Director, Brand Strategy, Mascot & Education

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Brand Director – Strategy, Mascot, & Education: 

Are you an amazing agency account director or internal brand lead with experience overseeing the entire creative process from design through execution? Do you have content and experiential production leadership experience? Can you represent a brand, give creative feedback, serve internal and external clients, and balance a budget? Are you comfortable with cross-functional, multi-stakeholder relationship management?  

If so, we are looking for you to join our team and help lead some of the most creative and fun elements of the Olympic & Paralympic Games! 

Reporting to the VP of Brand Strategy & Spectator Experience, the Brand Director – Strategy, Mascot, & Education role will lead and support a range of critical Brand & Fan Engagement programs including the Olympic & Paralympic Mascots, Education, and help shepherd the overall LA28 Brand Mission, Vision, and Narrative across the organization and our wide range of partners and stakeholders.  

Key Responsibilities:

Mascot Program Lead 

• Oversee Mascot design and asset production (artist relations & vendor management) 
  • NOTE: With regard to creative production, this is a vendor oversight and program management position, not a creative or design role
• Lead and build teams to successfully deliver both the creative and operational sides of a holistic Mascot program
  • Own both the creative development of all Mascot-related creative assets/content as well as building the operational approach/team to deliver Mascot appearances and performances both in the lead up to and during the Olympic & Paralympic Games in 2028
  • Develop the Mascot operations approach – venue appearances, casting, staffing, organizational needs, etc. (with Ops-specific supporting role to be hired) 
• Partner closely with the Consumer Products/Licensing team to launch the Mascot and support the design and development revenue-driving Mascot products and supporting content 
• Work cross-functionally to identify and meet internal and external Mascot needs (both assets and appearances) 
• Partner with design/social & digital/comms/spectator experience/ticketing teams to create campaigns, content, and messaging 
• Facilitate asset access and usage by external stakeholders & commercial partners 

Brand Strategy 

• Act as org-wide advocate and resource for LA28’s brand mission, vision, and narrative
  • Work cross-functionally to make sure that internal teams and external partners are fluent in LA28’s narrative and are maximizing the opportunity to bring our story to life
• Commercial Support 
  • Partner with Sales team in supporting pitches and other efforts to bring in new Commercial Partners
  • Partner with Partner Management team to onboard new Partners and brainstorm/support ideation and co-creation of Partner programs 
• Education Program 
  • Vendor oversight and campaign and communications/comms oversight for LA28’s Educational program and platform 
    • NOTE: This is a vendor and program management role, this person is not expected to be an educational expert or to author original materials 
  • Design and execution oversight for toolkits and other materials  
  • Cross-functional leadership around outreach and program launch
  • Opportunity mining and execution with Commercial Partners and other external stakeholders 

Background & Qualifications:

• 10+ years in brand strategy & management including production experience and cross-functional team leadership 
• Creative/production agency and/or internal brand leadership experience strongly preferred 
• Must be comfortable owning and managing a budget 
• Must be comfortable managing a range of stakeholders and vendors from high profile to local organizations/providers 
• Must be comfortable building and leading an operational team  
• Fast-learner and flexible in ever-changing environments 
• Collaborative and open to compromise to get things done collectively

Position Requirements:

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions 

• Candidates should expect a 4-5-day workweek, primarily based in the LA28 Los Angeles office  
• The role may require occasional travel for meetings, events, and partner engagements  
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer are required
• May involve standing and walking at events, activations, or production shoots
• Ability to lift and carry light materials (such as marketing collateral) as needed for events
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as necessary, particularly leading up to key campaigns and milestone events

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000.00 - $170,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.