Graphic Designer (Temporary Position)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer (Temporary Position)

Company: Maesa

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Temporary

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

Date Posted: August 10, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This temporary Graphic Designer role focuses on high-execution digital and social media asset creation, with a significant component in packaging design for the beauty and wellness industry.

• The position demands meticulous attention to detail, a strong understanding of brand consistency across multiple brands, and proficiency in industry-standard design software.

• Candidates will be expected to integrate AI tools into their design workflow, reflecting a forward-thinking approach to creative execution and efficiency.

• Collaboration with cross-functional teams and the ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment are critical for success in this role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is explicitly defined as a 6-month temporary position, which impacts the scope of responsibilities and long-term career growth expectations. The emphasis on AI tools suggests a company commitment to leveraging emerging technologies in their creative processes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute a wide array of digital assets for social media platforms, paid media campaigns, and e-commerce channels, ensuring visual appeal and brand alignment.

• Develop and translate creative concepts into compelling visual designs that resonate with target audiences and support overarching brand strategies.

• Diligently maintain and apply established brand guidelines across a diverse portfolio of brands, ensuring a cohesive and recognizable brand identity.

• Design and refine packaging concepts, preparing print-ready files and providing production support to ensure seamless manufacturing.

• Collaborate effectively with marketing, product development, and other cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality creative deliverables on time and within project scope.

• Manage a dynamic workload, prioritizing and executing multiple design projects concurrently in a fast-paced, deadline-driven setting.

• Proactively explore and integrate AI tools into the design workflow to enhance efficiency, explore new creative avenues, and optimize design outputs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative execution and production support, with a strong emphasis on brand stewardship and cross-functional collaboration. The inclusion of AI tools points towards a modern design environment focused on innovation and efficiency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Arts, or a related field is typically expected for roles requiring this level of experience. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 5–8+ years of professional graphic design experience, with a demonstrated history of successful project execution in fast-paced environments.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in digital and social media design, including campaign assets, social media graphics, and e-commerce visuals.

• Strong portfolio showcasing a range of packaging design projects, demonstrating an understanding of print production and brand application.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for creating and manipulating complex design assets.

• Working knowledge of Figma or similar collaborative design tools for prototyping and team-based design workflows.

• Excellent command of typography, layout principles, and color theory to create visually impactful designs.

• Solid understanding of various social media platforms and their specific digital format requirements.

• Ability to effectively receive and incorporate feedback, iterating on designs to achieve optimal results.

• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

• Clear and concise communication skills, essential for effective collaboration with diverse teams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the beauty, luxury, fashion, or related consumer goods industries, demonstrating an understanding of aesthetic trends and consumer preferences.

• Agency experience or experience managing design for multiple brands, highlighting adaptability and broad creative application.

• Basic motion graphics or animation skills using After Effects for dynamic digital content.

• Familiarity with AI design tools and workflows, showing a proactive approach to adopting new technologies.

• Experience preparing files for print production and direct collaboration with print vendors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements lean towards mid-to-senior level professionals, with a preference for candidates who have worked within agency settings or across multiple brands, indicating a need for adaptability and robust project management capabilities. The emphasis on AI tools is a key differentiator.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated selection of digital and social media design projects that clearly demonstrate proficiency in creating engaging online content and campaign assets.

• Packaging design examples that showcase creative concept development, brand application, and an understanding of print-ready file preparation.

• Case studies detailing the design process, problem-solving approaches, and the impact of design solutions on project objectives or brand performance.

• Demonstrations of how AI tools were leveraged to enhance design outcomes, efficiency, or creative exploration. Process Documentation:

• Ability to articulate the design process from brief to final delivery, including concept development, iteration, feedback incorporation, and final asset creation.

• Showcase an understanding of workflow management for multiple projects, including prioritization, time allocation, and deadline adherence.

• Evidence of how brand guidelines were applied and maintained across different projects and brands to ensure consistency and brand integrity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's design capabilities, especially in digital, social, and packaging. The expectation for demonstrating AI tool integration within the portfolio is a significant requirement.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $33/hr - $38/hr. This hourly rate reflects the temporary nature of the role and the required mid-to-senior level experience in a high-cost-of-living area like New York City.

Benefits: As a temporary position, benefits may be limited. Typically, temporary roles might include:

• Eligibility for basic statutory benefits (e.g., sick leave, as mandated by New York law).

• Potential for extended contract if business needs arise and performance is exceptional.

• Access to Maesa's creative and collaborative work environment.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are expected to be 40 hours per week, aligning with a full-time temporary role. The hybrid schedule involves 3 days in the New York office and 2 days remote.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided as an hourly rate, which is standard for temporary positions. Benefits are typically less comprehensive for temporary roles compared to full-time permanent positions, and this should be clarified with the hiring manager. The hybrid arrangement is clearly defined.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The beauty and wellness sector, specifically focused on incubating and growing innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible through strategic retail partnerships. Maesa operates as a "next-gen beauty company."

Company Size: Maesa is a growing company, indicated by its dynamic brand portfolio and presence in the competitive beauty market. The exact size is not specified but implies a structure capable of managing multiple brands and retail partnerships.

Founded: Information not directly provided in the job description, but the company's mission and current brand portfolio suggest a relatively modern and evolving business model.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a broader creative or marketing team, potentially reporting to a Creative Director or Senior Designer.

• This role requires close collaboration with marketing managers, brand managers, product development teams, and potentially external agencies or vendors.

• The team operates with a "start-up spirit," emphasizing accountability, excellence, and a fast-paced approach to bringing new ideas to market. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is implied through the focus on brand strategy and meeting unmet consumer needs.

• Workflow planning and optimization are essential due to the fast-paced nature and the need to manage multiple brands and projects.

• Automation and efficiency are encouraged, particularly through the integration of AI tools into the design process.

Company Website: www.maesa.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Maesa positions itself as an innovative leader in the beauty industry, focusing on speed-to-market and brand incubation. The company culture values a blend of creativity, discipline, and a forward-thinking approach, as evidenced by the emphasis on AI tools.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Senior level (5-10 years of experience), requiring a high degree of autonomy and execution capability. It is a temporary position, meaning direct career progression within Maesa may be limited to contract extension or opportunities arising from specific project needs.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will likely report to a Creative Lead, Art Director, or Marketing Manager, working within a cross-functional team environment.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role, the Graphic Designer's work directly impacts brand perception, marketing effectiveness, and sales conversions through compelling visual assets and packaging. Their efficiency in design execution contributes to the company's speed-to-market capabilities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Enhancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in digital/social design, packaging, and gain hands-on experience with AI design tools within a leading beauty company.

• Portfolio Expansion: Significant opportunities to add diverse and impactful projects to one's portfolio, working across multiple established brands.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience in the dynamic beauty and wellness industry, understanding brand incubation and retail partnerships.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary growth opportunity is experiential and portfolio-building, given the temporary nature of the role. While not a direct path to permanent employment, the skills and experience gained are highly transferable within the creative and CPG industries.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in New York City and operates on a hybrid model, requiring 3 days per week in the office. This suggests a modern office setup designed for collaboration and creative work.

Office Location(s): New York, NY (Specific office address not provided).

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely to be dynamic and collaborative, fostering creativity and teamwork among designers and other creative professionals.

• Access to necessary design software and potentially hardware, along with opportunities for in-person brainstorming and feedback sessions.

• The hybrid model allows for focused individual work remotely, balanced with in-person collaboration and team integration.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in the hybrid model (3 days office, 2 days remote). The fast-paced environment may require occasional flexibility to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model is a key feature, offering a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. The emphasis on a "start-up spirit" suggests a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of resumes and portfolios to assess relevant experience and design skills.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, discussing key projects, design process, and how they meet the role's requirements. Specific focus will be on digital/social and packaging work.

• Skills Assessment: A potential design exercise or a discussion about how they would approach specific design challenges, possibly including AI tool integration.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: Discussions about cultural fit, collaboration style, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of the beauty industry.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Showcase your strongest digital/social and packaging design work. Clearly label each piece with the context (brand, objective, your role).

• Highlight Process: For key projects, walk through your design thinking: understanding the brief, concept development, iterations, feedback integration, and final outcome.

• Demonstrate AI Use: If you have examples of using AI tools for ideation, asset generation, or workflow enhancement, be prepared to discuss them.

• Brand Consistency: Show examples where you've maintained or applied brand guidelines effectively across different assets or brands.

• Be Concise: Prepare to present your portfolio efficiently, focusing on the most relevant work for this role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready to discuss how you approach tight deadlines and manage multiple projects.

• Prepare to articulate your understanding of brand aesthetics within the beauty/wellness sector.

• Think about how you would integrate AI tools into a typical design workflow for social media or packaging.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount. Expect to thoroughly discuss your process, creative choices, and how you adapt to brand guidelines and feedback. Demonstrating an understanding of AI's role in design is a significant advantage.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are essential for detailed graphic creation and layout.

• Figma: Required for collaborative design, prototyping, and potentially UI/UX elements for digital platforms.

Analytics & Reporting: While not directly responsible for analytics, understanding how design impacts engagement metrics on social media and e-commerce is beneficial. Familiarity with how visual assets are tracked is a plus.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this design role, but an understanding of how marketing automation platforms might use visual assets could be beneficial.

Emerging Technologies:

• AI Design Tools: Explicitly mentioned as a requirement for integration. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience or interest in tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, Adobe Firefly, or similar AI-powered creative applications.

• Motion Graphics Software: Experience with After Effects for basic animation or motion graphics is a preferred qualification.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma is non-negotiable. The explicit requirement for AI tool integration signifies a forward-looking approach by Maesa, making this a critical area of expertise or at least strong interest for candidates.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Collaboration: Essential for working effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver cohesive brand experiences.

• Curiosity: Encouraged to explore new design trends, AI technologies, and innovative approaches to beauty marketing.

• Game-Changing: Driving innovation and pushing creative boundaries to develop unique and impactful brand assets.

• Creativity: The core of the role, requiring imaginative thinking and strong visual execution.

• Discipline: Maintaining brand consistency, meeting deadlines, and executing designs with high attention to detail.

Collaboration Style:

• Expected to be a team player, actively participating in discussions, sharing ideas, and incorporating feedback from diverse stakeholders.

• Openness to constructive criticism and the ability to iterate quickly based on team and brand manager input.

• A proactive communication style is valued to ensure alignment and timely delivery of creative assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: Maesa's values are deeply embedded in its operational philosophy, emphasizing innovation, creativity, and a collaborative, fast-paced environment. The expectation is for designers to be both creative powerhouses and disciplined team members.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pace and Volume: Managing a high volume of design requests across multiple brands under tight deadlines requires strong time management and prioritization skills.

• Brand Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive brand identity across diverse product lines and marketing channels can be complex.

• AI Integration: For candidates new to AI tools, learning and effectively integrating them into a professional workflow presents a learning curve.

• Temporary Nature: Adapting quickly to a new team and workflows for a defined contract period.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Tool Proficiency: Gaining practical, in-demand experience with AI in a creative context.

• Beauty Industry Insights: Deepening understanding of brand building, consumer marketing, and retail strategies within the beauty and wellness sectors.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Adding significant, high-quality work to a professional portfolio from a leading beauty incubator.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Working closely with various departments provides broader business context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the fast-paced, multi-brand environment and the integration of new technologies. The growth opportunities are heavily focused on skill acquisition and portfolio building within a specific, dynamic industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for creating social media assets for a new beauty product launch. How would you ensure it aligns with the brand's identity and resonates with the target audience?" (Focus on process, brand alignment, audience targeting).

• "How do you approach incorporating AI tools into your design workflow? Can you provide an example of how you've used them to enhance a design project?" (Focus on AI integration, efficiency, creativity).

• "Walk me through a packaging design project from concept to final print-ready files. What were the key considerations and challenges?" (Focus on packaging expertise, print production knowledge, problem-solving). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about Maesa's mission and the beauty industry?" (Showcase research and genuine interest).

• "How do you handle constructive criticism and feedback on your designs, especially when working with multiple stakeholders?" (Demonstrate adaptability and collaboration).

• "How do you stay current with design trends, especially in digital and social media for the beauty sector?" (Highlight continuous learning and industry awareness). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each project, tell a brief story: the objective, your role, your approach, the solution, and the outcome/impact.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your digital presentation is clean, easy to navigate, and showcases your work effectively.

• AI Integration Focus: If applicable, clearly articulate where and how AI was used and what the benefits were.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most relevant projects and key takeaways.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect interviews to be highly focused on practical application, problem-solving, and your ability to integrate new technologies like AI. Demonstrating a strong understanding of the beauty industry's aesthetic and marketing nuances will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this temporary Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in digital/social design, packaging, and any experience with AI tools. Ensure your portfolio prominently features relevant work.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly list your years of experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, and any experience in the beauty, fashion, or luxury industries. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, discussing your portfolio projects, and preparing specific examples of how you've managed multiple projects and incorporated feedback. Be ready to discuss your approach to AI integration.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Maesa's brand portfolio (Kristin Ess, Hairitage, Fine'ry, Being Frenshe, etc.) and their market positioning. Understand their commitment to innovation and speed-to-market.

⚠️ 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.