Creative Lead

Toronto, ON
On-site
Posted Oct 16, 2026
1 position

$70,000–$76,000 / year

Opens LinkedIn

Employment type: Full-time
Experience level: Mid-level · 2+ years
Apply by: Apr 13, 2027
Posting language: English
Working hours: 40 hours per week
Seniority: Mid-Senior level
Application method: Direct apply is available

Job summary

Lead the evolution and consistent application of Canlan Sports' brand identity, directing marketing campaigns and creative across digital, social, print, sponsorship, and in-person channels. Manage and mentor designers, collaborate with internal teams and external partners, and maintain scalable brand standards and creative assets.

Job details

Canlan Sports exists to create experiences where people find their people through the power of play, because we believe everyone deserves a team. As North America's largest private sector owner and operator off recreational sports complexes, Canlan Sports brings that belief to life across 15 multi-sport complexes and more than 70 playing surfaces spanning Canada and the United States. From ice and court to turf and digital, we offer a wide array of recreational sports experiences designed to build community, foster connection, and change lives for the better. Canlan Sports is currently looking for a Creative Lead for our North York Head Office! Salary Range: $70,000 - $76,000 per year. Job Summary Canlan Sports is looking for a Creative Lead to shape our brand identity, marketing campaigns, and customer engagement across omni-channel platforms. This is not a UX/UI or product design role—it’s an opportunity to lead the evolution of a bold, engaging sports brand, ensuring our visuals resonate with communities across North America. The ideal candidate is a brand builder and strategic thinker, capable of leading a team, developing a cohesive visual identity, and delivering impactful marketing creative that drives awareness, retention and engagement. They will collaborate cross-functionally to bring Canlan Sports’ brands to life across digital, print, social, sponsorship activations, and in-person experiences. Responsibilities Brand Identity & Creative Leadership: Define, evolve, and implement Canlan Sports’ brand vision across all marketing and customer touchpoints. Marketing Campaign Development: Lead the creative direction for marketing campaigns, sponsorship activations, and promotional content. Multi-Channel Creative Execution: Oversee and produce visuals for social media, digital ads, website, email marketing, in-arena experiences, and print. Creative Team Leadership: Mentor and manage designers, setting a high standard for brand consistency and creative excellence. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with marketing, sponsorship, sales, and content teams to align creative work with business objectives. Vendor & Partner Coordination: Manage relationships with external creative partners, agencies, and production vendors. Brand Standards Development: Evolve and maintain a cohesive brand style guide, digital asset management platform, and design system that scales across platforms and campaigns. Requirements 3-5 years of experience in brand/marketing design leadership, preferably in the sports, entertainment, or lifestyle industries. Post-secondary accreditation in Graphic Design or a related field. Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, After Effects). Proficiency in Figma for collaboration and UI prototyping. Strong portfolio showcasing brand identity, campaign creative, and marketing assets. Ability to develop compelling brand stories through visual design and multi-platform storytelling. Excellent communication and presentation skills with experience working with executives and stakeholders. Experience managing designers and working with cross-functional teams. A passion for sports, recreation, and community engagement. Relationships You Will Work Closely With Director, Marketing & CX Graphic Designer External Partners Manager, Content Strategy Content Specialist Web Developers Director, North American Programs Product Managers Director, Sponsorship Sales Customer-Facing Managers and Senior Leadership If you’re ready to take the next step in your design leadership journey, we want to hear from you! Please visit our website to apply online with your resume and portfolio. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered. If you are interested in this role and becoming part of the Canlan team, please apply online. NOTE: Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted. Please accept our utmost appreciation for your interest. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and not on race, color, creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions or any other classification protected by federal, provincial and local laws and ordinances. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request. This Equal Employment Opportunity policy applies to all practices. As part of our recruitment and hiring practices, we may use AI-based tools to assist in the initial screening and assessment of applications. All final hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.

What you’ll do

Requirements

Requires 3–5 years of brand or marketing design leadership experience, post-secondary accreditation in graphic design or a related field, and advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills with Figma proficiency. Candidates should have a strong portfolio, experience leading designers and collaborating with stakeholders, excellent communication and presentation skills, and an interest in sports and community engagement.