Description

SUMMARY OF POSITION:

We're looking for a designer who moves confidently at the intersection of sport, design, and storytelling. Someone who can bring fresh energy and clear creative thinking to two iconic endurance brands: Pearl Izumi and Nathan. 

This role demands a multidisciplinary designer who can concept, execute, and lead. You'll guide projects from first spark through final delivery, building systems and campaigns that resonate with cyclists and runners across every touchpoint.  

As part of the United Sports Brands Creative Team, you'll help define how both brands show up in the world. From digital experiences and brand campaigns to retail and event activations, you'll turn insights into compelling creative that inspires movement and builds emotional connection. 

If you live for endurance culture, understand modern visual identity, and can fuse performance with feeling, this is your chance to shape two category leaders. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Creative Leadership

• Lead design workstreams for Pearl Izumi and Nathan, ensuring creative consistently reflects each brand's identity, audience, and channel. 
• Drive seasonal campaigns, product launches, and omni-channel toolkits. 
• Elevate brand expression through refined design systems, typography, imagery, and digital storytelling. 
• Build presentation decks that clearly communicate creative direction and influence stakeholders. 

End-to-End Design Execution

• Design across digital and traditional channels: paid and organic social, e-commerce, email, retail environments, events, and brand promotions. 
• Develop concepts using AI tools to accelerate production and generate alt angles, product renders, retouching elements, and infographic components. 
• Partner with the Group Creative Director, Brand Directors, and cross-functional teams to align creative with business objectives. 
• Create shoot briefs for PDP and location photography to guide art direction and ensure consistency across brand assets.  

Collaboration & Mentorship

• Work closely with the Group Creative Director, project manager, copywriter, and marketers to maintain cohesive storytelling. 
• Provide art direction support on set and shape the visual language for both photography and video. 
• Offer constructive feedback and mentorship to junior talent to maintain craft and consistency. 

 About You 

• A craft-first designer who knows how to build brands through story, systems, and elevated design. 
• Confident running projects from start to finish with minimal oversight. 
• Culturally tuned in to cycling, running, design, and fashion. 
• A natural collaborator who thrives in cross-functional environments. 
• Clear thinker with strong problem-solving instincts. 
• Energized by endurance sports and motivated by creating work that inspires movement. 
• Other duties as assigned.

POSITION SPECIFICS:

• This is a full-time/ part-time position
• Typical work hours and days are Monday Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
• This position is based out of the Fountain Valley, CA office
• This position is expected to travel approximately 10% 
• This position requires in-office attendance at least 4 days per week (subject to increase in future).

PAY TRANSPARENCY

• The Company is committed to fair, equitable, and transparent compensation. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as your relevant work experience, education, certifications, skills, and geographic location.
• The salary range for this role in Fountain Valley, CA is $80,000.00 - $90,000.00.
• In addition, you may be eligible for additional compensation, such as a bonus. Employees may also be eligible for a wide range of other benefits, including health & wellness benefits, retirement, time off, employee discounts, and others.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This position does not have any leadership requirements and/or responsibilities.

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• 6+ years of design experience in-house or at an agency. 
• Background in active, outdoor, or performance categories. 
• Strong portfolio showcasing design-led thinking across campaigns, digital, and brand systems. 
• Advanced knowledge of Figma for digital design and scalable systems. 
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign. Premiere Pro is a plus. 
• Strong typography, layout, and composition skills with a deep understanding of visual hierarchy and storytelling. 
• Experience designing for e-commerce and performance marketing (paid media, social, email). 
• Comfort using AI tools as part of creative workflow for ideation, production, retouching, and asset development (Firefly, ChatGPT, Nano Banana, etc). 
• Familiarity with motion, storyboarding, and video direction is a plus. 
• Experience with project management tools like Monday.com. 
• Cycling experience recreationally or beyond will be prioritized. 
• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design or equivalent experience. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

Candidate must be able to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with ability to: be in a stationary position 50% of the time; occasionally move about inside the office to access fine cabinets, office machinery (such as a calculator, copy machine, printer, etc.); constantly operate a computer; occasionally ascend/descend stairs; constantly position self to maintain files in file cabinets; the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations; the ability to observe details at close range (within a few feed of the observer); and frequently move boxes weighing up to  15 pounds across office for various needs. Ability to work in outdoor weather conditions if projects/opportunities arise. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

This job specification should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position.  Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties as may be required by their supervisor. Reasonable accommodations may be offered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

United Sports Brands is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

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