Digital Designer

The Digital Designer is responsible for bringing the Build-A-Bear brand to life through compelling visual storytelling. This role develops visual concepts, brand and campaign creative, digital design systems, and channel-specific creative assets that create emotional connections with guests, celebrate the power of imagination and self-expression, and support meaningful brand experiences across every stage of the guest journey.

The Digital Designer possesses exceptional design craft, remains deeply engaged with evolving design trends and technologies, and actively contributes new tools, methodologies, and perspectives that help strengthen the creative organization. They are passionate about typography, composition, visual storytelling, and the details that transform creative from expected to memorable.

Note that this role focuses on brand communications, marketing creative, and digital brand experiences rather than product design.

Responsibilities:

- Translate strategic briefs, campaign objectives, consumer insights, and business goals into compelling and commercially effective visual concepts, campaign creative, and channel-specific design solutions.

- Design and execute creative assets across web, email, CRM, paid media, social media, digital marketing, retail marketing, and other brand communication channels.

- Contribute to seasonal campaigns, product launches, promotional initiatives, licensing programs, collaborations, wholesale initiatives, and major brand moments.

- Develop and evolve visual identities, branding systems, and creative frameworks for Build-A-Bear owned intellectual property, helping shape how proprietary characters and collections come to life across consumer touchpoints.

- Adapt and extend campaign creative across channels while maintaining consistency, quality, and brand integrity.

- Partner closely with Brand, Marketing, Copy, Photography, Print & Environmental Design, Social Media, eCommerce, and Merchandising teams to concept and develop integrated campaigns from initial idea through execution.

- Champion exceptional design craft through thoughtful application of typography, composition, color, imagery, motion, and visual hierarchy.

- Stay informed on emerging design trends, technologies, consumer behaviors, and creative best practices that may influence guest engagement and brand communication.

- Explore and introduce new tools, technologies, and creative methodologies that inspire innovation, strengthen concept development, and elevate the quality of creative work.

- Partner with creative and marketing teams to leverage AI-powered tools and emerging technologies that expand creative possibilities, inspire new approaches, and support the evolution of the design function.

- Present creative recommendations and design concepts confidently to stakeholders and leadership teams.

- Manage multiple projects and priorities while delivering high-quality work.

Required Qualifications:

- 4+ years of digital design, graphic design, advertising, marketing, or related creative experience.

- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.

- Strong portfolio demonstrating both conceptual thinking and hands-on design execution across multiple channels, including web, email, CRM, paid media, and social media.

- Exceptional design craft with expertise in typography, layout, composition, visual storytelling, and creative problem solving.

- Familiarity with digital accessibility standards, user-centered design principles, and evolving digital experience best practices.

- Ability to translate business objectives and guest insights into compelling visual communication.

- Strong collaboration skills with copywriters, marketers, photographers, social media teams, developers, and business partners.

- Passion for design excellence, continuous learning, innovation, and advancing the creative discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience with motion design, animation, video editing, or digital content creation.

- Proficiency in Figma.

- Proficiency in Adobe After Effects.

- Experience using AI-powered creative tools and technologies as a catalyst for ideation, concept exploration, visual storytelling, and creative innovation.

- Experience in retail, entertainment, toys, licensing, consumer products, lifestyle, or family-focused brands.

Behavioral Traits for Success:

- Methodical problem solving

- High accuracy and quality standards

- Craftsmanship and practical execution

- Commitment to mastery

- Independent, focused work style

- Structured, organized workflow

- Reserved, factual communication

- Steady persistence and follow-through

Working Environment:

- Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs.

- Corporate Office located St. Louis, MO.

- Hybrid work week.

Your Performance Will Measured On:

Your performance will be measured by your ability to achieve annual department objectives and corporate goals which include but are not limited to the following:

- Decision-making, judgment, and execution

- Distinctive and emotionally engaging creative.

- Quality and effectiveness of campaign execution.

- Stewardship of Build-A-Bears visual brand standards.

- Creative innovation and adoption of emerging technologies.

- Stakeholder feedback and cross-functional partnership.