Associate Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate Graphic Designer

Company: VICI

Location: Walnut Creek, CA

Job Type: Regular, Full-time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Services

Date Posted: 2026-06-05

Experience Level: Entry-Level (0-2 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is focused on executing graphic design tasks to support marketing and branding initiatives, primarily within the fashion retail sector.

• Key responsibilities include the creation of digital and print assets, with a strong emphasis on email and website graphics.

• The position requires proficiency in design software and the ability to collaborate effectively with marketing and creative teams.

• Ideal for an early-career designer looking to gain experience in a fast-paced, brand-focused environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Associate Graphic Designer," the core responsibilities and required skills, particularly the emphasis on marketing assets and cross-functional collaboration, suggest a strong connection to marketing operations and GTM enablement functions. The role will involve translating marketing strategies into visual content, a key component of effective Go-To-Market execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce visually compelling graphics for a variety of marketing channels, including website banners, promotional emails, social media content, in-store visuals, and print collateral.

• Execute a high volume of email designs and associated promotional graphics, ensuring brand consistency and optimal user engagement.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, merchandising, and e-commerce teams to understand campaign objectives and translate them into impactful visual assets.

• Conceptualize and develop creative assets that consistently align with VICI's brand identity, messaging, and overall marketing strategy.

• Assist in maintaining brand guidelines and ensuring all creative output adheres to them.

• Prepare final artwork for production, ensuring correct file formats, resolutions, and color modes for both digital and print applications.

• Contribute to brainstorming sessions for new creative concepts and marketing campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities highlight a need for efficiency and volume, typical of marketing operations roles that support frequent campaign launches and product drops in the retail sector. The emphasis on "executing a high volume of email designs" and "promotional graphics" points to a need for process-driven design output rather than purely conceptual ideation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A degree or diploma in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a closely related field is required. Experience:

• 1-2 years of relevant work experience, which can include internships, in graphic design roles.

• Demonstrated strong interest in the fashion industry is a mandatory requirement. Required Skills:

• Figma: Advanced proficiency in Figma for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Strong command of Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for image editing, vector graphics, and layout design.

• Canva: Proficiency in Canva for quick design iterations and potentially for less complex asset creation.

• Email Design: Proven experience in designing effective and visually appealing email marketing campaigns.

• Digital Asset Creation: Experience creating graphics optimized for web, social media, and other digital platforms.

• Brand Alignment: Ability to understand and consistently apply brand guidelines to all creative output.

• Project Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for effective teamwork with cross-functional departments.

Preferred Skills:

• Photo Retouching: Experience in professional photo retouching and manipulation.

• AI in Graphic Production: Familiarity or experience utilizing AI tools for graphic design or photo enhancement.

• Print Design: Experience with designing for print media, including understanding of pre-press requirements.

• Motion Graphics/Animation: Basic understanding or experience with animation tools for social media or web assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and Canva together indicates a need for versatility and efficiency in the design process. Proficiency in Figma is particularly important for digital asset creation and potentially for UI elements on the website, aligning with digital marketing operations. The emphasis on "email and site" graphics points directly to a need for skills directly supporting e-commerce and digital marketing GTM efforts.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 distinct projects that demonstrate your design process from concept to final execution. For each project, clearly outline the brief, your role, the challenges faced, your design solutions, and the final outcome.

• Channel-Specific Examples: Include a significant section dedicated to email designs and website graphics. Highlight how your designs were optimized for these specific channels, including considerations for responsiveness, CTAs, and brand integration.

• Brand Consistency Examples: Demonstrate your ability to maintain brand consistency across various applications (e.g., social media posts, email banners, website elements, potentially print).

• Software Proficiency Showcase: Visually represent your proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and Canva, perhaps by showing examples of complex designs created in these tools or explaining your workflow.

• Fashion Industry Relevance: If possible, include projects related to fashion, retail, or e-commerce to showcase your understanding of the industry's aesthetic and marketing needs.

Process Documentation:

• When presenting your portfolio, be prepared to discuss your design workflow for different types of assets (e.g., rapid email design vs. more involved campaign assets).

• Articulate how you ensure quality control and adherence to brand guidelines throughout your design process.

• Be ready to explain how you incorporate feedback from stakeholders into your design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an Associate Graphic Designer role supporting marketing operations, the portfolio should emphasize practicality and execution. Demonstrating the ability to produce high-quality, on-brand assets efficiently for key digital channels like email and web is crucial. Case studies should highlight problem-solving and how design contributed to marketing objectives.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $24 - $32 per hour.

• This range is competitive for an Associate Graphic Designer role with 1-2 years of experience in the Walnut Creek, CA area, reflecting the required technical skills and industry focus. Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Employee Discount: Significant discounts on VICI merchandise.

• 401(k) Plan: Retirement savings plan with potential company matching.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training and growth within the design and marketing teams.

• Hybrid Work Environment: Flexibility with a hybrid schedule balancing in-office collaboration and remote work.

Working Hours:

• Full-time position, 40 hours per week.

• Hybrid schedule: In-office Tuesday through Thursday in Walnut Creek, CA. Remote work available on Mondays and Fridays.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hourly rate of $24-$32 aligns with entry-level to junior designer positions in the Bay Area, considering the specified experience level and technical tool requirements. The benefits package is standard for a full-time role in the retail/e-commerce sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fashion Retail (E-commerce & Brick-and-Mortar)

Company Size: VICI has grown significantly since its founding in 2012, indicating a mid-to-large size organization with established marketing and operational functions. The presence of both online and physical retail stores suggests a complex operational structure.

Founded: 2012. This relatively recent founding means VICI likely operates with a modern, agile business approach, characteristic of many successful e-commerce brands.

Team Structure:

• The Associate Graphic Designer will likely be part of the Marketing or Creative department, reporting to a Graphic Design Lead or Marketing Manager.

• This role requires close collaboration with digital marketing, e-commerce operations, social media teams, and potentially visual merchandising for store displays.

• The hybrid work model suggests a team that values both in-person collaboration and individual focused work. Methodology:

• VICI emphasizes "on-trend assortment with capsule-like weekly drops, featured shops, influencer collaborations, and curated daily drops." This implies a fast-paced, iterative approach to marketing and product launches.

• The company prioritizes "affordability, quality, and customer service," suggesting a customer-centric operational philosophy.

• Data and customer feedback likely play a role in design and product decisions, reflecting a data-informed approach to GTM.

Company Website: https://www.vici.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on frequent "drops" and trend-driven fashion means the design team operates under tight deadlines and needs to be highly responsive to market shifts and marketing campaign needs, a common characteristic of marketing operations in fast fashion.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

• This is an Associate-level position, signifying an entry point into a professional design career. It's designed for individuals who have foundational design education and some practical experience (internships or 1-2 years) and are looking to develop specialized skills within a specific industry. Reporting Structure:

• The Associate Graphic Designer will likely report to a Senior Graphic Designer, Design Manager, or potentially the Director of Marketing/Creative. This structure provides mentorship and oversight, crucial for early-career professionals. Operations Impact:

• While not a direct "operations" role in the sense of process engineering, the visual assets created by this designer directly impact marketing effectiveness, brand perception, and ultimately, sales conversions. High-quality, on-brand graphics are essential for driving traffic to the website, increasing email open rates, and enhancing the overall customer shopping experience, all of which contribute to revenue generation. Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in digital design, email marketing graphics, and potentially UI/UX within the e-commerce space.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to Graphic Designer, Senior Graphic Designer, or even specialize in areas like Art Direction or Visual Merchandising Design as experience grows.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining valuable experience in the fast-paced fashion retail industry, which can open doors to future roles within fashion brands or agencies.

• Learning & Development: Access to internal training and potentially external workshops or courses to stay current with design trends and software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path from Associate Graphic Designer to more senior roles is standard. The key differentiator here is the potential to specialize in e-commerce and fashion marketing, which can be a lucrative niche. The "operations impact" is indirect but significant, contributing to the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type:

• Hybrid work model: Combines in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. The designated in-office days (Tuesday-Thursday) are strategic for team meetings, brainstorming, and fostering a cohesive team environment. Office Location(s):

• Walnut Creek, CA. This provides access to the broader Bay Area talent pool and market. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: In-office days are designed for direct interaction with marketing and creative teams, facilitating quick feedback loops and idea exchange crucial for fast-paced campaign execution.

• Technology & Tools: Employees will have access to necessary design software and hardware, likely including powerful workstations and multiple monitors, to support efficient graphic production.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular interaction with marketing operations specialists, campaign managers, and e-commerce coordinators will be common, ensuring design output directly supports operational objectives.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid arrangement offers a degree of flexibility, which can be beneficial for managing personal time while ensuring consistent availability for team needs and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with specific in-office days is a common setup for companies that recognize the value of both in-person collaboration and employee flexibility. For a designer supporting marketing operations, this balance is key to staying connected with strategic goals while having focused time for creative execution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, interest in fashion, and understanding of the role.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A deeper dive into the candidate's portfolio with a hiring manager or senior designer. This stage will assess design skills, software proficiency, understanding of brand, and ability to articulate their design process. Expect questions about specific projects and how they addressed design challenges.

• Cross-Functional Interview: An interview with team members from marketing or e-commerce to evaluate collaboration skills, communication style, and understanding of marketing objectives. This assesses how well the candidate can integrate into the broader GTM team.

• Final Interview (Optional): May involve a discussion with a department head or executive to confirm cultural fit and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent the skills required for this role (email design, web graphics, brand consistency, fashion relevance).

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly explain the problem, your process, your solution, and the impact (if measurable). Focus on how your design contributed to the client's or company's goals.

• Showcase Software Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and Canva. If you have AI design experience, highlight it.

• Highlight Fashion Interest: Clearly articulate your passion for fashion and how it informs your design aesthetic.

• Be Concise and Professional: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and free of errors.

Challenge Preparation:

• Candidates may be asked to complete a design exercise. This could involve creating a graphic for a specific marketing campaign, redesigning an existing email template, or developing a social media post concept.

• Focus on Brand: Pay close attention to VICI's existing branding and aesthetic.

• Address the Brief: Ensure your submission directly answers the prompt and meets any specified requirements.

• Demonstrate Speed & Quality: Show that you can produce a professional-quality design within a reasonable timeframe, reflecting the fast-paced nature of the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge underscores the practical, execution-oriented nature of this role. Candidates should prepare to not only show their work but also explain their thought process and how their designs support marketing and business objectives.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and creating interactive UI elements for the website and potentially digital campaigns.

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Photoshop: For image manipulation, photo retouching, and complex raster graphics.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and scalable illustrations.
  • InDesign: For layout design, print collateral, and potentially complex digital publications.

• Canva: Likely used for quicker design tasks, social media templates, or for team members who may not have full Adobe Suite access.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While the designer may not directly use analytics tools, they will need to understand how their designs perform. Familiarity with how graphics are tracked (e.g., click-through rates on emails, engagement on social media) is beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Email Marketing Platforms (e.g., Klaviyo, Mailchimp): The designer will likely work within or in conjunction with these platforms to implement email designs. Understanding template structures and best practices for these platforms is an advantage.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite is non-negotiable. Understanding how these tools integrate with marketing automation platforms like email service providers is key for effective execution of marketing campaigns.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and serving the customer, reflected in design choices that enhance the shopping experience and drive satisfaction.

• Speed & Agility: Embracing a fast-paced environment with frequent product drops and campaign launches, requiring quick adaptation and efficient execution.

• Brand Passion: A genuine enthusiasm for fashion and VICI's brand identity, driving creative output that resonates with the target audience.

• Collaboration: Valuing teamwork and open communication, working effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals.

• Detail-Oriented: A commitment to accuracy and quality in all design work, ensuring brand consistency and professional presentation.

Collaboration Style:

• Likely a blend of in-person collaboration on designated office days and digital collaboration via tools like Slack, email, and Figma.

• Expect a dynamic environment where feedback is regularly exchanged, and iterative design processes are common.

• The team values individuals who can contribute ideas while also being receptive to direction and constructive criticism.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "weekly drops" and "curated daily drops" suggests a culture that thrives on rapid iteration and responsiveness. Designers need to be comfortable with a high volume of work and tight turnarounds, aligning with the operational tempo of a fast-fashion e-commerce business.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• High Volume & Tight Deadlines: Managing a continuous stream of design requests for multiple marketing channels under strict time constraints.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency: Ensuring all visual assets, across diverse campaigns and platforms, remain cohesive with VICI's evolving brand identity.

• Balancing Creativity with Commercial Needs: Creating visually appealing designs that also meet specific marketing objectives and conversion goals.

• Adapting to Trends: Staying current with both fashion trends and design best practices in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Fashion Design Skills: Deepening expertise in designing for the fashion retail sector, understanding its unique aesthetic and marketing demands.

• E-commerce Design Best Practices: Gaining in-depth knowledge of optimizing designs for conversion, user experience, and engagement on e-commerce platforms.

• AI Design Tools: Exploring and potentially mastering AI tools for graphic production and photo retouching, staying at the forefront of design technology.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Learning about marketing strategy, campaign management, and e-commerce operations through collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a designer in a fast-paced retail environment. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing specialized skills valuable within the e-commerce and fashion marketing operations domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How do you approach designing an email campaign for a new product launch, considering VICI's brand and target audience?" (Focus on process, creativity, and brand alignment.)

• "Describe a time you had to manage multiple design projects with competing deadlines. How did you prioritize and ensure quality?" (Assess project management and organizational skills.)

• "How do you stay updated on fashion trends and incorporate them into your design work?" (Evaluate industry awareness and creative adaptability.)

• "What is your process for incorporating feedback from stakeholders, especially when you disagree with their suggestions?" (Assess collaboration and communication skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about VICI's brand and why are you interested in working in the fashion industry?" (Gauge genuine interest and research.)

• "How does your design style align with VICI's aesthetic?" (Assess fit and understanding of the brand.)

• "How do you envision contributing to a fast-paced, trend-driven environment?" (Understand their expectations and adaptability.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your design philosophy and your passion for fashion.

• Project Deep Dives: For 2-3 key projects, walk through the brief, your process, challenges, solutions, and outcomes. Use visuals to illustrate your points.

• Software Showcase: Be prepared to discuss your specific workflows in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and Canva. If you have AI experience, highlight relevant examples.

• Fashion Focus: Explicitly connect your work to fashion and retail marketing needs.

• Q&A: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your work and your approach to design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design talent but also an understanding of VICI's business, the fashion industry, and the demands of supporting marketing operations in a high-volume environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Associate Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on lever.co.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight relevant projects, especially those demonstrating email design, website graphics, and fashion industry experience. Ensure clear case studies for 2-3 key pieces.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature skills in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, email design, and any experience with AI in graphic production. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Designed X email campaigns per week").

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining how your work aligns with brand strategy, and discussing your passion for fashion. Prepare to discuss potential design challenges and solutions.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review VICI's website, social media presence, and recent campaigns to understand their brand aesthetic, target audience, and current marketing strategies.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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