales to align graphics with goals and seasonals.
• Lead presentations to senior leadership and cross-functional teams, selling concepts with clarity and conviction.
• Mentor junior designers and foster a collaborative, growth-focused team environment.
• Translate direction into production-ready toolkits enabling consistency across the design team.

Skills

Licensed design

Typography

Color theory

Layout & composition

Leadership

Presentation

AI in design

Production tooling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

AI design platforms

Job description

Fanatics Commerce is the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, operating a vertically integrated platform that designs, manufactures, and delivers officially licensed apparel, jerseys, headwear, and collectibles for major leagues, teams, and events worldwide. With more than 900 e-commerce sites and a global omnichannel presence across digital, in-venue, and retail, Fanatics Commerce reaches fans in over 180 countries and powers official fan experiences for many of the world's most iconic sports properties.

At Fanatics, we bring our BOLD Leadership Principles to life every day - building championship teams, obsessing over fans, acting with entrepreneurial speed, and delivering with a determined and relentless mindset.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Designer, Licensed Apparel Graphics is an expert-level creative leader responsible for driving the design and development of seasonal sports apparel graphics, translating creative direction into technically sound, production-ready designs and toolkits. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy, managing multiple projects simultaneously while mentoring junior designers and partnering with cross-functional teams to ensure designs align with product strategy, brand vision, and licensing requirements. The Senior Designer, Licensed Apparel Graphics delivers business and fan impact through BOLD leadership and execution excellence, leveraging data, automation, and AI-enabled insights.

HOW WILL YOU DRIVE IMPACT

Success is measured by the ability to deliver results through BOLD capabilities and measurable outcomes.

Team & Leadership Impact (Build Championship Teams)

• Partner closely with merchants, product developers, and sales teams to ensure apparel graphics align with product goals, assortment strategy, and business needs across all seasonal initiatives.
• Lead presentations to senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders, effectively communicating and selling design concepts with clarity and creative conviction.
• Serve as a trusted design expert and mentor to junior designers, providing hands‑on guidance, constructive feedback, and a collaborative environment that fosters professional growth.
• Act as a creative resource to senior leadership, offering informed design insights that elevate the team's overall aesthetic and execution quality.

Fan & Customer Impact (Obsessed with Fans)

• Design and develop apparel graphics that authentically connect with sports fans, translating team and brand identity into compelling, wearable visual stories.
• Apply a strong understanding of typography, color theory, layout, and composition to deliver designs that resonate with fans across leagues, teams, and events.
• Ensure all graphics meet licensed product standards, maintaining the integrity of sports and brand identities while pushing the creative aesthetic forward.
• Create design toolkits that bring consistency and cohesion across all consumer touchpoints, from initial ideation through final product execution.

Innovation & Problem Solving (Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit)

• Stay current on trends and best practices in apparel design, licensed graphics, and production techniques, applying that knowledge to continuously improve team processes and creative output.
• Bring a strong point of view on integrating artificial intelligence into the product creation workflow, using AI tools to enhance design efficiency without compromising quality or brand standards.
• Identify and develop the most compelling design solutions within a given creative direction, solving complex visual challenges independently and with resourcefulness.
• Champion a culture of creative innovation by sharing ideas, exchanging feedback with peers, and elevating the collective standard of the design team's work.

Ownership & Execution (Determined & Relentless Mindset)

• Independently manage and execute multiple apparel graphics projects simultaneously, meeting all deadlines while maintaining the highest standards of quality and minimizing technical errors.
• Translate creative direction into actionable, production-ready design toolkits that enable consistency and efficiency across the broader design team.
• Demonstrate expert-level command of licensed and apparel design principles, ensuring all work is technically sound and aligned with production and merchandising requirements.
• Take full ownership of projects from initial concept through final execution, maintaining a relentless focus on craft, detail, and delivery excellence.

AI & DIGITAL CAPABILITY

We are building a future-ready organization. This role is expected to:

• Apply AI and technology to improve efficiency, quality, and outcomes.
• Use data and digital tools to inform decisions and enhance performance.
• Demonstrate curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies and ways of working.
• Contribute to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

CAPABILITIES & EXPERIENCE YOU BRING

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional graphic design experience with a demonstrated focus on licensed and/or apparel design.
• Expert-level skills in graphic design fundamentals including typography, color theory, layout, and composition, with the ability to lead creative direction across seasonal assortments.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, along with a strong working knowledge of AI design platforms and a clear point of view on integrating AI into the product creation process.
• Deep understanding of apparel product development processes, including production techniques, materials, and the technical requirements of licensed design.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects autonomously, consistently meeting deadlines and quality standards in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience mentoring and providing feedback to junior designers, with a track record of fostering collaborative, growth-oriented team dynamics.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to sell design concepts to senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Apparel Design, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

WORK LOCATION

Hybrid: The primary place of performance of this role is the Company's office located in NY,NY, subject to the Company's current hybrid work policy. This role currently requires in-office presence Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to New York City 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/

NYC Salary Range

$87,000 - $106,000 USD

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 TEAM

Fanatics Commerce is a leading designer, manufacturer, and seller of licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods. It operates a vertically-integrated platform of digital and physical capabilities for leading sports leagues, teams, colleges, and associations globally – as well as its flagship site, www.fanatics.com.

Fanatics Commerce has a broad range of online, sports venue, and vertical apparel partnerships worldwide, including comprehensive partnerships with leading leagues, teams, colleges, and sports organizations across the world—including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, Formula 1, and Australian Football League (AFL); the Dallas Cowboys, Golden State Warriors, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea FC, and Tokyo Giants; the University of Notre Dame, University of Alabama, and University of Texas; the International Olympic Committee (IOC), England Rugby, and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

At Fanatics Commerce, we infuse our BOLD Leadership Principles in everything we do:

• Build Championship Teams
• Obsessed with Fans
• Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Determined and Relentless Mindset