Graphic Designer - Utah Jazz Youth

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer - Utah Jazz Youth

Company: Jazz Basketball Investors LLC

Location: Sandy, Utah, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

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

Date Posted: 2026-02-20

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Develop and execute creative visual assets for a variety of youth sports programs under the Utah Jazz umbrella, including Junior Jazz, Jazz Bantam, Camps & Clinics, and Kids Club.

• Conceptualize and implement comprehensive branding systems and marketing campaigns that resonate with young athletes, families, and community stakeholders.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, community relations, partnerships, and youth programming teams to ensure cohesive and impactful brand messaging across all touchpoints.

• Maintain and advance brand consistency for Utah Jazz Youth initiatives, while actively contributing innovative design concepts and strategic ideas to enhance engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is focused on graphic design specifically for youth-oriented sports programming, requiring a strong understanding of youth culture and sports marketing. The emphasis is on brand development and marketing campaign execution within a professional sports organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce high-quality digital and print-based graphics for all Utah Jazz Youth programs, ensuring alignment with brand standards and program objectives.

• Conceptualize, design, and execute cohesive branding systems, marketing campaigns, event collateral, merchandise graphics, and promotional assets for both digital and print platforms.

• Partner with cross-functional teams, including marketing, community relations, partnerships, and youth programming departments, to create engaging visuals that drive program registrations, participation, and foster brand affinity.

• Uphold and evolve brand consistency across all Utah Jazz Youth materials, while proactively contributing innovative and strategic design ideas to enhance program outreach and engagement.

• Prepare production-ready files for print and digital distribution, meticulously ensuring quality control and accuracy for all creative deliverables.

• Effectively manage multiple design projects simultaneously, consistently meeting deadlines in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

• Stay abreast of current design trends, youth culture nuances, sports marketing best practices, and emerging creative technologies to inform design strategy.

• Assist in the organization, maintenance, and management of creative assets and digital file systems to ensure efficient access and retrieval.

• Contribute positively to a collaborative, team-first culture by demonstrating strong interpersonal skills, accountability, and professional conduct.

• Uphold Utah Jazz brand principles and actively support an inclusive, diverse, and equitable work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of creative execution, brand management, and cross-functional collaboration within the context of youth sports marketing. The role requires a proactive approach to design problem-solving and a commitment to maintaining brand integrity across diverse program initiatives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

Required Skills:

• Graphic Design Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise in creating compelling visual assets for both digital and print media.

• Brand Systems Development: Proven ability to conceptualize, design, and implement consistent brand identities and guidelines.

• Marketing Campaign Design: Experience in developing creative assets for integrated marketing campaigns across various channels.

• Visual Storytelling: Strong ability to communicate messages and evoke emotion through design and imagery.

• Adobe Creative Suite Mastery: High proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign on MacOS.

• Typography & Layout: Excellent understanding of typography, layout principles, and visual hierarchy.

• Photo Editing & Manipulation: Skill in retouching, color correction, and compositing images.

• Print Production Knowledge: Familiarity with print processes, file preparation, and pre-press requirements.

• Collaboration & Communication: Ability to articulate design concepts and work effectively with diverse teams.

• Time Management & Multitasking: Proven capability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced setting.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulous focus on accuracy, quality, and brand consistency in all deliverables.

Preferred Skills:

• Figma Proficiency: Experience with Figma for collaborative design and prototyping.

• Youth Culture Insight: Understanding of current trends, aesthetics, and communication styles relevant to younger demographics.

• Sports Marketing Acumen: Familiarity with the unique design considerations within the sports industry.

• Creative Boundary Pushing: Ability to innovate and experiment within brand parameters to create fresh, engaging designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications highlight a need for a technically skilled designer with practical experience in marketing and branding, particularly within a sports context. A strong portfolio is paramount, and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite is non-negotiable. Familiarity with Figma and an understanding of youth culture are considered valuable assets.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 2–4 years of applied graphic design experience, with a strong emphasis on branding systems, marketing campaigns, and visual storytelling.

• Demonstration of ability to design within established brand guidelines while also pushing creative boundaries to produce innovative and engaging visuals.

• Examples of successful digital and print-based graphics created for diverse initiatives, highlighting versatility and adaptability.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio pieces should implicitly or explicitly demonstrate workflow for concept development, design iteration, and final asset delivery.

• Case studies or project descriptions within the portfolio should detail the collaborative process with stakeholders (e.g., marketing, youth programming) and how design solutions addressed specific program goals or challenges.

• Visual examples of brand consistency across multiple applications (e.g., digital ads, social media, print collateral, merchandise) are crucial for demonstrating process adherence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary requirement is a robust portfolio that not only displays creative talent but also illustrates a structured design process, understanding of brand application, and collaborative experience. Candidates must be prepared to walk through their design process and decision-making.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) with potential company match.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday pay.

• Employee Perks: Access to Utah Jazz events, merchandise discounts, and potential opportunities to attend games.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning and skill enhancement in design and sports marketing.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are approximately 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility to work nights and weekends is required due to the nature of sports events and marketing campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical compensation for graphic designers with 2-5 years of experience in the Utah market, considering the specialized industry. Benefits are standard for full-time roles in professional sports organizations. The requirement for evening and weekend work is explicitly stated due to industry demands.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports & Entertainment (Professional Basketball)

Company Size: Jazz Basketball Investors LLC is part of a larger organization that operates within the professional sports industry. While specific employee numbers for "Jazz Basketball Investors LLC" might vary, the overall Jazz organization is a significant entity in the Utah business landscape. This implies a dynamic, fast-paced environment with a focus on brand, fan engagement, and community impact.

Founded: The Utah Jazz franchise was founded in 1974, with a long-standing history in the NBA. This history provides a foundation of established brand identity and organizational culture.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a broader Marketing or Creative department.

• They will report to the Senior Graphic Designer, indicating a hierarchical structure within the creative team.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: Design decisions will likely be informed by marketing objectives, fan engagement metrics, and program participation data.

• Brand-Centric Approach: A core methodology will be maintaining and evolving the Utah Jazz brand across all youth initiatives, ensuring consistency and impact.

• Agile Project Management: Given the fast-paced nature of sports marketing and event cycles, an agile approach to project management and design execution is probable.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context points to a professional sports environment that values brand integrity, community engagement, and dynamic execution. The operations within this context will likely be fast-paced, collaborative, and data-informed, with a strong emphasis on delivering high-quality creative assets that support business objectives.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an intermediate-level Graphic Designer. It requires a solid foundation of 2-4 years of experience, indicating a step beyond entry-level roles. The designer is expected to execute tasks with a degree of autonomy but works under the guidance of a Senior Graphic Designer.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer reports directly to the Senior Graphic Designer. This implies a mentorship and oversight structure, allowing for skill development and learning from a more experienced professional. The Senior Designer will likely provide direction on creative strategy and quality assurance.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's work directly impacts the perception and engagement with Utah Jazz Youth programs. High-quality, engaging visuals are critical for driving program registrations, fostering brand loyalty among young fans and their families, and supporting partnership initiatives. Effective design can translate directly into increased participation and revenue for youth programs.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific design areas such as motion graphics, digital illustration, or brand identity development within the sports context.

• Career Advancement: Potential to progress to a Senior Graphic Designer role within the Jazz organization or in other sports/entertainment entities.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining experience working with various departments can open doors to roles in marketing, brand management, or event coordination.

• Industry Networking: Building connections within the professional sports and design communities through involvement with Jazz initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within the sports marketing and design field. The emphasis is on developing practical skills in a high-visibility environment, with opportunities for specialization and advancement within the organization or broader industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is on-site in Sandy, Utah, suggesting a professional office environment typical of a sports franchise. This likely includes collaborative workspaces, individual workstations, and potentially access to meeting rooms and creative studios.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is in Sandy, Utah, an accessible suburb within the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. This location offers proximity to various amenities and transportation routes.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, with regular interaction expected with the Senior Graphic Designer and other members of the marketing and youth programming teams.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, potentially Figma) and necessary hardware (MacOS workstations) will be provided.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with creative peers and cross-functional colleagues to discuss projects, share feedback, and brainstorm ideas.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday.

• However, the role requires flexibility to work nights and weekends as needed to meet project deadlines, support events, and respond to urgent marketing needs, which is common in the sports industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site work environment in Sandy, Utah, is conducive to collaboration and access to necessary creative tools. The schedule demands flexibility, reflecting the typical demands of working within a professional sports organization where events and marketing campaigns often occur outside standard business hours.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or hiring manager reviews applications, prioritizing candidates with strong portfolios and relevant experience.

• Portfolio Review & Skills Assessment: Candidates will submit a portfolio (or portfolio website) for review. This is a critical step. The interview may involve a presentation of selected portfolio pieces, discussing design rationale, process, and impact.

• Interviews with Hiring Team: Candidates will likely meet with the Senior Graphic Designer and potentially other members of the marketing or youth programming departments to assess creative fit, technical skills, collaboration style, and understanding of the role's objectives.

• Potential Design Challenge: A short, timed design exercise or case study related to youth program marketing might be administered to evaluate problem-solving skills and on-the-spot creative thinking.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with a department head or senior leadership for a final cultural and strategic alignment assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-8 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize work that demonstrates branding, campaign development, and visual storytelling, especially any related to youth or sports.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly explain the brief, your role, your design process (ideation, iteration), the tools used, and the final outcome/impact. Visual examples of early concepts or mood boards can be beneficial.

• Highlight Brand Adaptability: Include examples showing how you've worked within established brand guidelines or adapted a brand for specific initiatives.

• Detail Digital & Print: Ensure your portfolio includes examples of both digital (social media, web banners) and print (flyers, merchandise) design.

• Professional Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. A dedicated website is preferred.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brand: Thoroughly research the Utah Jazz brand, their youth initiatives (Junior Jazz, etc.), and their overall marketing approach.

• Anticipate Youth Focus: Be prepared to think about design solutions tailored to younger audiences and families. Consider what captivates their attention and drives engagement.

• Practice Articulating: Rehearse explaining your design choices, process, and how you would approach a hypothetical design challenge for a youth sports program. Focus on clarity and conciseness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process heavily emphasizes the portfolio. Candidates must prepare to not only present their work but also articulate their design thinking, process, and ability to adapt to the specific needs of youth sports marketing within a professional sports organization.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite (MacOS):

  • Adobe Photoshop: Essential for photo editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Adobe Illustrator: Crucial for logo design, vector graphics, typography, and scalable illustrations.
  • Adobe InDesign: Necessary for layout design of marketing collateral, brochures, and print materials.

• Figma (Preferred): A collaborative interface design tool that is increasingly used for prototyping, design systems, and team collaboration. Proficiency here is a plus.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core design tasks, but understanding how marketing campaigns are deployed through CRM or marketing automation platforms can provide context for asset requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite on MacOS is a mandatory requirement. Experience with Figma is highly desirable, indicating a forward-thinking approach to design tools and collaboration. The focus is on design execution tools rather than analytics or CRM platforms for this specific role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Team-First Mentality: A strong emphasis on collaboration, mutual support, and working together towards common goals within the Jazz organization.

• Professionalism & Accountability: Upholding high standards of work, meeting commitments, and taking ownership of responsibilities.

• Inclusivity & Diversity: Commitment to fostering an equitable environment where all individuals feel valued and respected, reflecting the diverse communities the Jazz serve.

• Passion for the Brand: A genuine enthusiasm for the Utah Jazz, its mission, and its role in the community, particularly in youth development.

• Creative Excellence: A drive to produce high-quality, innovative design work that effectively communicates and engages target audiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect regular interaction and collaboration with marketing, community relations, partnerships, and youth programming teams. The ability to translate their needs into effective visual solutions is key.

• Feedback & Iteration: A culture that likely embraces constructive feedback to refine designs and ensure they meet project objectives. Open communication channels are essential.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement to share design insights, trends, and best practices within the creative team and potentially with other departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture values collaboration, professionalism, and a shared passion for the Utah Jazz brand and its community impact. The operational style emphasizes cross-functional teamwork and a commitment to high-quality creative output.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Innovation: Continuously creating fresh, engaging designs for youth programs while strictly adhering to established Utah Jazz brand guidelines and the specific needs of diverse youth initiatives.

• Fast-Paced Environment & Tight Deadlines: Managing a high volume of design requests with often short turnarounds, especially during peak seasons or event periods.

• Diverse Audience Needs: Designing for a demographic (youth) and their influencers (parents/guardians) requires understanding different communication styles and visual preferences.

• Evolving Design Trends: Staying current with rapidly changing digital design trends, youth culture aesthetics, and sports marketing strategies to keep creative output relevant.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Skills: Opportunities to gain deeper experience in areas like motion graphics for social media, illustration for youth-focused materials, or advanced digital campaign design.

• Industry Exposure: Working within a professional sports organization provides exposure to high-level marketing strategies, event management, and fan engagement tactics.

• Mentorship: Learning directly from a Senior Graphic Designer offers guidance on creative direction, problem-solving, and career development within the design field.

• Networking: Building professional connections within the sports and entertainment industry through involvement in various Jazz initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents challenges related to dynamic project management and maintaining creative relevance, balanced by significant growth opportunities in specialized design skills and industry exposure within the professional sports sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a branding system for a new youth sports program. How would you ensure it aligns with the overall Utah Jazz identity while appealing to young athletes and families?" (Focus on process, brand alignment, target audience.)

• "Walk us through a marketing campaign you designed. What was the objective, what was your role, what were the key design elements, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a specific case study from your portfolio.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about designing for youth sports initiatives within the Utah Jazz organization?" (Show genuine interest and research.)

• "How do you contribute to a team-first culture, especially when working on fast-paced projects with tight deadlines?" (Emphasize collaboration and professionalism.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative: the challenge, your solution, and the result.

• Highlight Process: Be ready to explain your conceptualization, iteration, and decision-making process for each piece.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): If a project led to measurable results (e.g., increased registration, engagement), be prepared to discuss it.

• Concise Explanations: Keep your descriptions focused and relevant to the role's requirements. Avoid jargon where possible, or explain it clearly.

• Showcase Versatility: Demonstrate your range across digital, print, and branding applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on showcasing creative process, brand understanding, and collaborative skills. A well-prepared portfolio presentation that tells a story about each project's journey and impact is crucial for success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the Jazz Basketball Investors LLC careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features design projects relevant to youth engagement, sports marketing, branding, and campaign development. Tailor your selection to highlight your strongest digital and print work.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 2-4 years of design experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (and Figma, if applicable), and any experience with sports or youth-focused marketing. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, rationale, and how your skills align with the Utah Jazz Youth initiatives. Prepare to present your portfolio and discuss specific projects in detail.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research the Utah Jazz, their youth programs (Junior Jazz, etc.), their brand identity, and their community outreach efforts. Understand their mission and values.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions based on the provided information. All details, especially regarding compensation, benefits, and specific interview processes, should be verified directly with Jazz Basketball Investors LLC during the application and interview stages.