📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Creative Director
🔹 Company: Tennis Channel
🔹 Location: Santa Monica, California, United States
🔹 Job Type: Full time
🔹 Category: Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-08
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Unifying and elevating Tennis Channel's visual identity across platforms
- Leading a centralized Creative Services department
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive creative excellence
- Optimizing workflows and processes to support high-volume production
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic, design-driven leader with a strong understanding of tennis and experience in modern media infrastructure.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead the Vision
- Build and lead a centralized Creative Services department
- Set and uphold standards for visual cohesion, executional quality, and cross-platform consistency
- Align with CEO Jeff Blackburn’s digital-forward vision and help steer creative evolution
✅ Centralize Creative Operations
- Develop streamlined workflows and asset management systems
- Own the development of a scalable project management system and centralized creative intake process
- Leverage tooling and process design to ensure speed, scale, and quality
✅ Re-Org for Efficiency
- Evaluate current in-house and freelance talent and restructure the team as needed
- Assess and reshape the org to create efficiencies, eliminate bottlenecks, and optimize delivery pipelines
- Create scalable systems that raise the floor of execution without sacrificing creativity
✅ Cross-Department Collaboration
- Serve as the creative liaison across marketing, production, editorial, product, and DTC teams
- Partner with legacy leaders to modernize workflows while preserving institutional trust
- Drive alignment, prioritization, and shared creative standards across departments
✅ Oversee High-Volume Production
- Manage the intake, prioritization, and delivery of a broad range of creative assets
- Balance operational clarity with premium creative output and brand integrity
✅ Champion Modernization and Thought Leadership
- Bring a modern visual POV that reflects the current moment in sports and culture
- Explore and integrate emerging tools—including AI workflows—where they can support creative excellence
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience in modern media infrastructure and be comfortable working with emerging tools and technologies.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Fine Arts, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience: 10+ years of experience in creative leadership roles within media, entertainment, or sports organizations
Required Skills:
- Deep understanding of tennis, its schedule, and fan behavior
- Proven expertise in visual design and motion graphics
- Adept at building and managing in-house teams
- Strong emotional intelligence (EQ) and collaborative skills
- Operates like an in-house agency leader, clear on scoping, creative direction, timelines, and standards
- Experience with project management systems and workflow optimization
- Curious about new tools, especially AI in creative services
- Understands platform-native content, especially in digital and social contexts
- Background in premium sports, media, or entertainment brands
- Experience with live sports, seasonal tentpoles, and content packaging
- Can translate strong editorial instincts into design-forward creative
- Has previously helped transition legacy orgs into more modern workflows
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with emerging AI tools in creative services
- Familiarity with pickleball or other emerging sports
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of tennis and experience in modern media infrastructure, with a proven track record of leading creative teams and driving operational excellence.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $175,000 to $200,000 per year
Benefits:
- Health, dental, and vision plans
- Life and disability insurance
- Retirement plan
- Flexible spending accounts
- Sick leave, vacation time, and personal time
- Parental leave
- Employee stock purchase plan
Working Hours: Full-time position with standard business hours (40 hours per week)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on industry standards for similar roles in the media and entertainment sector. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as a candidate's relevant work experience, skills, certifications, and geographic location.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Broadcast Media Production and Distribution, focusing on tennis and related content
Company Size: 51-200 employees, with a culture that includes many long-tenured staff members
Founded: 2003, with a history of growth and expansion in the tennis media landscape
Company Description:
- Tennis Channel is the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle
- It offers a hybrid of comprehensive sports, health, fitness, pop culture, entertainment, lifestyle, and travel programming
- The network is home to every aspect of the wide-ranging, worldwide tennis community and has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television
Company Specialties:
- Television production and distribution
- Tennis event coverage and broadcasting
- Digital and streaming content
- Brand partnerships and activations
Company Website: TennisChannel.com
ASSUMPTION: Tennis Channel is a well-established media organization with a strong focus on tennis and a commitment to providing high-quality content to its audience.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior leadership role, reporting directly to the SVP of Marketing
Reporting Structure: This is a new Creative Director role at Tennis Channel, with the opportunity to build and shape the creative function
Work Arrangement: On-site, with the possibility of occasional remote work for specific projects or team members
Growth Opportunities:
- Expanding the creative team and scope of work as the company grows
- Potential for career advancement within the organization
- Opportunities to collaborate with and learn from industry experts and influencers
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential, both for the individual and the creative function within the organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: On-site, with a hybrid work arrangement possible for specific projects or team members
Office Location(s): 3003 Exposition Blvd, Santa Monica, California 90404, US; 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 740, New York, NY 10165, US
Geographic Context:
- Santa Monica, California: A vibrant coastal city with a strong media and entertainment industry
- New York, New York: A major global hub for media, finance, and culture
- Tennis Channel's offices are located in key media markets, providing access to industry events, networking opportunities, and talent
Work Schedule: Standard business hours (40 hours per week), with flexibility for specific projects or team members
ASSUMPTION: Tennis Channel's office locations provide access to key media markets and industry events, fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume submission
- Phone or video screen with the HR team
- In-depth interview with the hiring manager and key stakeholders
- Final interview with senior leadership
- Background check and reference check
Key Assessment Areas:
- Creative portfolio and design sensibility
- Leadership and management skills
- Understanding of tennis and its cultural relevance
- Ability to collaborate and build relationships with cross-functional teams
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Include a link to your portfolio or a PDF attachment showcasing your creative work
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
- Research Tennis Channel and the broader tennis media landscape to demonstrate your understanding of the industry
ATS Keywords: Creative Director, Tennis, Broadcast Media, Visual Design, Motion Graphics, Project Management, Workflow Optimization, Brand Development, Digital Content, Sports Knowledge, Team Management, Emerging Tools, Editorial Instincts, Cultural Awareness, Modernization, Creative Direction
ASSUMPTION: Tennis Channel's hiring process is designed to assess candidates' creative skills, leadership potential, and cultural fit within the organization.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects)
- Project management tools (Asana, JIRA, Trello)
- AI workflow tools (Runway ML, Adobe's AI tools, etc.)
- Platform-specific tools (e.g., social media management tools, streaming platform-specific tools)
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience with industry-standard creative tools, project management platforms, and emerging AI workflow tools.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Passion for tennis and its cultural relevance
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Innovation and continuous learning
- High standards for creative excellence
Work Style:
- Fast-paced and dynamic, with a focus on high-volume production
- Collaborative and cross-functional, with a strong emphasis on teamwork
- Adaptable and responsive to change, with a focus on continuous improvement
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you balance operational clarity with premium creative output and brand integrity in a high-volume production environment?
- How do you approach working with legacy teams and workflows, while also driving modernization and innovation?
- How do you ensure that your creative direction aligns with the company's overall vision and brand guidelines?
ASSUMPTION: Tennis Channel values candidates who are passionate about tennis, collaborative, innovative, and committed to driving creative excellence within a dynamic work environment.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a high-volume production pipeline while maintaining creative quality and brand consistency
- Navigating a legacy organization with long-tenured staff and established workflows
- Balancing the needs of various departments and stakeholders with competing priorities
- Keeping up with emerging tools and technologies in a rapidly evolving media landscape
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience navigating complex, high-volume production environments and driving creative excellence in the face of competing priorities and legacy workflows.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Creative Director (Broadcast Media) vs. Creative Director (Advertising Agency):
- Broadcast media roles often require a deeper understanding of the specific sport or content vertical
- Advertising agency roles may offer more diverse brand experience but less specialized content knowledge
- Creative Director (Tennis) vs. Creative Director (Other Sports):
- Tennis has a unique cultural relevance and aesthetic, requiring a specific visual language and understanding of the sport's history and evolution
- Other sports may have different production requirements, audience demographics, and brand identities
- Creative Director (Linear Television) vs. Creative Director (Streaming):
- Linear television roles may require more traditional broadcast design and branding skills
- Streaming roles may emphasize digital-first design, platform-specific content, and interactive experiences
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a unique blend of broadcast media, sports-specific, and digital-first creative skills, with a deep understanding of tennis and its cultural relevance.
📝 Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does Tennis Channel plan to evolve its visual identity to reflect the changing landscape of tennis and its audience?
- What are the key priorities for the first 90 days in this role, and how can I contribute to their successful execution?
- How does Tennis Channel support the professional development and growth of its creative team members?
- What are the key challenges facing the creative function at Tennis Channel, and how can I help address them?
- How does Tennis Channel collaborate with its partners and stakeholders to ensure consistent and effective creative output across platforms?
ASSUMPTION: These questions are designed to help you understand Tennis Channel's creative vision, priorities, and support for professional development, as well as the specific challenges and opportunities facing the creative function.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare a portfolio or PDF attachment showcasing your creative work, with a focus on visual design and motion graphics
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
- Research Tennis Channel and the broader tennis media landscape to demonstrate your understanding of the industry
- Follow up with the hiring manager or HR team within one week of submitting your application to express your interest and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
