The future of entertainment is interactive, and our Marketing team plays an important role in this future by building content, culture, and community around our brands. We empower audiences to Play, Create, Watch, and Connect across our amazing franchises and experiences, including The Sims, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS FC, Apex Legends, and Battlefield. We’re a multi-functional group, with world-class expertise in building fandoms, driving interactive storytelling, and positioning our franchises at the center of the broader entertainment ecosystem. Our Experiences Organization is seeking a Creative Director.

Responsibilities:

Creative Direction and Product Development:

• Lead the conceptualization and design of merchandise collections in close partnership with internal EA Creative and Franchise marketing teams.
• Responsible for outlining current trends and brand aesthetics to inform product design and maximize sell-through rates. 
• Develop our product lifecycle from concept to launch, including design iteration, sampling, and final approval processes.

Identify and Manage Relationships with Production Vendors:

• Act as EA’s buyer; ensure we only partner with production vendors/manufacturers that are at the leading-edge of designs.
• Source vendors that are reliable and at quality, while also balancing the reality that we need strong margins.
• Provide EA with guidance on how to best negotiate and setup contracts to ensure the most favorable terms and maximum supply chain efficiency. 
• Maintain ongoing relationships with vendors to manage production schedules, resolve issues, and explore opportunities for product innovation and improvement.

Ensure Quality and On-Time Production and Fulfillment:

• Implement quality control standards and processes to ensure all merchandise meets the brand's quality benchmarks.
• Coordinate with production vendors and logistics partners to monitor production timelines and ensure on-time delivery of products.
• Manage inventory levels and fulfillment strategies to align with sales forecasts and demand, minimizing stockouts and overstock situations.

Qualifications:

• Creative Vision: Ability to develop and communicate a compelling creative vision for merchandise presentation.
• Design Skills: Proficiency in graphic design, layout, and visual merchandising principles.
• Leadership: Experience leading a team of designers and merchandisers, inspiring creativity and maintaining brand consistency.
• Strategic Thinking: Capability to align creative concepts with overall marketing and sales strategies.
• Trend Awareness: Awareness of current trends in design, fashion, and retail to keep merchandise displays fresh and appealing.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and articulate ideas.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, adhering to deadlines and budgets.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with design software and digital tools used in the merchandising process.
• Analytical Skills: Capacity to analyze sales data and customer feedback to optimize merchandising strategies.
• Previous experience in a creative leadership role within the retail industry, preferably in merchandising.