THE ROLE & THE TEAM

We’re looking for a Senior Art Director to lead creative direction within our Sports Department. Someone who lives and breathes sport, and knows how to turn its energy, movement, and emotion into powerful visual storytelling.

This role requires a strong creative vision paired with an understanding of how AI-driven tools and creative technologies can enhance ideation, design, and production workflows. You’ll shape together with the Creative Director the creative vision for sport brand campaigns, photo & film shoots and digital content across our sport and performance initiatives. You’ll translate strategy into ideas that connect emotionally, capturing the culture of movement, the mindset of athletes, and the aesthetics of modern sport.

You’ll partner closely with Creative Directors, Producers, and cross-functional teams to set the creative bar, mentor junior and mid-creatives, and ensure every visual execution carries both strategic clarity and emotional strength.

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds.

We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential.

We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.

Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

• Lead the visual direction and creative execution for Zalando Sport campaigns and large-scale digital, film, and photography productions, ensuring creative excellence and consistency from pre-production to final asset delivery, while overseeing all production aspects including budgets, timelines, and coordination with external suppliers such as photographers, illustrators, and designers.

• Drive overall creative direction on key clients and projects, ensuring work is on-strategy, brand-appropriate, and aligned with marketing objectives; actively contribute to new business acquisition and organic growth opportunities.

• Collaborate closely with the Creative Director and cross-functional teams (marketing, styling, product, design) to develop, refine, and present strategic creative concepts, visual frameworks, seasonal narratives, and campaign ideas that strengthen brand perception and customer engagement.

• Develop marketing strategies and apply conceptual strategy, design, and copywriting/editing across projects, contributing to the evolution of Zalando Sport’s visual identity while pushing innovation in sport and lifestyle storytelling and staying ahead of creative, cultural, and sport-related trends.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, effectively presenting new initiatives, campaign concepts, and creative directions to positively influence agency and partner relationships; lead and participate in brainstorming sessions informed by customer insights, data, and usability findings.

• Direct, mentor, and guide junior and mid-level creatives as well as freelancers to uphold brand integrity, elevate design quality, refine creative output, and support a collaborative, insight-driven creative environment.

WE’D LOVE TO MEET IF

• Bring 6+ years of experience as a Senior Art Director or comparable creative role within a sports or lifestyle brand or a sport-focused creative agency, backed by a strong understanding of sports culture, movement, performance aesthetics, and how these translate into global and local brand expression.

• Demonstrate a proven track record leading large-scale photo and film productions, translating strategic direction into impactful creative execution, and delivering high-quality work from ideation to final delivery.

• Combine strong conceptual and visual thinking with a strategic mindset and hands-on executional excellence, crafting compelling campaign narratives and managing multiple complex projects simultaneously with strong organizational and time-management skills.

• Leverage AI tools and creative technologies — including generative design, image development, and content automation — to enhance creative ideation, storytelling, and production workflows.

• Communicate and lead with clarity and confidence, offering excellent presentation skills and the ability to articulate creative rationale, influence stakeholders at all levels, and foster cross-functional alignment through a team-oriented, positive, and collaborative approach.

• Bring strong trend awareness and passion for the intersection of sport, design, and culture, supported by expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and deep familiarity with production workflows, digital platforms, and content creation processes.

OUR OFFER

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

• 27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees

• 2 paid volunteering days a year

• Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration

• Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year

• Employee shares program

• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners

• Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

• Family services, including counseling and support

• Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)

• Mental health support and coaching available

• Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review