Digital Graphic Designer & Retoucher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Digital Graphic Designer & Photo Retoucher

Company: American Exchange Group

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design

Date Posted: April 14, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-level / 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead high-end editorial and product retouching, focusing on lighting manipulation, color correction for materials, and image compositing to achieve a luxury aesthetic.

• Drive brand identity evolution and logo creation for new collections, sub-brands, and internal projects, ensuring visual consistency across all brand touchpoints.

• Manage the technical setup and design of footwear packaging, including shoe boxes, hangtags, and wholesale labeling, ensuring production-ready files for global manufacturers.

• Develop high-performing digital assets for e-commerce websites, email marketing, and paid social media campaigns, optimizing for conversion and engagement.

• Design visually compelling presentations for line reviews, board meetings, and marketing strategies, leveraging tools like Canva and PowerPoint.

• Collaborate on UI/UX design using Figma to construct web components and digital layouts, enhancing the overall customer shopping experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a hybrid of technical execution and artistic design, requiring a strong "fashion-first" eye and mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite and Figma. The "800 Growth" department designation suggests a focus on growth marketing or expansion initiatives within the company.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Execute advanced photo retouching, including lighting adjustments, precise color correction for diverse materials (e.g., footwear leather), and seamless image compositing to achieve a polished, luxury brand perception.

• Develop and maintain robust brand visual identities, creating new logos, brand marks, and visual guidelines for evolving collections and internal projects.

• Oversee the design and technical specifications for footwear packaging, ensuring compliance with print production standards, die-lines, and global manufacturing requirements.

• Create and optimize digital assets for various platforms, including e-commerce banners and landing pages, email marketing campaign visuals, and paid social media ad creatives (Meta, TikTok, Pinterest).

• Design professional and impactful presentation decks for internal stakeholders, including line reviews, board meetings, and strategic marketing discussions, using tools like Canva and PowerPoint.

• Contribute to UI/UX design efforts by building web components and digital layouts in Figma, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive user journey across digital touchpoints.

• Ensure all design files adhere to print production specifications, understanding CMYK vs. RGB workflows and preparing files for global manufacturers.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, product development, and sales teams to ensure design output aligns with brand strategy and commercial objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "footwear materials" in retouching and "footwear packaging" indicates a specialization within the fashion accessory industry, likely requiring a keen understanding of product-specific visual qualities. The mention of "global manufacturers" highlights the need for meticulous file preparation and understanding of international production standards.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role.

Experience: 1-3+ years of professional experience in graphic design, with a strong preference for experience within the fashion, footwear, or retail industries. A minimum of 2 years of dedicated experience in advanced photo retouching is also required.

Required Skills:

• Figma Mastery: Demonstrable expertise in Figma for digital design, UI/UX collaboration, and creating interactive prototypes or web components.

• Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Adobe Photoshop for advanced retouching, compositing, and image manipulation, and Adobe Illustrator for vector art, logo creation, and technical packaging design.

• Canva Expertise: Ability to effectively utilize Canva for creating brand-consistent templates and empowering other team members to maintain brand guidelines.

• Print Production Knowledge: Solid understanding of print production processes, including CMYK/RGB color spaces, resolution requirements, bleed, and trim, as well as experience with die-lines for packaging.

• Brand Identity Development: Proven ability to develop and evolve visual brand identities, including logo design and the creation of comprehensive brand guidelines.

• Digital Asset Creation: Experience designing effective digital assets for e-commerce, email, and social media advertising platforms.

• Presentation Design: Skill in creating visually engaging and informative presentations using tools like Canva and Microsoft PowerPoint.

• Portfolio: A strong, curated portfolio showcasing a sophisticated aesthetic with diverse examples of digital marketing assets and physical packaging designs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with animation or motion graphics for social media content.

• Familiarity with 3D rendering software for product visualization.

• Basic understanding of web development principles (HTML/CSS).

• Experience working with international design teams or manufacturers.

• Knowledge of fashion photography and styling best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 1-3 years of graphic design experience and 2+ years of retouching experience, coupled with the "Mid-level" designation, suggests the company is seeking a candidate who can operate with a degree of autonomy but may still benefit from guidance. Figma mastery is highlighted as a critical skill, indicating its central role in their digital design workflow.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Aesthetic: Showcase a clean, sophisticated, and "fashion-first" aesthetic that aligns with luxury branding.

• Digital Marketing Assets: Include examples of high-converting banners, landing page elements, email campaign visuals, and paid social media ads (Meta, TikTok, Pinterest).

• Physical Packaging Design: Present case studies of footwear packaging (shoe boxes, hangtags, etc.), demonstrating technical understanding, print readiness, and brand integration.

• Brand Identity Work: Feature examples of logo design, brand mark creation, and the evolution of visual identities for collections or sub-brands.

• UI/UX Components: If possible, include examples of web components or digital layouts created in Figma that demonstrate an understanding of user experience.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Demonstrate experience in designing and documenting design workflows, from concept to final asset delivery, including collaboration touchpoints.

• Production File Preparation: Provide evidence of creating production-ready files for global manufacturers, adhering to strict specifications for print and digital media.

• Brand Guideline Adherence: Illustrate how you maintain and enforce brand guidelines across various design outputs, ensuring consistency and brand integrity.

• Tool Proficiency Evidence: Showcase practical application of Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva in your portfolio projects, highlighting how these tools were leveraged to achieve project goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "strong portfolio demonstrating a clean, sophisticated aesthetic with examples of both digital marketing and physical packaging" implies that candidates will be evaluated on their ability to straddle both digital and physical design domains, a key requirement for this hybrid role. The need for "production-ready files for global manufacturers" underscores the importance of meticulous technical execution.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The anticipated base salary for this role is $75,000 - $85,000 annually. This range is determined by factors such as candidate experience, skill set, educational background, internal equity considerations, and market data.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus supplemental insurance options.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with a company match, supporting long-term financial planning.

• Paid Time Off: Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays, promoting work-life balance.

• Flexible Work Schedule: Half-day Fridays offered during both Summer and Winter seasons, providing extended weekends.

• Health Savings: Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options for managing healthcare expenses.

• Commuter Benefits: Tax-free commuter benefits to assist with transportation costs.

• Employee Discounts: Exclusive discounts on company merchandise, fostering brand loyalty and appreciation.

Working Hours: The standard work week is 40 hours, aligning with typical full-time employment expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The inclusion of "Half Day Fridays" during Summer and Winter seasons is a significant perk that speaks to a focus on employee well-being and work-life balance. The salary range is competitive for a mid-level graphic designer/retoucher in New York City, reflecting the specialized skill set and industry focus.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: American Exchange Group operates within the fashion accessory sector, specializing in brand management and distribution across a wide range of products including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, home goods, and beauty. They position themselves as an industry leader disrupting the status quo with value and quality.

Company Size: The company size is not explicitly stated, but given its industry leadership and international distribution capabilities, it likely falls into the medium to large enterprise category.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company's description suggests a blend of established presence ("heritage") with a forward-thinking approach ("hustle").

Team Structure:

• Creative Team Focus: The role is part of a "creative team," implying a collaborative environment where designers, art directors, and other creative professionals work together.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The designer will work across various departments, including e-commerce, marketing, product development, and sales, to ensure design aligns with business objectives.

• Brand Management Integration: The role is deeply integrated with "all of our brands," indicating a need to understand and execute on diverse brand identities and strategies.

Methodology:

• Trend-Driven Design: The company emphasizes staying "at the forefront of trends," suggesting a design approach that is contemporary and responsive to market shifts.

• Value and Quality Focus: American Exchange Group aims to deliver "value and quality," which should be reflected in the design execution, from premium retouching to polished packaging.

• Agile Adaptation: The "heritage with hustle" ethos suggests a company culture that values both established practices and the ability to adapt quickly to new opportunities and challenges.

Company Website: www.axnygroup.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's description highlights a culture that values both established success and a proactive, growth-oriented mindset ("disrupting the status quo," "heritage with hustle"). For a designer, this means being adaptable and creative while maintaining a strong understanding of commercial viability and brand consistency.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is categorized as "Mid-level," typically requiring 2-5 years of relevant experience. It represents a step beyond entry-level design positions, where individuals are expected to handle more complex projects, demonstrate greater autonomy, and contribute to strategic creative decisions. The hybrid nature of the role (graphic design and retouching) also suggests a development path that could lead to specialization in either area or a broader creative leadership role.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Creative Director, Art Director, or a Senior Graphic Designer within the creative team. Collaboration will extend across marketing, e-commerce, and product teams.

Operations Impact: The designer's work directly influences brand perception, customer engagement, and sales conversion. High-quality visuals for e-commerce, social media, and packaging are critical for driving revenue and establishing brand loyalty in the competitive fashion accessory market. The role's impact is tangible, contributing to both the aesthetic appeal and the commercial success of the company's diverse brand portfolio.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Develop deep expertise in advanced photo retouching for luxury goods or become a specialist in e-commerce and digital marketing asset creation.

• Brand Management: Grow into a role with greater responsibility for managing the visual identity of specific brands or product categories.

• Creative Leadership: Progress to a Senior Designer or Art Director position, leading projects and mentoring junior team members.

• Cross-functional Skills: Expand skill set into UI/UX design, motion graphics, or even basic web design principles, broadening career pathways.

• Industry Exposure: Gain extensive experience across a diverse range of fashion accessory categories, enhancing expertise within the retail and fashion sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Mid-level" designation combined with the hybrid responsibilities suggests a role that offers significant learning opportunities. Candidates can hone both technical retouching skills and strategic digital design capabilities, leading to a well-rounded profile attractive for future growth within the creative field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly stated as "Onsite 5 days a week at our NYC HQ," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This suggests a collaborative atmosphere conducive to team interaction and in-person feedback.

Office Location(s): The office is located in New York City, NY (Postal Code 10018). This prime location offers access to a vibrant creative hub and diverse talent pool.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Being onsite 5 days a week in an NYC HQ fosters direct collaboration with colleagues, facilitating real-time feedback, brainstorming sessions, and team synergy.

• Creative Tools and Technology: As a design role in a leading fashion accessory company, it's expected that the workspace will be equipped with industry-standard hardware (e.g., high-resolution monitors, powerful workstations) and software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma).

• Team Interaction: The on-site nature allows for frequent interaction with the broader creative team and cross-functional departments, crucial for understanding project requirements and aligning on design strategies.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, with a notable perk of "Half Day Fridays" during Summer and Winter seasons, offering a better work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mandatory 5-day on-site presence in New York City signifies a company that values in-person collaboration and team cohesion. This environment is ideal for designers who thrive on direct interaction, spontaneous idea generation, and immediate feedback loops.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and aesthetic alignment.

• Technical Assessment (Portfolio Review): A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on specific examples of retouching, packaging, and digital design. Be prepared to discuss your design process, technical challenges, and problem-solving approaches. Expect questions about your experience with Figma, Photoshop, and Illustrator.

• Skills-Based Interview: An interview focusing on your practical skills, including a potential design challenge or a discussion about how you would approach specific tasks outlined in the responsibilities (e.g., retouching a specific material, designing a social media ad).

• Behavioral and Cultural Fit Interview: Questions designed to assess your personal attributes (detail-oriented, adaptive, trend-aware) and how you would fit into the team and company culture.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership, focusing on strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Showcase 5-8 of your strongest projects that directly align with the job description (retouching, packaging, digital marketing for fashion/retail).

• Highlight Process: For each project, briefly explain the objective, your role, the tools used, the challenges faced, and the outcome. Use visual aids to demonstrate your thought process.

• Demonstrate Technical Skill: For retouching examples, show before-and-afters or detail specific techniques used. For packaging, include mockups and production-ready file examples if possible.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, include metrics related to the performance of digital assets (e.g., increased conversion rates, engagement).

• Tailor to AEG: Ensure your portfolio reflects an understanding of the fashion accessory industry and a sophisticated, luxury aesthetic.

Challenge Preparation:

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma skills, perhaps by creating a quick component or discussing a UI/UX layout.

• Retouching Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would approach retouching specific materials like leather, metallics, or fabrics to achieve a high-end look.

• Packaging Technicalities: Review your understanding of print production, die-lines, and color profiles (CMYK/RGB).

• Brand Consistency: Think about how you would maintain brand consistency across multiple brands and platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily emphasize portfolio review and practical skill demonstration, especially concerning Figma and advanced retouching. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process and justify their creative decisions with commercial objectives in mind.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI/UX design, web component creation, and collaborative digital layout work. Proficiency is a core requirement.

• Adobe Photoshop: Critical for advanced photo retouching, image compositing, color correction, and general image manipulation. Requires expert-level skills.

• Adobe Illustrator: Necessary for vector art, logo design, brand mark creation, and technical packaging setup, including die-lines.

• Canva: Utilized for creating brand templates and enabling broader team use, indicating a need for efficiency and accessibility in design.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the designer's core tools, but an understanding of how design assets integrate into marketing automation platforms or e-commerce content management systems (CMS) could be an advantage.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Photoshop, and Illustrator as "expert-level" or "mastery" indicates these are non-negotiable technical requirements. Canva's inclusion suggests a focus on scalable design solutions and empowering non-designers.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Detail-Oriented: A strong emphasis on meticulousness, noticing subtle imperfections in pixels, color, and alignment, crucial for luxury branding and production accuracy.

• Adaptive & Agile: The ability to switch rapidly between diverse tasks (technical packaging to creative social media) and adapt to evolving project needs.

• Trend-Aware: A proactive approach to staying informed about fashion, typography, and digital design trends to ensure creative output is current and impactful.

• Quality & Value: A commitment to producing high-quality work that reflects the company's brand promise of value and excellence.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role necessitates close collaboration with marketing, e-commerce, and product teams, requiring clear communication and a shared understanding of project goals.

• Feedback Exchange: An open environment where constructive feedback is exchanged to refine designs and ensure optimal outcomes.

• Brand Stewardship: A collective responsibility for maintaining and elevating the visual integrity of multiple brands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The personal attributes listed (detail-oriented, adaptive, trend-aware) directly translate into core values that the company seeks in its creative professionals. This suggests a culture that thrives on precision, flexibility, and forward-thinking design.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Multiple Brands: Managing diverse brand identities and design requirements for a broad portfolio of products can be demanding.

• Technical Production Demands: Ensuring all files are production-ready for global manufacturers requires meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of print and digital specifications.

• Rapid Trend Cycles: The fast-paced fashion and retail industry requires continuous adaptation to new design trends and platform demands (e.g., social media algorithms).

• Hybrid Role Demands: Successfully executing both high-end retouching and strategic graphic design requires a versatile skill set and efficient time management.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Retouching Techniques: Opportunities to refine and master complex photo manipulation and color correction skills.

• E-commerce & Digital Marketing Strategy: Deepen understanding of how design impacts conversion rates, user experience, and online engagement.

• Packaging Design Expertise: Gain hands-on experience with the technical aspects of packaging design for global markets.

• Brand Management Exposure: Develop a comprehensive understanding of brand strategy across a diverse product range.

• UI/UX Skill Development: Further hone skills in Figma and contribute to impactful digital user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in the breadth of the role – juggling multiple brands, diverse asset types (print packaging, digital ads), and specialized technical skills. However, this breadth also presents significant growth opportunities for a designer looking to build a versatile and commercially valuable skill set.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for executing high-end photo retouching on luxury fashion items. How do you ensure realism while enhancing the product's appeal?"

• "Walk us through a project where you developed or evolved a brand identity. What were the key considerations and outcomes?"

• "How do you approach designing assets for different social media platforms (e.g., Meta vs. TikTok)? What are the key differences you consider?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about American Exchange Group and our brand portfolio?"

• "How do you stay updated on the latest design and fashion trends?"

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment."

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each project, craft a narrative that explains the problem, your solution, and the impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-resolution images and clear layouts. For retouching, show before/after comparisons. For packaging, use mockups.

• Process Demonstration: Be ready to discuss your use of Figma, Photoshop, and Illustrator, explaining why you chose specific tools or techniques.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your most relevant work efficiently, focusing on quality over quantity. Tailor your presentation to the specific requirements of this role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect questions that probe your technical proficiency in Figma and Photoshop, your understanding of brand aesthetics within the fashion industry, and your ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders in a dynamic environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Digital Graphic Designer & Photo Retoucher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on axnygroup.bamboohr.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your digital portfolio to prominently feature examples of high-end photo retouching, footwear packaging design, and digital marketing assets for e-commerce and social media. Ensure it reflects a sophisticated, luxury aesthetic.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, and Canva, along with your years of experience in graphic design and photo retouching within the fashion/footwear/retail sector. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, technical workflows, and problem-solving approaches for both retouching and graphic design tasks. Prepare to discuss how you ensure brand consistency and production-readiness.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with American Exchange Group's brands, their market position, and their emphasis on value, quality, and trend-awareness. Understand their "heritage with hustle" culture.

⚠️ 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.