Sr Director Digital Design Job Listing at Academy Sports + Outdoors in Katy, TX (Job ID R304747)

Description

Come work at a place where we take pride in creating a workplace environment that values hard work, commitment, and growth.

The Senior Director of Digital Design is responsible for Academy's digital storytelling and overall site user experience across desktop, mobile web, and mobile apps. This role leads the creative direction and experience strategy for e-commerce channels, ensuring that all digital touchpoints are engaging, on-brand, and optimized for conversion. Reporting to the VP of E-Commerce, the Senior Director of Design manages a global team of UX and creative designers, content strategists, and personalization experts, and works closely with the Digital Product Management and Front-End Development teams.

The team comes together to bring the Academy Sports + Outdoors brand to life through rich content, intuitive interfaces, innovative formats (e.g. videos, interactive guides) – personalized to target customer segments while maintaining consistency across online and in-store channels. Job Description:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Digital Design, Visual Communication, Human-Computer Interaction, or related field.

Work Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in digital/web design and UX,
• At least 5 years in a leadership role (managing designers or creative teams).
• Significant experience in retail e-commerce or omnichannel consumer brands is highly preferred, demonstrating an understanding of how design drives online sales

Skills:

• Strong portfolio showcasing ability to create engaging, user-friendly interfaces and interactive content. Deep knowledge of Digital Experience principles, information architecture, and conversion-centered design. Experienced in designing for responsive web and native mobile apps, with a mobile-first mindset. Up-to-date with design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) and techniques like user journey mapping and wireframing. 

• Ability to craft compelling visual narratives – blending imagery, copy, and multimedia to tell a story and sell a product. Knowledge of best practices in digital storytelling and content marketing for e-commerce. Familiarity with photography, video, or graphic design processes is a plus to effectively partner in creation of rich content assets. 
• Solid understanding of front-end development technologies (HTML/CSS, JavaScript). While coding is not a core requirement, the director should grasp the capabilities and limitations of modern front-end frameworks to ensure design intentions are achievable. Experience working in an Agile development environment and using project management tools to collaborate with developers is beneficial. 

• Comfortable interpreting web analytics, A/B test results, and user research findings to inform design decisions. For example, able to analyze heatmaps or funnel metrics to diagnose UX problems and iterate solutions. Experience with usability testing (remote or in-person) and using feedback to refine designs. 
• Proven ability to lead creative teams – inspiring innovation while also providing clear direction and constructive critique. Excellent communicator who can articulate the rationale behind design concepts to non-design stakeholders and senior leadership, linking design outcomes to business results. Able to advocate for the user while balancing business needs, finding win-win solutions. 
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced retail calendar. Skilled at prioritizing design initiatives based on impact and effort. Experience coordinating cross-functional initiatives (e.g., a site redesign or a major campaign launch) from concept through execution. 
• Passion for staying on the cutting edge of digital design. Familiarity with emerging trends like personalization in UX, motion design, AR/VR commerce, and conversational interfaces. A forward-thinking mindset to experiment with new formats and ensure Academy's digital experience remains fresh and competitive. 

Responsibilities:

• Define and drive the overall digital design vision and content strategy for Academy's e-commerce platforms.
• Manage and mentor a team of visual designers and content creators/copywriters. Foster a collaborative and creative team culture that encourages innovation and staying ahead of design trends. Provide guidance and training opportunities (e.g., in new design tools or methods), set clear goals, and regularly review performance. As a leader, also champion the user-centric design approach within the broader organization, articulating how design enhancements can drive business results (conversion, engagement, customer satisfaction).
• Develop a “digital storytelling” approach that showcases products and brand values through engaging visuals and narratives, ultimately aiming to deepen customer engagement and loyalty. Ensure that the design strategy supports key business objectives (product discovery, conversion, and retention) and aligns with marketing campaigns and seasonal themes.
• Oversee end-to-end UX design for the mobile web, mobile app, and desktop, focusing on simple, intuitive navigation and a frictionless shopping journey. Implement best-in-class customer experience practices, including mobile-first and responsive design, accessible interfaces, and fast-loading pages. Continuously improve site layout, category pages, product detail pages, and checkout flow design by leveraging user research, A/B testing, and industry UX trends.
• Lead the strategy and creation of interactive and rich media content to enhance the shopping experience. Introduce features that could include shoppable lookbooks, product videos, 360° views, quizzes, or other interactive elements to boost user engagement. Explore emerging technologies (e.g., AR/VR features for product visualization) to provide novel and immersive customer experiences​.
• Ensure a cohesive customer experience across all channels and devices. Work with omnichannel marketing and store teams to maintain consistency in branding and messaging between the online storefront and physical stores​. For example, if a marketing story or promotion runs in-store, ensure the website and app reflect the same creative theme and content. Design digital experiences that complement in-store events (such as app features for in-store shoppers, or online content that drives store visits) for a true 360° engagement​.
• Guide the team in creating and executing personalization campaigns via Monetate. Segment the audience and tailor site content, product recommendations, and promotions to different customer profiles in real-time​. Ensure personalized experiences (e.g. dynamic homepages, targeted offers) are consistent across desktop, mobile web, and app, and coordinate personalized messaging with email/marketing when applicable.
• Design a global team footprint with capabilities across customer experience design, content strategy & production, and personalization to enable cost efficient capability scaling.
• Collaborate closely with Merchandising, Marketing, and E-Commerce teams to plan content and design updates. In weekly/seasonal planning, contribute creative ideas for homepage refreshes, campaign landing pages, emails, and social media tie-ins. Ensure the digital design team delivers assets that meet marketing briefs and timelines, and that Digital Product Management and Front-End Development teams have clear guidance to implement designs accurately.
• Oversee the day-to-day execution of design projects – from concept through wireframes to final visual design. Approve and provide feedback on designers' work, maintaining high standards for visual aesthetics, consistency with our brand style guide, and usability. Work with the Digital Product Management and Front-End Development teams to ensure designs are translated into pixel-perfect, responsive front-end code. Emphasize optimization of graphics and code for performance, so that pages remain fast and SEO-friendly even with rich content. Own the design language system for Academy's digital platforms – including style guides, UI pattern libraries, and guidelines for content.
• Utilize data and feedback to continuously refine the site experience. Partner with analytics teams to monitor metrics like bounce rates, time on page, heatmaps, and conversion by page layout. Identify experience pain points (for instance, high drop-off at certain steps) and lead design improvements to address them. Run usability testing or gather user feedback on new features and iterate based on insights. Keep an eye on competitors and innovative retailers for inspiration, and maintain robust competitive intelligence to monitor digital experience trends and best practices​.

Physical Requirements & Attendance:

• Ability to work ina office environment, using typical office equipment (computer, phone, etc.) for extended periods. 

• Regular on-site attendance during core business hours at our Katy, TX headquarters. 

• Limited travel may be required for vendor meetings or industry events. 

• Adherence to company work hours, policies, procedures, and rules governing professional behavior. 

Full time Equal Employment Opportunity

Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate with regard to employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by law.​

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