Design Manager Sports, Graphic Design - LEGO® DESiGN

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager Sports, Graphic Design - LEGO® DESiGN

Company: The LEGO Group

Location: Billund, Denmark

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative & Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-07

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and manage the end-to-end creative process for graphic design within multiple sports franchises, ensuring strategic alignment and brand consistency.

• Oversee the development and implementation of visual identity systems, campaign designs, and partnership assets, translating sports culture and fan behavior into compelling visual narratives.

• Facilitate cross-franchise collaboration among design leads, fostering knowledge sharing and operational efficiency to meet seasonal and event-driven deadlines.

• Act as a primary point of contact for leadership on graphic design matters, collaborating cross-functionally with product management, marketing, and sponsors to ensure seamless integration and product success.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within "LEGO® DESiGN" and focuses on the "Sports" vertical, requiring a blend of creative leadership, operational management, and deep understanding of the sports industry's visual culture. The emphasis on "multiple sports franchises" and "cross-franchise teams" highlights a need for strong strategic alignment and scalable design systems management, typical of operations-focused roles within creative departments.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the creative direction and execution of graphic design across all sports franchises, acting as the central design authority for leadership.

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust design guidelines and visual systems to ensure unwavering brand consistency and integrity across diverse sports properties.

• Drive operational efficiency by facilitating seamless collaboration and knowledge exchange between franchise-specific design leads.

• Integrate design efforts with cross-functional teams, including product managers, marketing, and external sponsors, to ensure cohesive product launches and partnership activations.

• Manage comprehensive creative calendars, timelines, and deliverables, adeptly navigating tight seasonal and event-driven deadlines inherent in the sports industry.

• Translate complex elements of sports culture, emerging trends, athlete narratives, and fan behavior into innovative and impactful visual concepts and assets.

• Oversee the creation and delivery of high-quality visual assets for various applications, including team identities, campaign materials, merchandise graphics, and strategic partnership collateral.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize operational oversight and strategic alignment rather than pure individual design execution. Phrases like "Lead the creative process," "Develop, implement, and maintain design guidelines," "Facilitate collaboration," and "Manage cross-franchise creative calendars" point to a role that requires strong project management, process optimization, and stakeholder management skills, characteristic of operations leadership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in sports graphic design, with a significant portion spent within professional sports teams, leagues, agencies, or prominent sports brands.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional portfolio showcasing expertise in sports branding, campaign design, team identity development, merchandise graphics, and partnership assets, with a strong emphasis on vector-based work.

• Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders and franchises or business units concurrently, ensuring clear communication and alignment.

• Deep and nuanced understanding of sports culture, current visual trends, and fan engagement dynamics across major global sports.

• Extensive experience collaborating with sponsorship integration, brand collaborations, licensed properties, and Intellectual Property (IP) Partners.

• High proficiency in industry-standard design software, including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.

• Excellent communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills, with a demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work under demanding deadlines.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in building and maintaining scalable visual systems that can be effectively applied across multiple brands or teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "vector-based work" in the portfolio is a specific technical skill crucial for brand assets that need to scale. The emphasis on "managing multiple partners across franchises or business units" and "sponsorship integration, brand collaborations, licensed properties, and IP Partners" signifies a need for strong business acumen and contract/licensing understanding, going beyond typical graphic design roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate successful development and implementation of visual identity systems for sports franchises or related entities.

• Showcase case studies of campaigns or projects that effectively translated sports culture and fan behavior into impactful visual narratives.

• Highlight experience in managing design deliverables and timelines for multiple, concurrent projects or franchises, illustrating process management.

• Include examples of partnership assets and successful integration of sponsor branding or licensed IP, demonstrating commercial understanding.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of established design guidelines or brand books for sports properties, illustrating systematic approach to visual consistency.

• Demonstrate experience in workflow design for creative projects, including concept development, feedback loops, and production stages.

• Showcase methods for ensuring brand integrity and quality control across a diverse range of design outputs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are heavily skewed towards demonstrating operational capability in managing design processes, brand consistency across multiple entities, and commercial partnerships, rather than just individual artistic talent. This aligns with the operational nature of a Design Manager role in a large organization like LEGO.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Family Care Leave: Enhanced paid leave options to support significant life events.

• Insurances: Comprehensive life and disability insurance coverage for peace of mind.

• Wellbeing Resources: Access to a range of resources and benefits designed to nurture physical and mental wellbeing, alongside community-building and creative inspiration opportunities.

• Colleague Discount: Generous discount on LEGO products from day one.

• Bonus Scheme: Eligibility for a bonus based on company and individual performance when goals are achieved.

Working Hours:

• The role is based on a standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid work policy mandates an average of 3 days per week in the office, with specific arrangements to be discussed during the recruitment process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimate is based on publicly available data for similar roles in Denmark and adjusted for the specific industry and seniority. The hybrid work policy is crucial for operations roles, balancing flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration and strategic alignment, especially in a design management context.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Toy Manufacturing and Entertainment. The LEGO Group operates within a unique segment of the consumer goods industry, blending traditional manufacturing with innovative product development, digital experiences, and global brand management. Its focus on children's development and play makes its culture distinct.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (over 10,000 employees globally). This size implies a structured environment with established processes, cross-functional departments, and opportunities for global collaboration and career development.

Founded: 1932. With a long history, The LEGO Group has a deeply ingrained culture and brand heritage, emphasizing quality, creativity, and long-term vision.

Team Structure:

• The Design team within LEGO DESiGN is likely structured with specialized verticals (like Sports) and potentially hierarchical levels including Creative Leads, Design Managers, and individual Designers, reporting up through senior design leadership.

• This role will report into a senior design director or head of design for the sports vertical, with direct management of or close collaboration with franchise-specific design leads.

Methodology:

• A data-informed approach to design, balancing creative intuition with insights from market trends, fan behavior, and product performance metrics.

• Emphasis on iterative design processes, agile methodologies where applicable, and continuous improvement of visual systems and creative output.

• Strong focus on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and maintaining brand integrity through standardized processes and guidelines.

Company Website: https://www.lego.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's heritage and mission ("Children are our role models. Their curiosity, creativity and imagination inspire everything we do.") deeply influence its culture. For an operations-focused role, understanding this mission is key to aligning design strategy with the company's core values and product development ethos.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Mid-Senior Level Design Management role, requiring significant experience in both creative execution and operational leadership within the sports graphic design domain. It sits above individual contributor designers and potentially below a Director or VP of Design. The scope includes managing multiple franchise design efforts, implying a strategic operational oversight.

Reporting Structure: The Design Manager will likely report to a Head of Design or a Director of Creative for the Sports vertical. They will manage or closely guide franchise-specific design leads, acting as a central operational hub for design execution.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the visual appeal, brand perception, and commercial success of LEGO's sports-related products and marketing campaigns. Effective design management ensures brand consistency, enhances fan engagement, and supports partnership value, all of which contribute to revenue and brand equity.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Expansion: Potential to deepen expertise within the sports vertical or expand into managing design operations for additional product lines or global regions.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to take on larger teams, more complex projects, and gain exposure to executive-level strategic discussions within the LEGO Group's design organization.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Possibility to move into broader creative strategy, brand management, or operations leadership roles within the company, leveraging a strong understanding of integrated GTM processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities highlight a path toward broader operational leadership within the creative function, moving beyond pure design management to strategic oversight and potentially broader GTM strategy input.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Billund, Denmark, at the "Billund Innovation House," suggesting a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster creativity and innovation. The hybrid work policy indicates a blend of in-office and remote work.

Office Location(s): Primary location is Billund, Denmark. The LEGO Group also has offices in other global locations, but this specific role is tied to the Billund Innovation House.

Workspace Context:

• The "Innovation House" likely provides a dynamic and collaborative environment, encouraging interaction among different teams and disciplines. This setup is ideal for operations roles that require cross-functional communication and problem-solving.

• Expect access to state-of-the-art design tools and technology, supporting high-quality creative output and efficient workflow management.

• Opportunities for informal and formal collaboration with designers, product developers, marketers, and other stakeholders, crucial for aligning design operations with business objectives.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week with a hybrid model (average of 3 days in the office). This schedule offers a degree of flexibility while ensuring regular in-person engagement for critical team meetings, strategic planning, and collaborative creative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model is a key operational consideration. For a Design Manager, balancing remote work with in-office collaboration is essential for team cohesion, mentorship, and driving strategic initiatives effectively.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review focusing on CV, motivational letter, and portfolio. Expect questions about your experience in sports graphic design management and brand consistency.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Deeper dive into your leadership style, operational approach to managing design teams, and understanding of sports culture. Preparation for situational questions regarding managing multiple franchises and stakeholders.

• Portfolio Review & Case Study: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio. Be prepared to present 1-2 case studies that demonstrate your process, problem-solving skills, and impact on brand or commercial goals, especially concerning sports branding and partnership assets.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with potential peers and collaborators (e.g., Product Managers, Marketing leads) to assess cultural fit, communication style, and ability to collaborate effectively.

• Final Interview: Discussion with senior leadership to assess strategic alignment, leadership potential, and overall fit within The LEGO Group's creative organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Clearly articulate your role and contribution in each project, especially highlighting management and operational aspects.

• For each sports-related project, explain the strategic objectives, your design process, how you ensured brand consistency, and the tangible outcomes or impact.

• Showcase your ability to manage complex visual systems and partnerships, detailing the challenges and solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for hypothetical scenarios: "How would you unify the visual identity across three different sports franchises with distinct brand personalities?" or "How would you manage a conflict between a franchise lead's creative vision and the overarching brand guidelines?"

• Prepare to discuss how you translate sports trends and fan passion into design strategy, and how you measure the success of design initiatives in a commercial context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and case studies is standard for creative roles. However, for this operations-focused management position, the review will likely scrutinize the candidate's ability to manage processes, teams, and strategic brand alignment across multiple entities, not just individual design prowess.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Illustrator: Essential for vector-based logo design, brand systems, and scalable graphics. Proficiency is mandatory.

• Adobe Photoshop: Crucial for image manipulation, mock-ups, and digital asset creation.

• Adobe InDesign: Used for layout design, brand guidelines, and presentation materials.

• Project Management Software: Likely tools such as Asana, Jira, Trello, or similar platforms for managing creative workflows, timelines, and team tasks.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core design management function, but an understanding of how design assets are utilized within marketing automation platforms or CRM-driven campaigns could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite is a baseline requirement. The mention of "managing cross-franchise creative calendars, timelines, and deliverables" strongly implies the need for experience with project management and workflow automation tools to ensure operational efficiency across multiple projects and teams.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Playful Creativity: A core LEGO value that encourages imaginative thinking and a fun, engaging approach to work, even in management roles.

• Data-Driven Decisions: While creative, decisions are increasingly informed by data on fan engagement, market trends, and product performance, promoting a rational approach to design strategy.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Emphasizes strong teamwork, cross-functional integration, and building effective relationships with internal and external partners.

• Efficiency & Scalability: A focus on developing processes and systems that are efficient, repeatable, and can scale to support a global brand and diverse product lines.

• Child Wellbeing: A foundational commitment that influences all aspects of the business, ensuring that creative output is safe, positive, and inspiring for children.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Proactive engagement with marketing, product development, and partnerships teams to ensure design strategy is aligned with business objectives and product roadmaps.

• Feedback Culture: An open environment for constructive feedback, both giving and receiving, to refine creative output and improve operational processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the dissemination of best practices, design trends, and successful strategies across different franchise teams to foster collective growth and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Children are our role models" and "Children's Rights and Child Wellbeing" is critical. Operations professionals in this role must understand how these values translate into design considerations, ensuring all visual assets are appropriate and inspiring for young audiences.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Franchise Autonomy with Brand Consistency: Managing distinct creative visions for multiple sports franchises while maintaining a unified LEGO brand identity and consistent design standards.

• Navigating Tight Deadlines: The sports industry's event-driven nature requires agile operations to deliver high-quality assets under constant time pressure.

• Translating Complex Sports Culture: Effectively capturing the nuances of diverse sports, fan bases, and athlete narratives into compelling visual designs that resonate universally.

• Evolving Digital Landscape: Adapting design strategies and assets for new digital platforms, fan engagement methods, and emerging technologies in sports marketing.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Leadership: Opportunities to attend workshops or courses focused on creative leadership, operational strategy, and team management within a global enterprise.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to engage with sports industry events, conferences, or partners to stay abreast of trends in sports marketing and fan engagement.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to mentorship from senior design or operations leaders within The LEGO Group, fostering career growth and strategic insight.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the operational complexities of managing a portfolio of creative assets and teams within a dynamic industry, requiring strong problem-solving and strategic planning skills.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to establishing and maintaining visual identity systems across multiple distinct brands or franchises." (Focus on process, guidelines, and quality control.)

• "How would you balance the creative input from franchise-specific design leads with the need for overarching brand consistency and strategic alignment?" (Highlight collaboration, negotiation, and decision-making frameworks.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about The LEGO Group's mission, particularly its commitment to children's rights and wellbeing, and how would that influence your approach as a Design Manager for sports?" (Connect your values to the company's.)

• "How do you foster a collaborative and efficient design environment, especially within a hybrid work setting?" (Discuss team management, communication strategies, and operational efficiency.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure your portfolio presentation around 2-3 key projects that best showcase your management skills, operational processes, and impact in sports graphic design.

• For each project, clearly outline the challenge, your strategic approach, the operational steps taken, your role, the team's contribution, and the measurable results.

• Be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of your vector-based work and how you ensure scalability and brand integrity.

• Highlight examples of successful partnership integrations and how you managed those relationships from a design perspective.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will likely probe for a blend of creative vision, operational management capability, and cultural alignment with The LEGO Group's values. Strong preparation on case studies demonstrating process, collaboration, and impact is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided link, ensuring all required documents (CV, motivational letter, portfolio) are included.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your most relevant experience in sports graphic design management, visual identity systems, and partnership asset creation. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your operational processes and ability to manage multiple franchises.

• Resume Optimization: Craft your resume to emphasize leadership experience, project management skills, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, and any quantifiable achievements related to brand consistency, campaign success, or stakeholder satisfaction in sports-related roles.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research The LEGO Group's brand, its commitment to children's wellbeing, and its current sports-related initiatives. Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects, leadership philosophy, and operational strategies in detail.

• Company Culture Research: Understand The LEGO Group's values and culture. Be ready to articulate how your approach to design management aligns with their emphasis on creativity, collaboration, and child-centric principles.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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