Sr. Project Lead - Brand Activation
Location: Kansas City
Who We Are:
We design places where people love to be together.
Populous is a global design firm that began with a singular focus: to draw people together around the things they love, through experiences that capture all the senses, amplifying the atmosphere of excitement and pure joy shared in human moments.
We’ve designed and delivered some of the world's most memorable civic, sports and entertainment buildings, from iconic stadia to ground-breaking live music venues. Populous is where architects and designers of all kinds create moments bigger than ourselves. We offer the best of both worlds: the resources and impact of the design giants and the tightly knit atmosphere and growth opportunities of smaller firms.
What We Offer:
Professional & Personal Development Programs + Summer Hours + Hybrid Schedule + On-Site Gym (Dallas/KC) + Paid Architect Licensure & Certifications Exams + Wedding Pay + Charitable Match Program + Market Leading Wellness Health and Welfare Benefits.
Who We Are Looking For:
Entrepreneurial spirit + Down-to-earth nature + Trendsetting ideas + Unyielding passion + Adaptability + Curiosity + Vision + Energy + Culture enabling
We are seeking a passionate creative strategist with a deep understanding of how brand shapes experiences to join us in a collaborative design atmosphere. The ideal candidate brings a cultural lens to sports and entertainment design, creating experiences rooted in community, fan identity, and meaningful connection for a diverse range of sports venues, convention centers, performance venues, community buildings and transportation facilities. As a Senior Designer, you bring the ability to unlock insights across brand, graphic visual language, messaging, and the built environment—pairing strategic thinking with creative clarity to deliver experiences that are both impactful and enduring.
Requirements For Success:
- Lead and mentor design staff and brand activation project teams, guiding the creation of design materials and ensuring deliverables meet high-quality standards.
- Effectively manage client relationships.
- Create impactful experiential graphic design solutions for high-profile national and international client brands. Design services may include experiential branding, placemaking and sponsorship for a variety of entertainment, hospitality, and sports projects.
- Translate brand strategy into spatial expression. Through close collaboration with clients, discover opportunities to amplify the character of a place, conveying the brand’s identity in imaginative and compelling ways within venues and facilities.
- Showcase your exceptional branding and experiential graphic design sensibilities, presentation skills, and high-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Demonstrate your expertise in project management methodologies in collaboration with architects, interior designers, and planners as we believe that successful place-making demands an integrated analysis across many disciplines.
Essential Qualifications:
- 10+ years of experience in graphic design in a studio environment
- Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in graphic design
- Experience working on branded environments for museums, retail, or events a plus
- Proficiency in 3d environment software a plus (Sketchup, 3ds Max, Blender, or equivalent)
Additional details:
- Travel may be required.
- Overtime may be necessary.
Populous offers a competitive salary and bonus packages. We strive to offer our staff the best benefits package in the industry, at the lowest cost to employees, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 401k, FSA/HSA, paid time off and continuing education benefits. Populous is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.
No. 1 Most Innovative Company in Architecture by Fast Company
No. 1 Firm in Cultural on Interior Design magazine’s Top 100 Giants
No. 1 Architecture Firm in Cultural Facilities by BD+C
No. 1 Architecture Firm in Convention Centers by BD+C
No. 1 Architecture Firm in Performing Arts and Concert Venues by BD+C
Instagram: @WeArePopulous
X: @Populous