Sr. Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Graphic Designer

Company: Ball Arena (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment - KSE)

Location: Denver, CO

Job Type: Full Time – Salaried – Exempt

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Services

Date Posted: November 4, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This Sr. Graphic Designer role is pivotal in developing compelling visual storytelling and integrated brand experiences for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) properties, focusing on revenue-generating initiatives and corporate partnerships.

• The position requires a blend of elite creative talent and strong business acumen to conceptualize and execute innovative design solutions across digital, social, experiential, print, sponsorship, and sales platforms.

• Key responsibilities include supporting partnership development and marketing efforts through custom presentation designs, sponsorship recaps, and activation concepts that directly impact new business acquisition and renewals.

• The role also involves providing creative leadership by offering art direction, constructive feedback, and contributing to the establishment of best practices and creative standards within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: While titled "Sr. Graphic Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean into a "Marketing Operations" or "Sales Enablement Design" function, emphasizing the creation of assets that directly support revenue generation through partnerships and sales pitches. The role requires not just creative execution but also strategic thinking about how design influences business outcomes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and execute original creative concepts for entitlement, sponsorship activation, fan engagement, and community initiatives, aligning visual elements with business objectives.

• Design high-impact custom partnership presentations, sponsorship recaps, pitch materials, and innovative activation concepts to drive new business and secure renewals for KSE properties.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Partnership Development, Partnership Marketing, and Strategy & Solutions to visualize sponsorship opportunities and create compelling revenue-generating assets.

• Develop detailed mockups, renderings, and branded concepts for prospective partners, showcasing potential brand integrations and experiential activations.

• Maintain and evolve brand standards across all KSE properties, ensuring visual consistency and strong brand identity across diverse channels and campaigns.

• Prepare production-ready files for a wide range of applications including print collateral, digital assets, environmental graphics, and large-format installations.

• Coordinate effectively with printers, fabrication partners, venue operations, and other production vendors to ensure high-quality execution and timely delivery of creative assets.

• Provide art direction and constructive feedback to internal creative team members and external vendors, fostering a collaborative and high-performing creative environment.

• Participate actively in creative reviews, campaign planning sessions, and cross-functional brainstorming meetings to contribute strategic design insights.

• Support game nights, marquee events, special campaigns, playoffs, concerts, and venue activations by providing on-demand creative support and ensuring visual excellence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on supporting revenue-generating departments (Partnership Marketing & Media Sales) through direct design contributions to sales and partnership efforts. This indicates a need for a candidate who understands the business context of design and can translate marketing and sales objectives into effective visual communications.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, or a closely related field. Experience:

• 3-5 years of professional design experience, with a preference for candidates who have worked within the sports, entertainment, agency, media, or consumer brand sectors. This experience should demonstrate a proven track record in developing and executing multi-channel campaigns. Required Skills:

• Advanced Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Mastery of Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is essential for creating and manipulating complex design assets.

• Figma Expertise: Proficiency in Figma for collaborative design, prototyping, and potentially UI/UX elements for digital platforms.

• PowerPoint Proficiency: Ability to create sophisticated and visually engaging presentations for sales and corporate communication needs.

• Exceptional Portfolio: A strong, diverse portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, sophisticated layout and composition, and successful multi-channel campaign execution is mandatory.

• Brand Identity Systems: Deep understanding of how to develop, apply, and maintain cohesive brand identity systems.

• Typography & Layout: Excellent command of typography, layout principles, and composition to create aesthetically pleasing and effective designs.

• Digital Design Principles: Solid understanding of design best practices for various digital platforms, including social media, web, and email.

• Print Production Knowledge: Familiarity with print processes, file preparation, and material specifications to ensure successful print outcomes.

• Environmental Graphics: Experience or strong understanding of designing for large-format applications and spatial environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in motion graphics or video editing software (e.g., After Effects, Premiere Pro).

• Familiarity with project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello, Monday.com).

• Understanding of basic HTML/CSS for digital asset implementation.

• Experience with A/B testing design elements for digital campaigns.

• Knowledge of current design trends and emerging visual communication technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on specific software like Figma, alongside traditional Adobe Suite, and the requirement for a portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and multi-channel campaign execution suggests a need for a designer who can think strategically about design's impact, not just execute aesthetically pleasing visuals. The mention of "revenue-generating initiatives" and "corporate partnerships" implies a business-oriented approach to design is highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Conceptual Thinking Showcase: Demonstrate the ability to generate original ideas and translate abstract concepts into compelling visual narratives, particularly for partnership opportunities.

• Multi-Channel Campaign Execution: Provide examples of integrated campaigns that span digital, social, print, and experiential touchpoints, showcasing adaptability and strategic application of design across various media.

• Business-Objective Alignment: Include case studies or project examples where design directly supported business goals, such as driving sales, increasing engagement, or enhancing brand perception for corporate partnerships.

• Brand Consistency & Evolution: Showcase instances where brand standards were maintained or strategically evolved to meet new campaign objectives or partner requirements.

• Technical Proficiency: Ensure portfolio pieces clearly reflect advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and PowerPoint, with examples of complex file preparation for various outputs.

Process Documentation:

• While not explicitly stated as a requirement for the portfolio itself, candidates should be prepared to discuss their design process, including:

  • Workflow for concept development and client feedback incorporation.

  • Project management methodologies used to handle multiple concurrent projects.

  • Collaboration processes with marketing, sales, and external vendors.

  • Methods for ensuring brand consistency and quality control throughout the design lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core requirement is an "Exceptional portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and multi-channel campaign execution." This implies that candidates must not only show visually appealing work but also be able to articulate the strategic thinking, process, and business impact behind each piece, especially those related to partnership activations and sales materials.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Base Salary: $70,000 per year.

• 📝 Enhancement Note: Based on industry benchmarks for Sr. Graphic Designers with 3-5 years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Denver, CO, this salary is competitive, falling within the mid-range for such roles. This estimate considers the specific industry (sports/entertainment), the level of responsibility (senior, supporting revenue generation), and the cost of living in Denver. The provided salary of $70,000 aligns with these factors.

Additional Compensation:

• Eligible for an annual discretionary bonus plan, indicating performance-based incentives. Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive coverage including Medical, Dental, and Vision.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous paid time off for work-life balance.

• Holidays: 12 Paid Company Holidays.

• Insurance: Life Insurance, Short-term Disability, and Long-term Disability coverage.

• Savings & Spending Accounts: Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Plans (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care expenses.

• Retirement Savings: 401K plan with Employer Match, supporting long-term financial planning.

Working Hours:

• Full Time – Salaried – Exempt.

• Standard working hours are implied to be around 40 hours per week, typical for a salaried exempt position. However, the role requires flexibility for game nights, marquee events, and special campaigns, suggesting potential for extended hours during peak periods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The benefits package is robust, reflecting a comprehensive offering typical of a large sports and entertainment organization. The inclusion of an annual bonus plan and employer match for 401K are significant components for total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports & Entertainment Holding Company. KSE owns and operates a diverse portfolio including professional sports teams (Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado Rapids), venues (Ball Arena, DICK’S Sporting Goods Park), media outlets, and other entertainment properties.

Company Size: KSE is a large organization. While specific employee numbers aren't provided in the raw data, its ownership of multiple major sports teams, venues, and media properties indicates a significant workforce, likely in the thousands.

Founded: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment was founded by Stan Kroenke. While the exact founding year isn't in the provided text, KSE has been a major player in sports ownership for decades.

Team Structure:

• Department: Partnership Marketing & Media Sales. This indicates the designer will be embedded within or closely collaborating with teams focused on generating revenue through sponsorships and media.

• Reporting: Reports to the VP, Strategy. This suggests a strategic orientation for the role, with a focus on how design supports overarching business strategies.

• Collaboration: The role emphasizes collaboration with Partnership Development, Partnership Marketing, and Strategy & Solutions teams, highlighting a cross-functional operational environment.

Methodology:

• Creative Development: Focus on original concepts supporting revenue goals and brand experiences.

• Partnership Focus: Design is a key tool for visualizing and selling sponsorship opportunities.

• Brand Stewardship: Maintaining and evolving brand standards across a diverse portfolio.

• Production Coordination: Managing external vendors and internal operations for high-quality execution.

Company Website: Ball Arena (Implied by Job Title and Company Name, KSE also has a corporate presence)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is likely fast-paced, dynamic, and results-oriented, given its involvement in professional sports and live entertainment. The Sr. Graphic Designer will be part of a team that directly contributes to the commercial success of KSE's properties, requiring a blend of creative excellence and business acumen.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior individual contributor role within the creative and marketing operations function. It requires a high degree of autonomy, conceptual thinking, and the ability to mentor or provide direction to junior staff or external vendors. The "Sr." title and reporting to a VP indicate a significant level of responsibility and expertise expected.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the VP, Strategy. This places the role at a strategic level within the Partnership Marketing & Media Sales division, allowing for direct influence on how creative assets support business objectives.

Operations Impact: The Sr. Graphic Designer's work is directly tied to revenue generation through the creation of compelling sales collateral, partnership presentations, and activation concepts. Their designs will influence the perception of KSE's brands and the attractiveness of sponsorship opportunities, directly impacting the company's financial performance. The role supports the commercial arms of KSE's diverse portfolio.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to provide art direction, mentor junior designers, and establish creative best practices can lead to future team lead or creative director roles.

• Strategic Impact: Deepening understanding of partnership strategy and sales processes can open doors to roles in partnership marketing management or brand strategy.

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in specific areas like experiential design, digital campaign strategy, or brand management within the sports and entertainment sector.

• Cross-functional Movement: Experience supporting various KSE properties (Nuggets, Avalanche, Ball Arena, etc.) can provide a broad understanding of the entertainment business, potentially leading to opportunities in broader marketing or brand management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential beyond pure design execution. By focusing on the strategic impact of design on revenue and partnerships, candidates can position themselves for leadership roles within KSE or the broader sports and entertainment marketing industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Typical Office Conditions. The role is based in Denver, CO, and involves working within a professional office environment.

Office Location(s): Denver, CO. Specifics about the office building or amenities are not detailed, but it's implied to be within KSE's operational footprint.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The job description explicitly mentions collaboration with multiple internal teams (Partnership Development, Marketing, Strategy) and external vendors (printers, fabricators). This suggests an open, interactive workspace designed to foster teamwork.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, PowerPoint) and potentially project management tools. The environment will support high-volume creative production.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for interaction with creative team members, marketing professionals, and potentially sales teams involved in partnership development. The role also supports game nights and events, suggesting some on-site work at venues.

Work Schedule:

• Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt.

• While a standard 40-hour week is typical, the role explicitly states the need to support game nights, marquee events, and venue activations. This implies a flexible schedule with potential for extended hours, evenings, and weekends, particularly during event-heavy seasons or playoff runs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is dynamic, requiring adaptability to both office-based creative development and on-site event support. The collaborative nature and direct support of revenue-generating activities mean the pace can be demanding, especially during key seasons.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: HR or hiring manager reviews applications and resumes, focusing on relevant experience and qualifications.

2. Portfolio Review: Candidates will likely be asked to submit their portfolio for initial review. This is a critical step to assess creative talent, conceptual thinking, and relevant project experience.

3. First Interview (Hiring Manager/Team Lead): This interview will likely focus on the candidate's background, experience, and how their skills align with the role's responsibilities. Expect questions about their design process, ability to handle multiple projects, and understanding of brand development.

4. Creative Challenge/Case Study: A common step for design roles. Candidates may be given a brief (e.g., design a partnership pitch concept, create a sponsorship recap layout) to complete within a set timeframe. This assesses their ability to apply their skills to KSE's specific context.

5. Final Interview (VP/Senior Leadership): This interview will assess strategic thinking, cultural fit, and overall alignment with KSE's business objectives. Questions may delve into how design contributes to revenue and brand strategy.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize work that demonstrates conceptual thinking, multi-channel execution, and ideally, work related to sports, entertainment, or corporate partnerships.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly explain the objective, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, and the outcome. Highlight how your design decisions supported business goals.

• Highlight Business Impact: If possible, quantify the impact of your designs (e.g., "This presentation contributed to securing a 5-year sponsorship deal").

• Demonstrate Technical Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio clearly shows advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and PowerPoint.

• Tailor to KSE: Research KSE's brands (Nuggets, Avalanche, Ball Arena) and their current marketing efforts. If possible, include a speculative piece that aligns with their visual identity or a partnership concept.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully read and understand the requirements of any design challenge. Ask clarifying questions if needed.

• Time Management: Allocate your time wisely between concept development, execution, and refinement.

• Presentation Strategy: Be prepared to present your work and rationale clearly and concisely, focusing on how your design solutions meet the objectives.

• Brand Alignment: Ensure your work adheres to established brand guidelines or demonstrates a strong understanding of how to adapt them.

• Stakeholder Perspective: Think about the audience (e.g., partnership managers, potential clients) and tailor your presentation accordingly.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on supporting revenue generation, interviewers will likely probe candidates on their understanding of sales cycles, partnership value propositions, and how design can directly influence deal closures. A strong portfolio that showcases this business-oriented approach will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Photoshop: Essential for image manipulation, digital asset creation, and mockups.
  • Illustrator: Crucial for vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
  • InDesign: Key for layout design, creating presentations, pitch decks, and print collateral.

• Figma: Increasingly important for collaborative design, prototyping, and potentially UI/UX for digital platforms. This indicates a modern design workflow.

• Microsoft PowerPoint: Required for creating professional and visually compelling presentations for sales and corporate partnerships.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary tool for the designer, understanding how their digital assets perform (e.g., social media engagement, website click-through rates) can be beneficial. Familiarity with analytics platforms like Google Analytics or social media insights may be a plus. CRM & Automation:

• No specific CRM or automation tools are mentioned as direct responsibilities for the designer. However, awareness of how design assets are deployed within marketing automation platforms or CRM-driven campaigns could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, and PowerPoint indicates the core technical requirements. Proficiency across these tools, particularly in creating polished presentations and digital assets, is non-negotiable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creative Excellence: A commitment to producing high-quality, innovative, and impactful design work.

• Strategic Thinking: Applying design skills not just aesthetically, but to solve business problems and achieve strategic objectives, particularly in partnership development.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with diverse teams (marketing, sales, strategy, venue operations) and external partners to achieve shared goals.

• Brand Stewardship: Upholding and enhancing the brand integrity of KSE's extensive portfolio of sports teams and venues.

• Efficiency & Adaptability: Thriving in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple projects, and adapting to evolving business needs and deadlines, especially around events.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role is deeply embedded within the Partnership Marketing & Media Sales department, requiring close collaboration with partnership development, marketing, and strategy teams to visualize and sell sponsorship opportunities.

• Process Review & Feedback: Expect a culture where creative concepts and designs are reviewed by stakeholders, and constructive feedback is exchanged to refine work and ensure alignment with business objectives.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to best practices, workflows, and creative standards within the team, fostering a learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely values creativity that is grounded in business objectives. Success in this role will depend on the ability to translate commercial needs into compelling visual narratives and to work effectively within a team that supports high-stakes revenue-generating activities.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pace and Volume: Supporting multiple professional sports teams, a major venue, and various business units means a high volume of diverse creative requests and tight deadlines, especially during peak seasons or playoff runs.

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Partner Needs: Juggling the need to maintain KSE's overarching brand integrity while creating custom, impactful designs for individual corporate partners can be complex.

• Translating Business Objectives into Visuals: Effectively understanding and visualizing complex sponsorship packages and revenue-generating strategies for sales pitches requires strong strategic and conceptual skills beyond pure aesthetics.

• Adapting to Event Demands: The need to support game nights and major events means working under pressure with potentially immediate creative needs, requiring flexibility and resilience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to hone skills in specialized areas such as experiential design, motion graphics, or advanced digital asset creation.

• Sports & Entertainment Marketing Insights: Gaining deep knowledge of sponsorship activation, fan engagement strategies, and the business dynamics of professional sports and live entertainment.

• Strategic Partnership Understanding: Developing a nuanced understanding of how creative assets directly contribute to sales cycles and partnership renewals.

• Leadership Experience: Potential to mentor junior designers, lead creative aspects of major campaigns, and contribute to establishing department-wide creative standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a fast-paced, high-stakes environment like professional sports. Successfully navigating these challenges by leveraging strong design, project management, and communication skills will pave the way for significant professional growth within KSE or the broader industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed a creative concept for a major partnership activation or sales pitch. What was the objective, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, business impact, and process).

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple, distinct properties while also creating unique visual identities for individual partners or campaigns?" (Assess understanding of brand management and adaptability).

• "Walk me through your process for preparing a complex design project, from initial brief to final production-ready files, especially when working with external vendors." (Evaluate project management, workflow, and vendor coordination skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and specifically supporting our partnership marketing efforts?" (Gauge enthusiasm for the industry and role).

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs, particularly from non-design stakeholders like sales or strategy teams?" (Assess adaptability, professionalism, and collaboration).

• "How do you stay current with design trends and incorporate them effectively without compromising brand integrity?" (Evaluate continuous learning and strategic application of trends). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each project, frame it as a narrative: the challenge, your solution, and the result. Emphasize the why behind your design decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics or specific business outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of your work. For partnership-related pieces, highlight how they supported sales or renewals.

• Showcase Process & Tools: Be ready to discuss your workflow, the software you used (especially Adobe Suite, Figma, PowerPoint), and how you collaborated with others.

• Address KSE Context: Connect your work to KSE's brands and potential partnership opportunities. Show you've done your research.

• Be Concise: Respect the interviewer's time. Focus on the most impactful projects and articulate your contributions clearly and efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a candidate who can demonstrate not only creative talent but also a strategic understanding of how design drives revenue and supports business objectives within the dynamic sports and entertainment industry. Be prepared to speak to the business impact of your creative work.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the recruitingbypaycor.com platform.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 3-5 years of professional design experience, emphasizing accomplishments in conceptual thinking, multi-channel campaign execution, and supporting sales/partnership efforts. Use keywords from the job description such as "visual storytelling," "brand development," "sponsorship activation," "Adobe Creative Suite," and "Figma."

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your online portfolio to prominently feature projects that showcase your ability to create compelling sales collateral, partnership presentations, and integrated marketing campaigns. Include specific examples of how your design work contributed to business objectives or revenue generation. Be prepared to walk through 2-3 key projects in detail during an interview.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), Ball Arena, and their professional sports teams (Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth). Understand their brand identities, recent marketing campaigns, and the types of partnerships they engage in. This will enable you to speak knowledgeably about how your design skills can benefit their organization.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, creative decision-making, and the business impact of your work. Prepare to discuss specific projects from your portfolio and how you would approach design challenges relevant to KSE's operations.

⚠️ 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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