Graphic Designer - WNBA at NBA

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer - WNBA

Company: NBA

Location: New York City, NY

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Graphic Design / Sports Marketing Design

Date Posted: June 11, 2025

Experience Level: 3-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (1 day remote per week)

🎨 Role Summary

Design original creative assets for a wide range of digital and physical media, including advertising campaigns, website graphics, social media content, event branding, logos, and presentations, specifically for the WNBA brand.
Support the Creative Director in developing a consistent and ownable visual identity and voice for the WNBA across all consumer touchpoints, including social platforms, digital channels, and broadcast media.
Ensure all design work maintains a high level of creativity and aligns cohesively with the established WNBA brand guidelines and future brand innovations.
Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure a unified aesthetic across all assets and proactively contribute new design ideas and creative solutions to support the growing WNBA brand.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Graphic Designer," the responsibilities clearly indicate a focus on brand building and multi-platform asset creation within a sports marketing context, emphasizing the need for strong visual communication skills tailored to a dynamic consumer brand like the WNBA.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Create compelling visual designs for advertising, marketing, and content initiatives across various platforms, including digital banners, social media graphics, website elements, and print materials.
Develop branding assets for WNBA events, presentations, and internal use, ensuring consistency with the league's visual identity.
Contribute to the evolution and innovation of the WNBA brand guidelines, exploring new design trends and visual styles while maintaining brand integrity.
Work closely with marketing, content, and digital teams to translate strategic objectives into impactful visual designs that resonate with the target audience.
Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, adhering to deadlines and delivering high-quality assets in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight the need for a designer who can not only execute designs but also contribute strategically to brand development and work collaboratively across different departments, which is typical for in-house design roles within large organizations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, Art, or a related four-year degree program is required. This foundational education should provide a strong understanding of design principles, typography, color theory, and visual communication. A portfolio demonstrating application of these principles is essential.

Experience: 3-5 years of professional graphic design experience is required. Ideal candidates will have experience working within a creative agency setting or in-house for a consumer-facing brand, showcasing a history of creating impactful visual assets for marketing and content. A strong portfolio demonstrating experience across multiple platforms is mandatory for consideration.

Required Skills:

Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including expert-level skills in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for creating and manipulating visual assets, illustrations, and layouts.
Strong command of Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Office Suite for creating presentations and managing design assets within business contexts.
Familiarity with prepress procedures and best practices for preparing design files for print production, ensuring accurate color reproduction and file formatting.
Proven experience designing optimized visual content specifically for social media platforms and web environments, understanding platform-specific requirements and user engagement strategies.
Ability to manage multiple projects, adapt quickly to changing priorities, and deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment.

Preferred Skills:

Experience with basic copywriting for integrating text seamlessly into visual designs and contributing to overall messaging.
Familiarity with HTML and CSS for understanding web design principles and potentially assisting with front-end design elements.
Experience with Motion Graphics software (e.g., Adobe After Effects) for creating animated graphics and video content, adding dynamic elements to the design skillset.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specified experience level and required tools align with a mid-level graphic designer role. The preference for HTML/CSS and Motion Graphics indicates a desire for versatile designers who can contribute beyond static image creation, potentially expanding the role's scope over time.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Your portfolio must feature a diverse range of design samples showcasing your ability to create assets for multiple platforms, including digital advertising, social media, web, print, and potentially event branding.
Include case studies or project descriptions that clearly articulate your design process, from understanding the brief and conducting research to ideation, iteration, and final execution.
Demonstrate strong visual presentation skills, highlighting your understanding of layout, typography, color theory, and imagery in creating compelling visual narratives.
Showcase your technical proficiency in the required design tools and your ability to deliver production-ready assets across different media formats.

Process Documentation:

For key projects, document your initial research and discovery phase, including any mood boards, competitor analysis, or target audience considerations that informed your design decisions.
Illustrate your ideation and iteration methods, showing sketches, wireframes, or multiple design options explored before arriving at the final solution.
If applicable, include details on any user testing or validation approaches used to refine your designs based on feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a brand-focused role like this, showcasing process and strategic thinking in the portfolio is as crucial as presenting the final visual output. Emphasizing multi-platform experience directly addresses a key requirement mentioned in the job description.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $70,000 - $80,000 per year. This range is explicitly stated in the job description. This salary is competitive for a Graphic Designer with 3-5 years of experience in the New York City area, particularly within the sports and entertainment industry, reflecting the market rate for this experience level and location.

Benefits:

Access to health, dental, and vision insurance plans, typical for full-time employees in large organizations, providing comprehensive coverage for medical needs.
Participation in a retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k) with potential company match, supporting long-term financial planning and security.
Paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, and holidays, allowing for work-life balance and personal well-being.
Potential for additional benefits such as disability insurance, life insurance, and access to employee assistance programs.

Working Hours: Full-time position, typically 40 hours per week. The role offers a hybrid work option, allowing eligible employees to work remotely one day per week, providing some flexibility while maintaining a strong presence for collaboration in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided directly in the job description. Standard benefits for a full-time role at a large company in NYC are assumed based on typical industry practices, offering a comprehensive package to attract and retain talent.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Spectator Sports / Entertainment. The NBA operates within the dynamic and fast-paced sports and entertainment industry, requiring design that is visually appealing, engaging, and resonates with a passionate fanbase. Design plays a critical role in brand building and fan engagement.

Company Size: The NBA is a large organization with a significant global presence. For design professionals, this typically means working within a structured environment with established processes, potentially larger project scopes, and opportunities for collaboration with various internal teams and external partners.

Founded: The NBA has a long history, but the specific founding date of the WNBA is relevant here (1996). This indicates a relatively established but still growing brand within the larger NBA ecosystem, offering a blend of established brand guidelines and opportunities for innovation.

Team Structure:

The Graphic Designer will report to the Creative Director, indicating a structured reporting line within the creative team.
Expect to work within a design team that likely includes other graphic designers, possibly art directors, and potentially motion designers or illustrators.
Significant cross-functional collaboration will be required with teams such as Marketing, Content, Digital Media, and potentially partnerships or events teams.

Methodology:

The design process likely involves understanding briefs from various stakeholders, research into target audience and trends, iterative design exploration and development, and refinement based on feedback.
Expect to utilize a design thinking approach, focusing on user needs (fans and consumers) and business objectives to inform creative solutions.
Validation and testing methods may include presenting designs for internal review and feedback, and potentially analyzing performance metrics for digital assets.

Company Website: https://careers.nba.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the company's industry and size, a structured design team and collaborative workflow are highly probable. The focus on building the "next generation of fans" suggests an emphasis on modern design trends and digital platforms.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Graphic Designer, likely equivalent to an Associate Manager as indicated in the job posting title. This level typically involves taking ownership of projects, working with some autonomy under guidance from a Creative Director, and contributing to strategic design discussions.

Reporting Structure: Reporting directly to the Creative Director provides direct mentorship and guidance on creative vision and execution. This structure allows for learning from experienced design leadership and contributing to higher-level creative strategies.

Design Impact: Design in this role has a significant impact on the WNBA brand's visibility, fan engagement, and overall market perception. The assets created will directly influence how the WNBA is perceived across various media, contributing to building and expanding the fanbase.

Growth Opportunities:

Potential for advancement to Senior Graphic Designer or Art Director roles within the NBA or WNBA creative teams, taking on more complex projects and potentially mentoring junior designers.
Opportunities to specialize in specific areas, such as motion graphics, digital product design, or brand strategy, based on skills developed and company needs.
Exposure to a wide range of projects and platforms provides opportunities for skill development and building a diverse portfolio within the sports entertainment sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Associate Manager" title, combined with the experience requirements, strongly suggests a mid-level role with potential for growth within the organization, which is common in large creative departments.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Corporate Office / Hybrid setup. The primary work environment is likely a professional office setting in New York City, with the added flexibility of working remotely one day per week. The creative team's workspace may be designed to facilitate collaboration and creative brainstorming.

Office Location(s): Primary location appears to be New York City, NY, based on the provided coordinates. This location offers access to a vibrant design community and industry events.

Design Workspace Context:

Expect a workspace equipped with industry-standard design software and hardware.
Collaboration spaces may be available for team meetings, critiques, and brainstorming sessions amongst the design team and with cross-functional partners.
The hybrid model allows for focused work during remote days and in-person collaboration for key meetings and project kick-offs.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours. The hybrid work option provides some flexibility, which can be beneficial for managing creative workflows and personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model is explicitly mentioned. Assumptions about the office environment and workspace are based on typical setups for creative teams within large corporate organizations in urban centers.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

Initial screening interview, likely with a recruiter or HR representative, focusing on experience, skills, and cultural fit.
Interview(s) with the Creative Director and potentially other members of the design team, where you will discuss your portfolio in detail and demonstrate your design process and thinking.
A potential design challenge or take-home assignment to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and how you approach a specific design brief relevant to the WNBA brand.
Interviews with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., from Marketing or Content) to assess collaboration skills and understanding of business objectives.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate experience in sports, entertainment, or consumer branding, aligning with the WNBA's focus.
For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your design process, the tools you used, and the impact of your work. Quantifiable results are a plus.
Showcase your versatility by including examples across various platforms mentioned in the job description (social media, web, print, advertising).
Be prepared to discuss your design decisions and rationale in detail, showcasing your critical thinking and ability to articulate your creative process.

Challenge Preparation:

If a design challenge is assigned, carefully read and understand the prompt. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
Allocate your time effectively to conceptualize, design, and refine your solution within the given timeframe.
Be prepared to present your design process and rationale behind your solution, not just the final output. Explain your choices and how they address the brief.

ATS Keywords: Graphic Design, Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Branding, Visual Identity, Marketing Design, Content Design, Digital Media, Social Media Graphics, Web Design, Advertising Design, Prepress, Typography, Layout, Color Theory, Visual Communication, Sports Marketing, Consumer Brand, Creative Asset Creation, Collaboration, Problem-Solving, Fast-Paced Environment, PowerPoint, Microsoft Office, HTML, CSS, Motion Graphics, Portfolio, Case Study, Design Process, Brand Guidelines, WNBA.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review tips are standard for design roles, but the emphasis on a design challenge and portfolio tailored to sports/entertainment branding is crucial for this specific position.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

Adobe Photoshop: Essential for image editing, photo manipulation, and creating raster-based graphics for digital and print. Proficiency includes understanding layers, masks, smart objects, and various editing techniques.
Adobe Illustrator: Crucial for creating vector graphics, logos, illustrations, and scalable assets for branding and various applications. Expertise in vector paths, typography manipulation, and illustration techniques is expected.
Adobe InDesign: Required for creating layouts for print materials, presentations, and potentially digital publications. Skills in page layout, typography control, and preparing files for print are necessary.
Microsoft PowerPoint: Used for creating presentations, likely for internal reviews, pitches, and potentially external communications. Ability to design visually appealing and effective slides is required.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel): Used for document creation, managing project information, and general office productivity.
Potential use of project management or collaboration tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Slack) to manage workflows and communicate with cross-functional teams.

Research & Testing:

While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with tools or methods for gathering visual inspiration, conducting competitive analysis, and potentially collecting feedback on designs would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core design tools are explicitly listed. Collaboration tools and methods are inferred based on the need for cross-functional teamwork within a large organization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

A strong emphasis on creativity and innovation to build the "next generation of fans," suggesting a culture that values fresh ideas and engaging visual storytelling.
Commitment to consistency and cohesiveness with the WNBA brand identity, indicating a focus on maintaining brand standards while exploring new creative directions.
Valuing collaboration and bringing new design ideas to the table, highlighting a team-oriented environment where contributions are encouraged.
Likely a passion for sports and the WNBA, which would inform design decisions and resonate with the target audience.

Collaboration Style:

Collaborative environment working closely with the Creative Director and other teams (Marketing, Content, Digital Media).
Likely involves regular design critiques and feedback sessions to refine work and ensure alignment with brand and project goals.
Open communication and willingness to share ideas and work in progress are likely valued.

📝 Enhancement Note: Assumptions about design values and collaboration style are based on the job description's language emphasizing creativity, brand consistency, collaboration, and building the WNBA brand.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

Balancing creative innovation with maintaining a consistent and recognizable brand identity for the growing WNBA.
Adapting design styles and content for a wide variety of digital and physical platforms, each with its own technical specifications and audience expectations.
Working in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines, requiring efficient workflows and the ability to quickly turn around high-quality assets.
Staying current with design trends, social media platform updates, and evolving fan consumption habits to create engaging and relevant content.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Opportunity to work on high-profile projects within the sports entertainment industry, gaining valuable experience and portfolio pieces.
Exposure to a wide range of design challenges across different media, fostering skill development and versatility.
Learning from and collaborating with experienced design professionals and creative leadership.
Potential for professional development through workshops, conferences, or online courses to enhance skills in areas like motion graphics or advanced digital design techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are derived from the nature of the role (multi-platform design, fast-paced environment) and the company's focus on brand building. Growth opportunities are inferred from the mid-level position and the dynamic industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

"Walk me through your design process for a typical project, from brief to final delivery." Prepare to discuss your approach to research, ideation, iteration, and incorporating feedback, using examples from your portfolio.
"Describe a time you had to adapt your design approach based on feedback from a stakeholder." Highlight your ability to receive constructive criticism and iterate effectively while maintaining design integrity.
"How do you ensure brand consistency across different platforms and media?" Discuss your understanding of brand guidelines and how you apply them to various design challenges.

Company Culture Questions:

"What interests you about working for the WNBA and within the sports entertainment industry?" Show genuine enthusiasm for the brand and the industry, demonstrating that you've researched the WNBA and its mission.
"Describe your experience collaborating with cross-functional teams (e.g., Marketing, Content)." Provide examples of how you've worked effectively with non-designers to achieve project goals.
"How do you stay updated on design trends and best practices, particularly in digital and social media design?" Showcase your commitment to continuous learning and staying current in the field.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Organize your portfolio presentation logically, perhaps by project type or platform, to showcase the breadth of your skills.
For each project, briefly introduce the context and objective, then delve into your process and key design decisions.
Be prepared to discuss the impact or results of your work, even if it's qualitative (e.g., positive feedback, increased engagement).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are tailored to assess both technical design skills and soft skills like collaboration and adaptability, which are crucial for an in-house role within a large organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link. Ensure all required fields are completed accurately.
Customize your design portfolio to prominently feature relevant projects that align with the WNBA brand and the types of assets requested (e.g., sports marketing, digital content, branding). Highlight your process through case studies.
Optimize your resume for design roles by including relevant keywords from the job description, clearly listing your proficiency in required design tools, and quantifying your experience where possible.
Prepare for the design interview process by practicing explaining your portfolio projects, refining your design process articulation, and preparing for a potential design challenge.
Research the WNBA's recent campaigns, brand guidelines, and target audience to demonstrate your understanding of the brand and its position in the market during interviews.

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

Graphic Designer - WNBA