Description

Horizon League (HL) Background 

Founded in 1979, Horizon League, Inc., is a NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 11 (soon to-be 12) member institutions with a combined enrollment of around 140k, including nine (9) located in top-70 U.S. metropolitan populations. Members include: Cleveland State University, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Indiana University Indianapolis, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Northern Kentucky University, Oakland University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Robert Morris University, Wright State University and Youngstown State University. Northern Illinois University 
will join the League on July 1, 2026.

The League sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports and has a staff of ten full-time professionals. The League’s headquarters are located at 129 E Market St, Suite 900, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.  The League is an important part of Indianapolis’ vibrant sports scene, as the co-host of 14 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Final Fours, including the 2028 (women’s) and 2029 (men’s), with League staff serving in a 
leadership role on every Local Organizing Committee. In recent years, League staff have also volunteered for local events such as the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, NBA All Star Game, WNBA All-Star Game and USA Swimming Olympic Trials. 

The League recently implemented a brand recharge capturing the primary essence of the League while showcasing core attributes.

The League embraces its positioning statement recognizing the powerful opportunity of Division I athletics: The Horizon League and our member schools develop nearly 4,000 student athletes for life. Through NCAA Division 1 competition and unique opportunities in major metropolitan cities, their athletic, academic and personal aspirations can be achieved. Because what they learn today will inspire who they become tomorrow.   The League’s website, Horizonleague.org, provides information on the League’s history, as well as, current operations and events. 

Position Summary:  

The successful candidate will be a collaborative, proactive leader with impeccable attention to detail, organizational excellence, and follow-through. This individual will also play a visible role as an active and engaging member of the Messaging Team. We are looking for someone who takes pride in their work, values collaboration, brings an innovative mindset with a can-do attitude. We need a creative thinker who plans ahead and executes proactively and thrives in a fast-paced environment and embraces challenges. 

Job Title:

Assistant Director of Creative Content and Messaging 

The position is responsible for developing and executing social and digital strategies, creating content that engages audiences and contributes to the overall Horizon League brand across platforms.  

This role will report to the Director of Creative Communication and Public Relations and will have responsibilities in the areas of creative content and messaging.  

This candidate should be solution-oriented and have a strong understanding of social media platforms, emerging content trends, story-telling and the ability to create content that drives audience growth and engagement. 

This candidate will be highly collaborative in delivering messaging and content that aligns with the values and goals of the Horizon League. The ideal candidate should be innovative and forward-thinking, looking beyond traditional approaches to help identify new opportunities for the Horizon League. 

Areas of responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: 

• Produce creative content including videos, graphics and motion graphics for the League on various messaging platforms (e.g., social media channels).  
• Serve as a sport communication lead for a minimum of three sports, most likely to include women’s basketball, among others.  
• Spearhead the planning, scheduling, creation and evaluation of engaging and creative social media content to promote championships, accolades, awards and recognition of the Horizon League, its members and student-athletes.
• Enhance brand awareness through social media, graphics and video.
• Provide direct contributions and strategy in creation and execution of a comprehensive digital and content calendar that aligns with the League’s brand and initiatives.
• Create new and utilize current graphics/graphic templates to be used for League purposes (e.g. social media, signage, etc.).
• Analyze performance and optimize content to drive audience growth and deepen engagement across platforms.
• Collaborate with member institutions, partners and internal teams to align messaging and amplify content.
• Assist in producing and distributing League marketing kits and deliverables to campus for League championships and initiatives.
• Share the stories of the League and its members through various initiatives on League platforms.
• Provide insight to messaging with emerging trends in social and digital media.
• Oversee the maintenance of standards site maintenance, video storage, organization and library.
• Provide real-time social coverage of Horizon League Championships and events.
• Other duties as assigned based on personal interest and/or organizational need. 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities 

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of one year of experience working professionally in video production and graphic design in college sports communications.
• Proficiency in composing basic news releases and event recaps.
• Advanced proficiency in the use and knowledge of all social media platforms, specifically Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and TikTok with the ability to gather and evaluate performance metrics.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro and After Effects.
• Collaborative leadership skills and the ability to work well with a variety of constituent groups (communicators, athletic directors, senior woman administrators, members of the media, coaches, NCAA staff, etc.).
• Innovative and strategic social media experience with verifiable results.
• Ability to embrace and lead through change.
• Editorial judgement for distribution of press releases, social media posts and website content.
• Occasional travel along with periodic evening and weekend work is required.
• The League offers a flexible and hybrid work structure; however, the successful candidate must reside in or relocate to the greater-Indianapolis area.
• Capacity to juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously in deadline-driven environment.
• Attention to detail, accuracy in all work and strong written and communication skills.
• Professional, optimistic and positive problem-solver.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, continuously changing college athletics landscape.
• Willingness to learn new skills and complete tasks outside of one’s comfort zone.
• The ability to think creatively for solutions and strategies. 

Qualifications 
Bachelor's degree and minimum of one (1) year of professional work or internship experience in intercollegiate athletics communications and/or related communications and marketing field preferred. 

Salary and Benefits 
The salary range for this position shall be commensurate with the candidate’s experience. The Horizon League offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package. 

Logistics 
The position will be primarily in-person in vibrant Indianapolis, where the Horizon League office is located while offering a flexible and hybrid work schedule. The position will also involve travel to member campuses across the Horizon League’s soon-to-be seven-state, 11-city footprint for competition and related events. 

Deadline 
Cover letter, resume and three (3) professional references must be emailed as a single PDF file to [email protected] by July 5, 2026.