Graphic Designer – Production

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer – Production

Company: XPEL

Location: San Antonio, TX, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-23

Experience Level: 0-2 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in translating conceptual design ideas into polished, on-brand visual representations for both traditional print and digital mediums, directly supporting sales and marketing initiatives.

• A key focus is on leveraging AI-powered creative tools alongside traditional design production workflows to efficiently generate and refine vehicle imagery, meeting high-volume production demands.

• The position requires a blend of strong design principles and technical proficiency to ensure clean, consistent, and dealer-ready output that effectively communicates the XPEL brand story.

• This is an exciting opportunity for a design professional eager to work at the forefront of AI-assisted visual content creation within a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Graphic Designer – Production," the emphasis on AI tools and supporting sales/marketing initiatives places this role within the broader scope of Marketing Operations or GTM support, requiring an understanding of how design directly impacts go-to-market strategies and sales enablement. The role's focus on production and efficiency suggests a need for strong process orientation, which is a hallmark of operations roles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Create and design a wide array of marketing and sales collateral for both print and digital platforms, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines and project specifications.

• Collaborate closely with creative, sales, and marketing teams to effectively translate project requests into visually compelling and on-brand deliverables.

• Manage and prioritize multiple concurrent design projects, meticulously ensuring timely completion while upholding the highest standards of quality and technical accuracy.

• Facilitate the seamless transition of artistic vision from initial concept through to final production-ready assets for various applications, including product illustrations, social media, website content, and promotional materials.

• Develop and maintain technically sound artwork files and comprehensive documentation for diverse production needs, including print, digital distribution, and cross-platform utilization.

• Proactively identify and resolve inconsistencies between creative concepts, production files, and established company standards, ensuring smooth workflow progression without compromising quality.

• Generate AI-rendered vehicle imagery to support marketing campaigns and sales enablement materials, staying abreast of emerging AI design tools and their application in optimizing production workflows.

• Maintain and contribute to the evolution of XPEL's "best-in-class" organizational brand identity by ensuring consistency across all creative and graphic materials.

• Plan and schedule multiple overlapping projects efficiently, ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery while effectively communicating progress and potential roadblocks to stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a need for strong project management and workflow optimization skills, common in operations roles. The emphasis on "technically accurate files," "maintaining brand guidelines," and "resolving inconsistencies" points to a meticulous approach to process execution and quality control.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, Digital Design, Visual Communication, Media, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 1-2 years of experience in production and graphic design functions, demonstrated through a strong portfolio or body of work.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including but not limited to InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat.

• Hands-on experience with AI creative tools such as Nano Banana, Artlist, Midjourney, and Claude, demonstrating an ability to leverage AI for creative output.

• Proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities effectively and communicate status updates clearly to stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of print and digital design principles, with an emphasis on creating clean, consistent, and on-brand deliverables.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with geographically dispersed teams and leaders.

• A strong creative problem-solving ability and a keen sense of urgency, integrity, and professionalism. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Figma for design workflows and collaboration.

• Automotive, aftermarket, or dealer industry design experience.

• A strong sense of trend spotting across global visual communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for AI creative tools and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite highlights a need for candidates who can bridge traditional design skills with emerging technologies, a key trend in modern marketing and creative operations. The "0-2 years" experience level suggests this is an entry-level to junior position, but the specific skills required indicate a need for practical, hands-on experience rather than purely theoretical knowledge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 1-2 years of hands-on production and graphic design work, demonstrating proficiency in creating print and digital collateral.

• Include specific examples of projects where AI creative tools (e.g., Midjourney, Nano Banana) were utilized to generate or refine vehicle imagery, highlighting the impact on efficiency or quality.

• Present technically accurate files and documentation, illustrating adherence to departmental standards and specifications for print and digital mediums.

• Demonstrate experience in maintaining and applying brand guidelines consistently across various creative assets.

• Highlight projects that involved collaboration with sales, marketing, or other cross-functional teams, showcasing your ability to translate requests into polished deliverables. Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for managing multiple, overlapping design projects from brief to final delivery, emphasizing prioritization and scheduling techniques.

• Explain your workflow for ensuring technical accuracy and brand consistency in final artwork files and documentation.

• Illustrate how you identify and resolve design or production inconsistencies, showcasing your problem-solving approach.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to the development or refinement of brand identity and creative standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a production-focused role, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis should be on the process behind the design, not just the final aesthetic. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their workflow, how they manage revisions, and how they ensure technical accuracy and brand compliance. Highlighting AI tool usage is particularly important given the explicit mention in the job description.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Graphic Designer – Production role with 0-2 years of experience in San Antonio, TX, the estimated salary range is $45,000 - $60,000 annually. This estimate considers the cost of living in San Antonio, the specified experience level, and the specialized skills required, including AI creative tools.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation days, sick leave, and company holidays.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning, including training on new design software and AI tools.

• Employee discounts on XPEL products and services.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses or incentives.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work schedule, typically 40 hours per week, with potential for occasional overtime during peak production periods. The role is on-site, requiring consistent attendance at the San Antonio, TX location.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on research of similar roles in San Antonio, TX, using data from reputable salary aggregators and considering the specific requirements of the role, including AI tool proficiency. Benefits are typical for a full-time position at a company of XPEL's size and industry, focusing on aspects relevant to creative professionals seeking stability and growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive aftermarket, specifically focused on protective films and coatings for vehicles. XPEL is a leader in this niche market, known for its high-quality products and extensive dealer network. This industry context means a focus on visual branding that appeals to car enthusiasts and dealerships, emphasizing performance, protection, and premium aesthetics.

Company Size: XPEL is a publicly traded company with a significant global presence, indicating a structured corporate environment with established processes and a need for scalable creative solutions. This size suggests a robust marketing and sales support infrastructure.

Founded: XPEL was founded in 1997. With over two decades of operation, the company has a history of growth and innovation, positioning itself as a stable and experienced player in its market. This longevity implies a culture that values established practices while also adapting to new technologies and market demands, as evidenced by the inclusion of AI tools.

Team Structure:

• The graphic design team likely operates within a larger Marketing or Creative department, potentially comprising various specialists such as graphic designers, content creators, and brand managers.

• The reporting structure would typically lead to a Creative Director or Marketing Manager, with this Production Designer reporting to a senior designer or team lead responsible for workflow management.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, involving close partnerships with sales teams to understand their collateral needs, marketing teams for campaign alignment, and potentially product development teams for technical accuracy. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: While not a data analyst role, the designer must interpret project briefs and feedback, understanding how visual elements impact sales performance and customer perception.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: A core aspect of this role involves optimizing the design production pipeline, particularly with the integration of AI tools, to ensure efficiency and timely delivery.

• Automation & Efficiency Practices: Proactively seeking ways to automate repetitive tasks and improve the speed and accuracy of design production, especially in generating vehicle imagery.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding XPEL's position in the automotive aftermarket industry is key. The company's focus on premium vehicle protection implies a need for sophisticated, high-quality visual assets that convey luxury and performance. The integration of AI tools suggests a forward-thinking approach to creative production within a well-established company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at the entry-level to junior production designer stage (0-2 years experience). It focuses on executing design tasks efficiently and accurately within established brand parameters, with a significant emphasis on production workflow and the practical application of AI tools. The scope is tactical, centered on delivering high-volume, consistent creative assets.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer – Production will likely report to a Senior Graphic Designer, Creative Lead, or Marketing Manager. This structure provides guidance and oversight while allowing for independent project execution. Collaboration will extend to peers in sales, marketing, and potentially other creative functions.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role in terms of process engineering, this position has a direct impact on the Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy by enabling sales and marketing efforts. High-quality, on-brand, and timely collateral directly supports lead generation, customer engagement, and dealer enablement, contributing to overall revenue generation and brand perception. The efficiency gains from AI tools can significantly impact the speed at which marketing campaigns and sales materials are produced.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Development: Potential to deepen expertise in workflow optimization, project management, and the strategic application of AI in creative production. This could lead to roles focused on creative operations management.

• Specialization: Develop advanced skills in vehicle rendering, AI-driven design, and specific design software, becoming a go-to expert in these areas.

• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated success in production efficiency and quality, there's potential to move into senior designer roles, team lead positions, or even creative operations management, overseeing production pipelines and teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for this role involves not just becoming a better designer but also a more efficient and technically adept creative professional. Understanding how design impacts business objectives and learning to leverage technology for operational efficiency are key to career advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is specified as "On-site" in San Antonio, TX, indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This setting typically fosters in-person collaboration and direct communication within the creative and sales/marketing teams.

Office Location(s): San Antonio, TX, United States. This location provides a central hub for employees to access company resources, facilities, and team interactions.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is likely designed to support collaborative design work, potentially featuring shared creative spaces, access to necessary hardware and software, and opportunities for spontaneous discussions with colleagues.

• Expect access to industry-standard design software and hardware, including powerful workstations capable of running Adobe Creative Suite and AI applications.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with sales and marketing teams will be frequent, allowing for real-time feedback and a deeper understanding of business needs.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time work schedule, likely Monday through Friday, with typical business hours. While the role is on-site, the nature of production work might occasionally require flexibility to meet deadlines, particularly during product launches or campaign pushes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests a company culture that values in-person collaboration and the benefits of a shared physical workspace for creative teams. This is common in organizations that prioritize immediate feedback loops and team cohesion.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications, experience with Adobe Creative Suite, and any demonstrated use of AI creative tools.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A deeper dive into your portfolio, focusing on specific projects that showcase production capabilities, brand consistency, and your approach to problem-solving. You may be asked to discuss your design process, how you handle revisions, and your experience with AI tools.

• Skills Assessment/Design Challenge: A practical exercise, possibly a timed design task or a case study, to evaluate your design skills, speed, technical accuracy, and ability to work within brand constraints. This may involve generating AI-assisted assets.

• Behavioral & Team Fit Interview: Discussions focused on your collaboration style, ability to manage competing priorities, communication skills, and how you align with XPEL's company culture and values. You may meet with potential team members and hiring managers.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Production Prowess: Prioritize examples demonstrating your ability to create polished, technically sound assets for both print and digital media. Highlight projects with clear objectives and measurable results, if possible.

• Highlight AI Integration: Feature projects where you've successfully used AI tools (Midjourney, Nano Banana, etc.) to generate or refine vehicle imagery. Explain your process, the challenges you overcame, and the benefits achieved (e.g., speed, creativity).

• Demonstrate Brand Adherence: Include examples where you've meticulously applied brand guidelines and maintained consistency across multiple assets.

• Detail Your Process: Be prepared to walk through your workflow for specific projects, from receiving a brief to final delivery. Explain your rationale for design choices and how you manage feedback and revisions.

• Keep it Concise and Relevant: Curate your portfolio to include your strongest, most relevant work, ideally showcasing automotive or similar industries.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand XPEL's Brand: Research XPEL's current marketing materials, website, and social media presence to grasp their visual identity, tone, and target audience.

• Practice AI Tool Usage: Familiarize yourself with the mentioned AI tools (Midjourney, Nano Banana, etc.) and practice generating vehicle imagery with specific prompts and styles.

• Refine Your Workflow: Be ready to articulate your step-by-step process for tackling design tasks, especially those involving AI integration and production-level file preparation.

• Prepare for Technical Questions: Anticipate questions about Adobe Creative Suite functionality, file formats, color spaces, and best practices for print and digital production.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily scrutinize the candidate's practical design and production skills, with a particular emphasis on their ability to leverage new AI technologies efficiently. A well-organized portfolio that clearly demonstrates these capabilities will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential proficiency in InDesign (for layout and print production), Illustrator (for vector graphics and illustrations), and Photoshop (for image editing, manipulation, and AI integration). Acrobat for PDF management.

• AI Creative Tools: Hands-on experience with Nano Banana, Artlist, Midjourney, and Claude for generating and refining vehicle imagery, concept art, and other visual assets.

• Figma: Potentially used for collaborative design workflows, prototyping, or asset management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly responsible for analytics, the designer must understand how visual assets perform. Familiarity with analytics dashboards (e.g., Google Analytics, social media analytics) can help inform design decisions and demonstrate impact.

• Understanding of reporting metrics related to marketing campaign performance (e.g., click-through rates, engagement rates) can help tailor designs for better results. CRM & Automation:

• While direct CRM or automation tool usage might be limited, understanding how design assets are deployed through marketing automation platforms or integrated into CRM-driven campaigns (e.g., email marketing, landing pages) is beneficial.

• Awareness of how digital assets are managed within digital asset management (DAM) systems can also be valuable for ensuring brand consistency and accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of specific AI tools is a key differentiator. Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate practical experience with these tools, not just theoretical knowledge. Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite is a given, but the AI component is where candidates can truly stand out.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Efficiency & Productivity: A strong emphasis on producing high-quality work quickly and effectively, leveraging technology like AI to streamline workflows and meet deadlines consistently.

• Quality & Precision: A commitment to delivering technically accurate, polished, and on-brand creative assets that represent XPEL's premium image. This includes meticulous file preparation and adherence to brand standards.

• Collaboration & Communication: A value placed on working effectively with cross-functional teams (sales, marketing) and communicating clearly, especially when managing multiple projects or resolving design challenges.

• Continuous Learning & Adaptability: An openness to embracing new technologies, such as AI design tools, and a proactive approach to staying current with industry trends and best practices in visual communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with sales and marketing to understand their evolving needs and ensure creative deliverables directly support business objectives.

• Feedback-driven Improvement: A willingness to receive and act on constructive feedback from peers, managers, and stakeholders to refine designs and improve processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to a team environment where best practices, tips, and insights regarding design tools and techniques are shared, fostering collective growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely blends a fast-paced, results-oriented environment with a commitment to quality and innovation. The integration of AI suggests a company that is willing to experiment and adapt, valuing team members who are proactive learners and collaborators.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• High-Volume Production Demands: The need to produce a large quantity of creative assets under tight deadlines requires exceptional time management and workflow efficiency.

• Balancing AI and Traditional Design: Effectively integrating AI-generated assets with traditional design principles and manual refinement to ensure cohesive and high-quality output.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Diverse Outputs: Ensuring that all creative materials, regardless of medium or AI involvement, consistently reflect XPEL's brand identity.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Staying current with the fast-paced advancements in AI design tools and finding practical applications to enhance production workflows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced AI Tool Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific AI image generation tools and explore new platforms as they emerge.

• Brand and Marketing Strategy Workshops: Learning how design directly supports broader marketing campaigns and sales enablement strategies.

• Process Optimization Training: Developing skills in project management, workflow efficiency, and potentially digital asset management.

• Mentorship from Senior Designers: Guidance from experienced professionals on creative best practices, problem-solving, and career development within the design field.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents an opportunity to gain valuable experience at the intersection of traditional graphic design and cutting-edge AI technology, which is a highly sought-after skill set in the current market. The challenges are directly tied to opportunities for skill development and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for taking a conceptual design brief and transforming it into a final, production-ready asset for both print and digital use. How do you ensure brand consistency throughout?" (Focus on workflow, quality control, and brand adherence.)

• "Walk us through a project where you used AI creative tools (like Midjourney or Nano Banana) to generate or refine vehicle imagery. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight practical AI application, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you prioritize and manage multiple design projects with competing deadlines? Describe a situation where you had to manage conflicting priorities." (Assess project management and organizational skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about XPEL and our position in the automotive aftermarket industry?" (Show research on the company and industry.)

• "How do you stay current with design trends, particularly in the automotive sector and with emerging AI technologies?" (Demonstrate proactive learning and industry awareness.)

• "Describe your ideal collaborative environment. How do you prefer to work with sales and marketing teams?" (Assess teamwork and communication style.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio by project type or skill demonstrated, clearly labeling each piece. For AI-driven projects, include a brief description of the prompt, the tools used, and the intended purpose.

• Tell the Story: For key projects, be ready to articulate the problem, your solution (including the role of AI), the process, and the results. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "increased engagement by X%" or "reduced production time by Y%").

• Technical Detail: Be prepared to discuss file formats, color profiles, resolution, and other technical aspects relevant to production, especially how you ensure files are "dealer-ready."

• Showcase Versatility: Demonstrate your ability to work across different mediums (print, digital, social) and your adaptability to XPEL's brand aesthetic.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to articulate their understanding of XPEL's brand, demonstrate practical experience with AI tools, and showcase their ability to manage production workflows efficiently. The portfolio presentation is key to validating these skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer – Production position:

• Submit your application through the XPEL Careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature examples of production design, print and digital collateral, and specifically, any projects where you utilized AI creative tools (Midjourney, Nano Banana, etc.) to generate or refine vehicle imagery. Clearly label these projects and explain your process.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 1-2 years of production design experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, and hands-on experience with AI tools. Use keywords from the job description such as "production," "AI creative tools," "brand guidelines," and "visual communication."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, workflow management strategies, and how you leverage technology to achieve efficient and high-quality results. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to discuss your understanding of XPEL's brand and market.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research XPEL, its products, its target market (automotive aftermarket), and its current marketing efforts. Understand their brand aesthetic and how your design skills can contribute to their goals.

⚠️ 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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