Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Charlotte Hornets

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Sports & Recreation / Marketing

Date Posted: 2026-05-21T19:39:21.335

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Develop and execute distinctive visual concepts and design systems for Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) across a comprehensive range of touchpoints, including print, digital, environmental, apparel, and live-event experiences.

• Translate strategic briefs into compelling creative work that effectively supports key internal partners such as Ticket Sales, Partnerships, Marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility, Arena Marketing, and Human Resources.

• Drive creative projects from initial exploration through to final execution, ensuring polished design, production-ready files, and assets optimized for diverse channels.

• Foster a collaborative environment within the creative team, ensuring all work is thoughtful, timely, and consistently aligned with the HSE brand identity.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input title is "Graphic Designer," the detailed responsibilities and company context (Hornets Sports & Entertainment) strongly indicate a role focused on brand expression, campaign development, and cross-functional support within a sports and entertainment organization. This aligns with marketing operations or creative operations functions that support GTM strategies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and conceptualize comprehensive visual systems for HSE brand initiatives, ensuring consistency across print, digital, environmental, apparel, and live-event platforms.

• Create impactful creative assets to support internal departments including Ticket Sales, Partnerships, Marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility, Arena Marketing, and Human Resources.

• Manage the end-to-end design process, from initial concepting and strategy translation to final asset delivery and production file preparation.

• Collaborate closely with the HSE Creative team to ensure all design output is strategically aligned, high-quality, and executed within project timelines.

• Partner with Video, Animation, and Digital teams to develop integrated campaign concepts and ensure cohesive visual narratives across all media channels.

• Develop presentation-ready mockups and creative materials to effectively communicate and sell ideas internally and externally to stakeholders and partners.

• Contribute to the improvement of creative operations, including workflow optimization, process enhancements, and asset management.

• Attend live events, including games, to gain firsthand insight into fan experience and identify opportunities for creative enhancement and brand impact.

• Support the development of seasonal campaigns for affiliated teams such as the Greensboro Swarm and Hornets Venom GT.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and process improvement, which are core to operations roles. The emphasis on supporting sales, marketing, and partnerships indicates a strong GTM alignment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of professional graphic design experience, with a strong preference for experience within a brand, agency, sports, entertainment, or consumer-facing environment.

Required Skills:

• A robust portfolio showcasing strong conceptual thinking, visual craft, and a deep understanding of typography, layout, color theory, imagery, and composition.

• Proven ability to translate strategic briefs and creative direction into effective design solutions that align with brand guidelines and project objectives.

• Excellent organizational skills with a demonstrated capacity to manage multiple projects concurrently, prioritize deadlines, and maintain a high standard of quality.

• Proficiency in print production processes, including file preparation and retouching techniques.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Microsoft Office Suite.

• Familiarity with emerging creative technologies, including AI tools relevant to design.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Figma for collaborative design workflows.

• A keen interest in basketball, sports culture, and a strong affinity for the Hornets brand.

• Awareness of current design, sports, and entertainment trends, with a curiosity for evolving fan and brand dynamics.

• Basic understanding of animation and photography principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of creative talent and operational rigor, including project management and production knowledge, which are crucial for efficient execution in an operations context. The mention of AI tools and Figma suggests a forward-thinking approach to creative operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 diverse projects that demonstrate a clear progression from strategic brief to final design execution, highlighting problem-solving and conceptual thinking.

• Include examples of developed design systems or brand guidelines that illustrate an understanding of brand consistency and scalability across multiple platforms.

• Present work that effectively communicates complex ideas through compelling visual narratives, particularly for sales enablement or marketing campaign support.

Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio project, provide a brief overview of the design process followed, including strategy interpretation, concept development, and iteration phases.

• Detail the workflow for collaborating with internal stakeholders, cross-functional teams (e.g., video, digital), and external partners, emphasizing communication and feedback integration.

• Explain how design decisions were informed by strategic objectives, target audience insights, or brand requirements.

• Illustrate experience in preparing and presenting design work for internal reviews, stakeholder approvals, and partner discussions, showcasing presentation design skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: Portfolio requirements are geared towards demonstrating not just creative output but also the candidate's process, strategic thinking, and ability to deliver production-ready assets, which are key indicators of operational capability in a creative role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Graphic Designers with 2-5 years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Charlotte, NC, the estimated salary range is typically $60,000 - $85,000 annually. This range considers the specialized nature of sports/entertainment branding, the Adobe Creative Suite proficiency, and the collaborative responsibilities outlined.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance coverage.

• Competitive Time Off Policies, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to promote work-life balance.

• Potential for additional benefits often associated with professional sports organizations, such as employee discounts on merchandise, tickets, and concessions.

• Opportunities for professional development and training.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically requiring 40 hours per week. However, flexibility is expected, including the ability to work extended hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays, particularly during Spectrum Center events, Hornets home games, and key campaign periods.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimate is based on national averages for graphic designers with 2-5 years of experience, adjusted for the cost of living in Charlotte, NC, and the specialized industry (sports/entertainment). Benefits align with standard full-time offerings and are inferred from the HR text. Working hours reflect the on-site nature and demands of the sports industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports & Entertainment, specifically professional basketball (NBA). The Charlotte Hornets operate within a dynamic, fast-paced environment driven by fan engagement, ticket sales, corporate partnerships, and brand visibility. This industry demands creativity, adaptability, and a strong understanding of consumer behavior and cultural trends.

Company Size: Charlotte Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) likely operates with a significant number of employees, ranging from game-day staff to full-time corporate professionals, indicating a large organization with diverse operational needs. This size suggests structured departments and established processes.

Founded: While the founding date of the Charlotte Hornets is 1988 (original franchise) and 2004 (current iteration), HSE as an entity would have evolved, creating a rich history and established brand presence that designers are expected to uphold and evolve.

Team Structure:

• The HSE Creative team is described as a "brand-focused, concept-driven team" working closely with various organizational partners. This suggests a specialized internal agency model.

• Graphic Designers will likely report to a Creative Director or Design Manager, with direct collaboration across a team of designers, copywriters, and project managers.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: The role requires turning "research, data and collected insights into strategic design solutions," indicating a blend of creative intuition and analytical thinking.

• Process Optimization: A core responsibility is to "help improve the way work moves through the team by contributing to creative operations, process and workflow," highlighting a commitment to efficiency and continuous improvement.

• Integrated Campaigns: The team focuses on building "integrated campaign ideas, visual narratives and consistent experiences across platforms," emphasizing a holistic approach to brand communication.

Company Website: https://www.nba.com/hornets/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is shaped by the high-energy environment of professional sports, emphasizing teamwork, competitiveness, and resilience. The creative team operates as a strategic internal function supporting broader GTM objectives.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an early to mid-career professional (2-5 years of experience). It requires a solid foundation in design principles and software, coupled with the ability to work independently on projects while also being a strong team collaborator. The responsibilities lean towards execution and concept development, with an increasing expectation for contributing to process improvements.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will report to a manager within the HSE Creative department. This manager will oversee creative output, provide strategic direction, and facilitate cross-departmental collaborations. The role involves close interaction with peers within the creative team and stakeholders across various business units.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's work directly impacts the perception and effectiveness of the Charlotte Hornets brand across all consumer and partner touchpoints. Their designs are critical for:

• Sales Enablement: Creating compelling visuals for ticket sales collateral, partnership proposals, and marketing campaigns that drive revenue.

• Brand Building: Ensuring a consistent and engaging brand identity that resonates with fans and strengthens market presence.

• Fan Engagement: Developing creative assets for digital platforms, social media, and in-arena experiences that enhance fan connection and loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific design areas such as digital design, environmental graphics, apparel design, or motion graphics.

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into a Senior Graphic Designer role, mentoring junior designers, leading smaller projects, and taking on more complex strategic initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Experience working across various departments (Sales, Marketing, Partnerships) can open doors to roles in marketing coordination, brand management, or even operations management within the sports and entertainment industry.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining valuable experience within the NBA ecosystem provides a strong foundation for further career advancement in sports marketing, branding, or creative direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Graphic Designer in this context extends beyond pure design into areas of creative strategy, project management, and cross-functional operational support, aligning with broader GTM career development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, requiring the Graphic Designer to work from the Charlotte Hornets' office facilities, likely located near or within the Spectrum Center. This environment is designed to foster collaboration and facilitate direct interaction with various departments and live event operations.

Office Location(s): The primary work location will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the specific office likely being part of the Charlotte Hornets Sports & Entertainment corporate headquarters or facilities adjacent to the Spectrum Center (e.g., 333 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The workspace is expected to be dynamic and interactive, encouraging frequent communication and brainstorming sessions with fellow creative team members and stakeholders from other departments.

• Technology & Tools: Access to state-of-the-art design software (Adobe Creative Suite, potentially Figma) and hardware will be standard. The company likely invests in the necessary technology to support high-quality creative output.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with marketing teams, sales representatives, partnership managers, and event production staff will be frequent, fostering a deep understanding of business needs and operational workflows.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time (approximately 40 hours per week). However, the nature of the sports and entertainment industry necessitates flexibility. Employees are expected to be available for extended hours, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, particularly during game days, live events, and critical campaign launch periods. This flexibility is crucial for managing real-time activations and ensuring timely delivery of creative assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement and flexible work schedule are critical considerations for operations roles, emphasizing the need for physical presence and adaptability to dynamic business demands.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of submitted resumes and portfolios to assess qualifications, creative skills, and relevant experience. Candidates who meet the basic requirements will be contacted for an initial conversation.

• Portfolio Review & Creative Challenge: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing key projects, their role in them, and the strategic thinking behind their design decisions. A practical design challenge may be assigned to evaluate problem-solving skills, creative execution under pressure, and ability to interpret a brief. This challenge will likely involve creating assets for a specific campaign or business objective.

• Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with members of the HSE Creative team, and potentially with key stakeholders from departments like Marketing, Sales, or Partnerships. This assesses cultural fit, communication style, and ability to collaborate effectively.

• Final Interview: A final discussion with hiring management to evaluate overall fit, strategic understanding, and long-term potential within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best align with the role's responsibilities, emphasizing sports, entertainment, or consumer brand work if possible. Include examples of campaign development, brand systems, and sales enablement collateral.

• Showcase Process: For each project, clearly articulate the strategic brief, your thought process, design iterations, and the final outcome. Explain the "why" behind your design choices and how they addressed the business objective.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., "This campaign design contributed to a X% increase in ticket sales"). If direct metrics aren't available, describe the intended impact and how the design supported organizational goals.

• Production Readiness: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to deliver polished, production-ready files. Be prepared to discuss file organization, asset management, and print/digital production considerations.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brand: Thoroughly research the Charlotte Hornets brand identity, recent campaigns, target audience, and their competitors.

• Focus on Strategy: For any creative challenge, prioritize understanding the strategic objective and target audience before diving into design execution.

• Communicate Clearly: Be prepared to articulate your design decisions, process, and rationale clearly and concisely, as if presenting to a diverse group of stakeholders.

• Embrace Constraints: Demonstrate an ability to work within given constraints (time, brand guidelines, specific deliverables) while still producing innovative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio expectations are tailored to evaluate both creative talent and operational competence, focusing on how candidates translate strategy into tangible, impactful design solutions that support business objectives.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for creating and manipulating a wide range of design assets.

• Figma: Familiarity is a plus, indicating a need for experience with modern collaborative design platforms for UI/UX, wireframing, and prototyping.

• Microsoft Office Suite: Standard requirement for general business documentation, presentations, and internal communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tool requirements are listed for this design role, but understanding how design assets are deployed through marketing automation platforms or CRM systems (e.g., email templates) would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite and the "plus" for Figma highlights the technical proficiencies required. The mention of AI tools suggests an openness to embracing new technologies for creative efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Integrity: Upholding ethical standards in all creative work and business interactions, ensuring transparency and honesty.

• Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with colleagues across the creative team and other departments to achieve shared goals, fostering a supportive and communicative environment.

• Competitiveness: Striving for excellence in design, aiming to create impactful work that elevates the brand and stands out in the sports and entertainment landscape.

• Candor: Providing and receiving constructive feedback openly and honestly to improve the quality of creative output and processes.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of design projects from start to finish, ensuring timely delivery and high-quality results, and being responsible for the impact of creative work.

• Resilience: Adapting to changing project requirements, tight deadlines, and constructive criticism with a positive and solutions-oriented mindset.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands active collaboration with diverse teams (Sales, Marketing, Partnerships) to understand their needs and translate them into effective visual communications that support GTM strategies.

• Feedback-Driven Improvement: A culture that encourages open dialogue, constructive critique, and iterative design processes to refine creative concepts and ensure alignment with brand and business objectives.

• Knowledge Sharing: An environment where team members share best practices, new techniques, and insights into design trends and operational efficiencies to collectively elevate the team's output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core values are deeply integrated into the operational fabric of the team, guiding how designers contribute to HSE's success through their work and interactions, emphasizing a results-oriented and collaborative approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Diverse Needs: Maintaining a cohesive HSE brand identity while creating unique visuals for various departments (Sales, Marketing, CSR) and affiliated teams (Greensboro Swarm, Venom GT) requires strategic thinking and adaptability.

• Meeting Tight Deadlines in a Fast-Paced Environment: The demands of a professional sports organization mean frequent last-minute requests and tight turnarounds for game-day materials, campaign launches, and partnership activations.

• Translating Data and Insights into Compelling Visuals: Effectively synthesizing research, fan data, and business insights into design solutions that are both strategically sound and aesthetically engaging.

• Adapting to Evolving Technologies: Staying current with emerging design tools, AI applications, and digital trends to ensure creative output remains innovative and competitive.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Workshops: Opportunities to attend workshops or online courses focused on advanced techniques in areas like motion graphics, digital illustration, or experiential design.

• Industry Conferences & Events: Potential to attend sports marketing, branding, or design conferences to gain insights into industry trends and network with professionals.

• Mentorship & Leadership Training: Access to mentorship from senior creative staff and potential training programs focused on leadership, project management, and strategic creative direction.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gaining a deeper understanding of sales processes, partnership management, and marketing strategies through close collaboration, which can inform career growth into related operational or strategic roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed to highlight areas where strategic thinking and operational efficiency are key, while growth opportunities focus on skill enhancement and career progression within the sports and entertainment operations ecosystem.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to translate a complex strategic brief into a visual design concept. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic thinking, problem-solving approach, and ability to articulate the ROI of your design.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple platforms and for different internal stakeholders with varying needs?" (Prepare examples of brand system development and your approach to managing diverse requests.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about the Charlotte Hornets and the sports/entertainment industry?" (Research recent team news, marketing campaigns, and fan engagement initiatives. Connect your passion for design with your interest in the brand.)

• "How do you approach receiving constructive criticism or feedback on your designs?" (Emphasize your openness to feedback, iterative process, and commitment to improving the final output.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentation as a narrative for each project, detailing the challenge, your approach, the creative solution, and the results or impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data or metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs. If direct metrics are unavailable, discuss the intended impact and how your design supported business objectives.

• Highlight Process: Be prepared to discuss your workflow, the tools you used, and the strategic considerations that guided your design decisions. This demonstrates your operational understanding.

• Engage Your Audience: Make your presentation interactive. Ask questions, solicit feedback (if appropriate for the interview stage), and ensure your passion for design and the brand is evident.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking, operational process, and understanding of how design directly supports business objectives within the unique context of the sports and entertainment industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the recruiting portal.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience and skills directly relevant to the job description, using keywords such as "Adobe Creative Suite," "brand systems," "visual storytelling," "production-ready files," and "cross-functional collaboration." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select projects that showcase your ability to translate strategic briefs into compelling designs for print, digital, and live events. Ensure it demonstrates your conceptual thinking, technical proficiency, and understanding of production processes. Be ready to present and discuss your work in detail.

• Prepare for a Design Challenge: Anticipate a practical exercise that will test your ability to interpret a brief, apply brand guidelines, and produce creative solutions under time constraints. Practice your problem-solving and presentation skills.

• Research the Hornets: Familiarize yourself with the Charlotte Hornets' brand, recent campaigns, target audience, and their place in the NBA. Understand their core values and how your design approach aligns with them.

⚠️ 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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