Freelance Graphic Designer (m/f/d)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Freelance Graphic Designer (m/f/d)

Company: Doonails

Location: Germany

Job Type: Freelance

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: June 23, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years implied)

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on developing and executing visual content strategies across multiple digital and physical touchpoints for a fast-growing beauty brand.

• Key responsibilities include designing high-impact performance advertising creatives and ensuring a cohesive brand experience across e-commerce platforms and product packaging.

• The position requires a strong understanding of UX/UI principles and conversion-driven design to optimize customer journeys and marketing campaign effectiveness.

• This is a remote, freelance engagement with significant creative ownership and a focus on rapid iteration and delivery within a dynamic startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job description is for a Graphic Designer, the emphasis on performance ads, shop design, CRO testing support, and international e-commerce platforms positions this role within the broader scope of Creative Operations or Marketing Operations. The need to translate brand identity into tangible assets that drive conversion and engagement aligns with operational efficiency and GTM strategy. The "Freelance" nature and 20h/week suggest a focus on project-based execution and specialized skill application rather than broad strategic planning, typical of operational support roles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and optimize visual assets for product packaging, ensuring brand consistency and market appeal for new and existing Doonails products.

• Create compelling and scroll-stopping visual content for social media advertising campaigns (Meta, TikTok, etc.) targeting six international markets.

• Develop and refine graphics for the online shop and web presence to ensure a consistent design language and support Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) testing initiatives.

• Design digital graphics for newsletters, CRM campaigns, and other marketing channels to maintain sharp and effective brand communication.

• Collaborate closely with graphic and marketing teams to ensure all visual assets align with brand guidelines and campaign objectives.

• Translate feedback and performance data into iterative design improvements to enhance visual effectiveness and customer engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative execution and operational support for marketing initiatives. The focus on "optimizing" packaging, "designing for conversion" in the shop, and creating assets for "performance ads" and "CRM campaigns" points to an operational mindset focused on tangible business outcomes. The requirement to support "CRO testing efforts" directly links creative output to operational goals of improving website performance.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mentioned, a degree or equivalent practical experience in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is implied.

Experience: 2-5 years of professional graphic design experience, with a demonstrable focus on digital assets, e-commerce, and performance marketing visuals. Experience in the beauty industry is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Expert-level command of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator for creating and manipulating graphics.

• Figma Expertise: Seamless ability to design for digital and web assets using Figma.

• Web Design & UX/UI Acumen: Strong understanding of designing for digital surfaces (webshops, ads, email) with a focus on user experience and interface design.

• Conversion-Driven Design: Ability to create visuals that directly contribute to conversion rate optimization and marketing campaign success.

• Beauty Industry Aesthetic: Innate understanding of the visual language and trends within the beauty and cosmetics market.

• Speed and Ownership: Proven ability to work efficiently, prioritize effectively across multiple projects, and take full ownership of design deliverables.

• Feedback Integration: Capacity to quickly incorporate feedback and iterate on designs to achieve desired results.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with animation or motion graphics for digital ads.

• Familiarity with A/B testing methodologies for visual assets.

• Basic understanding of HTML/CSS for web design context.

• Experience working with international markets and adapting designs for different cultural nuances.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize practical application and immediate contribution, typical of freelance or operational roles. The explicit mention of Figma and its use for digital assets, alongside Adobe suite proficiency, covers the core technical requirements. The "Beauty eye" and "Speed & ownership" are crucial qualitative aspects for a fast-paced startup environment, indicating a need for self-sufficiency and an understanding of the target market's visual preferences which is key for effective GTM execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Digital Asset Showcase: A strong representation of performance ad creatives (e.g., Meta, TikTok) demonstrating an understanding of platform-specific design best practices and conversion optimization.

• E-commerce Design Examples: Visuals from online shops, including banners, product pages, or landing pages, highlighting cohesive branding and user-centric design.

• Packaging Design Concepts: Examples of product packaging design, showcasing creativity, brand alignment, and an understanding of physical product presentation.

• Email & CRM Graphics: Samples of visually engaging graphics used in email marketing campaigns or customer relationship management initiatives.

• Figma & Adobe Workflow Examples: Evidence of proficiency in Figma for web/digital design and Adobe Suite for asset creation, potentially showcasing a clear workflow or process.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates may be asked to briefly explain their design process for specific types of assets (e.g., performance ads) during an interview, emphasizing how they ensure brand consistency, drive engagement, and meet campaign objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on performance marketing and e-commerce, a portfolio that demonstrates a direct link between design choices and business outcomes (conversions, engagement) is paramount. The emphasis on Figma for digital assets and Adobe for broader creative work suggests an expectation for a well-rounded technical skill set, applied efficiently within a structured design process.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As a freelance engagement for 20 hours per week in Germany, a competitive hourly rate would be expected. Based on industry standards for experienced freelance graphic designers with specialization in digital and e-commerce in Germany, this could range from €35 to €60+ per hour, depending on the designer's specific expertise, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

• Estimated Annualized Range (based on 20h/week, 50 weeks/year): €35,000 - €60,000+ annually.

Benefits:

• Fair Compensation: Competitive pay tailored to qualifications and experience.

• Creative Freedom: Significant ownership and autonomy in design decisions.

• Growth Potential: Opportunities to take on more responsibility and contribute ideas directly to a growing brand's visual strategy.

• Flexible Work Arrangement: Remote work option allows for work-life balance and global accessibility.

• Impactful Role: Direct contribution to the visual identity and marketing success of a rapidly expanding beauty brand.

Working Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week, with flexibility in scheduling to accommodate freelance arrangements and global team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on current freelance market rates for experienced graphic designers in Germany, considering the role's specific requirements (digital, e-commerce, performance ads) and the implied experience level. The provided benefits are directly extracted from the job description, highlighting the attractive aspects of a freelance role with creative ownership and growth prospects.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Beauty & Cosmetics, E-commerce, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)

Company Size: Fast-growing startup (specific numbers not provided, but implies a dynamic, agile environment). Doonails is described as "fast-growing" and having expanded into the US market recently, suggesting significant traction and a need for rapid scaling.

Founded: Information not provided, but the company is positioned as a "fast-growing beauty startup."

Team Structure:

• The graphic designer will work closely with graphic and marketing teams, implying a collaborative structure where creative input is integrated into broader marketing initiatives.

• There are "no long approval loops," indicating a lean, agile team structure that prioritizes speed and direct execution.

• The role is part of a "team that moves fast," suggesting a culture of quick decision-making and execution. Methodology:

• Agile Creative Development: The emphasis on "real creative freedom," "no long approval loops," and "speed & ownership" points to an agile approach to content creation and marketing execution.

• Data-Informed Design: Support for "CRO testing efforts" and the need to create "scroll-stopping visual assets" for performance ads suggest that design decisions are informed by performance data and conversion metrics.

• Community-Centric: As a beauty brand with a "vibrant community," visual assets likely aim to resonate deeply with the target audience.

Company Website: Doonails.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by speed, agility, and a high degree of creative autonomy, typical of successful tech and e-commerce startups. The "beauty" industry context is crucial, implying a need for aesthetically sophisticated and trend-aware visuals that appeal to a specific consumer demographic. The focus on international markets suggests an awareness of global branding nuances.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a specialized freelance contributor, likely falling into a mid-level to senior individual contributor tier within the creative operations domain. It offers significant autonomy and ownership over specific visual domains.

Reporting Structure: The designer will work closely with "graphic and marketing teams," suggesting a collaborative reporting line, likely to a Creative Lead, Marketing Manager, or Head of Marketing. The "no long approval loops" implies a streamlined reporting process.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the brand's visual identity, customer acquisition through performance ads, and conversion rates on e-commerce platforms. Effective visual execution is critical for brand perception, customer engagement, and ultimately, revenue generation in the competitive beauty market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Increased Responsibility: Potential to take on more complex design projects, lead visual aspects of new product launches, or contribute to broader brand strategy as trust and performance are established.

• Skill Development: Opportunity to hone skills in performance marketing design, e-commerce UX/UI, and international campaign adaptation within a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.

• Long-Term Engagement: If the freelance engagement is successful, there's potential for a more established, ongoing collaboration or even a transition to a full-time role as the company continues to scale.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a freelance role, "growth" is often measured by increased project scope, higher rates, and deeper integration into the company's operational cadence. The emphasis on "if things click, there's room to grow together" suggests a performance-based evolution of the relationship, offering a pathway for dedicated freelancers to expand their influence and contribution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote freelance position.

Office Location(s): While the company operates internationally and is based in Germany, the specific physical office locations are not detailed as this is a remote role. The target market is "Deutschland" (Germany) and other international stores.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The work environment will be primarily digital, relying on online communication tools and project management platforms.

• Agile & Fast-Paced: Expect a dynamic setting where quick turnarounds and adaptability are key.

• Creative Autonomy: The environment fosters independent work and encourages designers to bring their creative vision to life with minimal oversight.

• Tool-Centric: Access to and proficient use of digital design tools (Adobe Suite, Figma) will be essential for daily operations.

Work Schedule: Approximately 20 hours per week. Flexibility is implied, allowing the designer to manage their schedule, though responsiveness during core business hours for collaboration might be expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of this role is a significant aspect of the work environment, requiring strong self-discipline, communication skills, and the ability to manage projects independently. The "fast-paced" startup culture means that collaboration and responsiveness, even remotely, are critical for operational efficiency.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Focus on a strong portfolio that showcases relevant skills in digital design, performance ads, and e-commerce.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Candidates will likely present their work, explaining their design process, rationale behind key decisions, and how their designs have driven results (e.g., conversion rates, engagement).

• Skills Assessment: Potential for a short design test or case study focusing on creating assets for a specific campaign or product.

• Cultural Fit & Collaboration: Discussion to assess ownership, speed, ability to take feedback, and how well they align with the startup's agile culture.

• Freelance Terms Discussion: Finalizing scope of work, compensation, and expected deliverables.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Performance: Prioritize examples where your design work demonstrably contributed to business goals (e.g., increased CTR, conversion rates, engagement). Quantify results where possible.

• Showcase Process: For key projects, briefly explain your design process, from brief to final asset, emphasizing problem-solving and iterative improvements.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio clearly reflects your expertise in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, especially for digital and web assets.

• Tailor to Beauty: Include work that demonstrates an understanding of the beauty industry's aesthetic and target audience.

• Speed & Iteration: If applicable, show examples of how you've iterated on designs based on feedback or performance data.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing assets for a specific Doonails campaign (e.g., a new product launch, a seasonal sale).

• Practice articulating your design choices and their strategic intent.

• Understand Doonails' current brand aesthetic and identify areas for visual enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a creative operations role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to prove not just creative talent but also the ability to deliver visually effective assets that serve a business purpose. The emphasis on "scroll-stopping" and "conversion-driven" design means candidates should be ready to discuss the strategic rationale behind their creative choices and their impact on key performance indicators.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and graphic creation.

• Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, and detailed illustrations.

• Figma: For UI/UX design, web design, digital assets, and collaborative design workflows.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with interpreting basic analytics data from ad platforms (e.g., Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads) and e-commerce platforms to inform design decisions.

• Understanding of CRO metrics and how design impacts them. CRM & Automation:

• Experience designing for email marketing platforms and CRM campaigns.

• Awareness of how visual assets are implemented within marketing automation workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirements are clearly defined around Adobe Creative Suite and Figma. Proficiency in these tools is non-negotiable for the role's daily execution. An understanding of how these visuals integrate into broader marketing and sales operations (CRM, automation, analytics) is also beneficial, even if not a primary design task.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Speed & Ownership: A core value is the ability to deliver quickly and take full responsibility for outcomes.

• Creativity & Innovation: The company encourages bringing fresh ideas and unique visual concepts to life.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: While creative, design choices are expected to be informed by performance data and conversion goals.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Working closely with teams and having "no long approval loops" implies a culture of open communication and efficient teamwork.

• Customer Focus: Designs should resonate with the beauty consumer and enhance their experience with the brand.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Iterative: Expect frequent feedback loops and a dynamic process of creation and refinement.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close work with marketing and product teams to ensure visual assets align with broader business objectives.

• Trust & Autonomy: The company trusts its designers to deliver high-quality work independently, with minimal micromanagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a proactive, results-oriented approach. For a creative operations role, this means not just executing tasks but understanding the "why" behind them and contributing to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the marketing function through strong visual execution.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Maintaining high creative standards while meeting rapid turnaround times typical of a startup.

• International Market Adaptation: Creating visuals that appeal to diverse audiences across six international stores, requiring cultural sensitivity and adaptability.

• Performance-Driven Design: Consistently creating assets that not only look good but also perform well in conversion-focused marketing campaigns.

• Evolving Brand Identity: Contributing to the visual evolution of a fast-growing brand and ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Skill Acquisition: Deepen expertise in performance ad design, e-commerce UX/UI, and visual storytelling for the beauty industry.

• Exposure to Growth Strategies: Gain insight into how visual marketing drives customer acquisition and retention for a rapidly scaling DTC brand.

• Portfolio Expansion: Build a robust portfolio with impactful case studies demonstrating measurable results in a competitive market.

• Networking: Collaborate with a dynamic team and potentially expand professional network within the beauty and e-commerce sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for adaptability and a results-oriented mindset. The growth opportunities are framed around skill development and practical experience directly applicable to operations and marketing roles within fast-paced environments.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a set of performance ads for a new Doonails product launch on Meta, considering our target audience and conversion goals?" - Prepare to discuss your process, creative concepts, and how you'd measure success.

• "Describe a time you had to adapt a design for an international market. What considerations did you make?" - Focus on cultural nuances, localization, and effective cross-cultural communication.

• "How do you ensure your designs for a webshop contribute to conversion rate optimization?" - Discuss UX/UI principles, A/B testing considerations, and visual hierarchy. Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Doonails and the beauty industry?" - Research the brand, its products, and its community.

• "How do you handle tight deadlines and multiple competing priorities in a freelance capacity?" - Demonstrate your organizational skills and ability to manage workload effectively.

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced startup environment and how you maintain quality under pressure." - Highlight your adaptability and proactive approach. Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your skills in digital design, performance ads, and e-commerce. For each, clearly state the objective, your role, the tools used, and the outcome (quantified if possible).

• Showcase Figma & Adobe Skills: Be ready to walk through a Figma file or explain your process in Adobe Suite for a relevant project.

• Connect Design to Business: Articulate how your visual decisions directly supported the client's or brand's goals.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Present your work with enthusiasm, highlighting your problem-solving abilities and creative vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should center on demonstrating not just creative talent but operational efficiency and strategic thinking. Candidates need to show they understand how design serves business objectives, especially in a performance-driven context like e-commerce and digital advertising.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Lever link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features examples of performance ad creatives, e-commerce design, and product packaging relevant to the beauty industry. Tailor your presentation to highlight your proficiency in Figma and Adobe Suite.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize experience with digital design, UX/UI, CRO support, international campaigns, and working within fast-paced, remote environments. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work, particularly for performance-driven projects. Prepare specific examples demonstrating speed, ownership, and adaptability.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Doonails, their product offerings, target audience, and existing marketing efforts to demonstrate genuine interest and an understanding of their brand aesthetic and operational needs.

⚠️ 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.