Creative Director

When you work at Daktronics, you’ll be part of something amazing. We design, engineer, manufacture and support bold, eye-catching digital LED display technology and audio systems.

Our products bring excitement to professional, college and high school games. They attract customers for businesses around the world, and even provide direction for people as they travel, work and play.

As part of the Daktronics team, you’ll have interesting, impactful work with flexible opportunities. You can learn and grow at a company that provides competitive compensation and meaningful benefits – and the people are second to none.

What will the work look like for me?

We are seeking a seasoned Creative Director with a strong background in motion graphics and sports media to lead our team of digital artists.  The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in sports branding and design, live event content creation, and broadcast control room operations.  This role is pivotal in shaping the visual identity of our clients, driving innovation in motion design, and managing a high-performing team of artists.

Key Responsibilities:

Sports & Broadcast Expertise

• Lead the creative vision for motion graphics projects, ensuring alignment with current and emerging design trends in sports and entertainment.
• Translate creative strategy into clear direction for motion designers and animators, ensuring everyone understands the goals and how to achieve them.
• Serve as the primary creative liaison with clients, articulating design vision, rationale, and strategic direction with clarity and confidence.
• Guide clients through the creative process, helping them visualize concepts and understand how design decisions support their messaging.
• Coordinate with freelance motion graphics contractors and external production teams to ensure smooth collaboration and seamless integration of content.
• Working knowledge of real-time graphics systems and how they integrate into live broadcast environments to deliver dynamic, data-driven visuals.
• Understand the dynamics of a broadcast control room and how creative assets support live production workflows.
• Engage with the broader design community, attending events and staying connected to industry developments that can inform and inspire our work.

Creative Leadership

• Mentor and inspire a team of ten (10) Motion Graphic Artists, translating strategic design direction into actionable guidance for motion designers, bridging the gap between creative vision and execution.
• Guide the creative process from concept to execution, ensuring brand consistency and high-quality output.
• Evaluate and implement new tools, techniques, and workflows to keep the team at the forefront of motion design technology and practices.
• Review and critique creative work with a keen eye for detail, consistency, and brand alignment, providing constructive feedback that pushes the work to the next level.
• Collaborate with the Production Manager and Project Managers to assess team capacity and ensure resources are allocated effectively across projects.

Where is this opportunity located? 

Daktronics offers the flexibility to work from a U.S. home or Daktronics location. This opportunity is open to U.S. based candidates who live in South Dakota, Pennsylvania or Florida.

To be considered for Creative Director, we require the following:

• Bachelors degree in Graphic Design/Visual Communication or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Eight (8) + years of experience in motion design or animation, with at least three (3) years in a creative leadership role.
• Proven background in sports media, game day production, and live broadcast environments, with a strong understanding of how motion graphics support real-time storytelling.
• Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator.
• Advanced knowledge of 3D design and animation tools, such as Cinema 4D, Blender, Unreal Engine or equivalent software.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-end motion graphics, particularly in sports-related content and brand development.
• Experience designing for real-time graphics systems, ensuring assets are optimized for live rendering and can adapt dynamically to data-driven content. Excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in remote team settings.
• Comfortable navigating client feedback, translating input into actionable creative direction while maintaining design integrity.
• Skilled at juggling multiple projects, staying creative and adaptable in fast-paced, team-driven environments with tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with an ability to manage remote creative teams.
• Strong organizational and budgeting skills, with experience managing creative resources, timelines, and production costs across multiple projects.
• Effectively exercise discretion and independent judgment.
• Ability to travel by air and ground. Valid driver’s license. Must be able to meet and maintain Daktronics Qualified Driver status. Motor vehicle records will be checked.
• Fluent in English, written and verbal.
• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Daktronics does not sponsor, renew, or extend immigration visas for this position.

Ready to make an impact? Apply now and start your journey with Daktronics.

Daktronics is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.