Design Manager, Seasonal Events & Systems

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager, Seasonal Events & Systems

Company: Amazon

Location: Seattle, Washington; New York, New York; Santa Monica, California

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative & Design Operations / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-21

Experience Level: 10+ years (implied by 8+ years required + leadership)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and direct the visual design strategy for Amazon's seasonal marketing events and campaigns across North America.

• Manage and mentor a team of designers, fostering a culture of creativity, continuous improvement, and high-quality execution in the operations of creative output.

• Leverage performance data, A/B testing results, and usability studies to inform and iterate on design strategies for maximum customer engagement and business impact.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, business, and technology leaders to unlock cross-category discovery and drive customer acquisition and retention through impactful design.

• Oversee the end-to-end design process for seasonal programs, ensuring brand consistency and operational efficiency across email, site, push notifications, paid media, social channels, and homepage placements.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role, while titled "Design Manager," has significant operational responsibilities related to managing creative output at scale for seasonal events. It requires a blend of creative leadership and operational discipline to ensure timely, data-informed, and impactful campaign execution. The integration of "Systems" in the title suggests a need for understanding and optimizing the workflows and tools that support these large-scale creative operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Creative Direction & Oversight: Define and maintain the design direction for all seasonal marketing programs, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and customer needs.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Art direct and mentor a team of designers (motion, illustrators, writers, content creators), providing constructive feedback, conducting design reviews, and cultivating a high-performing, self-sufficient creative team.

• Data-Driven Design Optimization: Proactively analyze and respond to performance data, including metric tests, usability studies, and A/B test results, to steer design strategy and improve campaign effectiveness.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Synthesize feedback and collaborate effectively with stakeholders from marketing, product, technology, and business teams to ensure cohesive and impactful creative deliverables.

• Problem Solving & Ambiguity Management: Proactively identify and solve design-related operational challenges, seeking clarification and escalating issues as necessary to maintain project momentum.

• Channel Strategy Execution: Oversee design direction and execution across diverse digital channels including email, website, push notifications, paid advertising, social media, and homepage features.

• Visual Design Excellence: Deliver best-in-class visual design creative, focusing on layouts, typography, color, and overall aesthetic that resonates with target audiences and reinforces brand identity.

• Process Improvement: Contribute to the refinement of design workflows and operational processes to enhance efficiency, scalability, and quality of creative output for seasonal campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The inclusion of "usability principles" and "performance data" in the responsibilities highlights the operational aspect of this design role. It's not just about aesthetics but about creating designs that are proven to work from a user and business perspective. The emphasis on "seasonal programs" implies a need for efficient project management and rapid iteration capabilities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Visual Communications, Graphic Design, or a related discipline.

Experience: 8+ years of relevant experience in visual design, with a strong emphasis on art direction and creative leadership for digital marketing campaigns.

Required Skills:

• Art Direction: Proven experience art directing motion designers, illustrators, writers, and content creators to achieve cohesive and impactful campaign visuals.

• Visual Design Expertise: Deep understanding of typography, color theory, layout principles, and digital execution across various platforms.

• Design Software Proficiency: Highly proficient in industry-standard design tools, including Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), and related production software.

• User-Centered Design: Strong understanding of usability principles and ability to translate them into effective, customer-centric design solutions.

• Performance Data Analysis: Ability to interpret and act upon performance metrics, A/B test results, and usability study findings to optimize creative output.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse teams, synthesizing feedback and building strong relationships with marketing, business, and technical partners.

• Project & Time Management: Strong time management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and deliver results in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex design concepts and rationale clearly.

• Web Production Knowledge: Understanding of the web production process, including familiarity with post-production retouching and asset delivery.

Preferred Skills:

• Creative Strategy Development: Experience in driving compelling creative strategy and execution for in-house creative teams, particularly within retail or e-commerce environments.

• Brand Design Principles: Solid understanding of typographic and brand design principles, with the ability to maintain and evolve brand consistency.

• Retail & Digital Marketing Experience: Prior experience in retail marketing and a strong portfolio of digital creative work.

• Leadership & Management: Experience managing creative teams, including internal designers, copywriters, external agencies, and freelancers.

• Executive Presentation: Proven ability to present creative concepts effectively to senior leadership and secure buy-in.

• Deep Dive Capability: Ability to dive deep into business details and technology without losing touch with the core objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+" implied experience level for a manager role, combined with the 8+ years of direct design experience, suggests a need for candidates who have not only excelled as individual contributors but have also demonstrated leadership potential or prior management experience. The specific mention of Figma and Adobe Suite points to a hands-on expectation for the manager, or at least a deep understanding of their operational capabilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Communication: Showcase a diverse range of projects demonstrating exceptional visual communication skills across different digital mediums.

• Typography & Digital Execution: Provide examples that highlight a deep understanding and masterful application of typography, color, and digital execution for online platforms.

• User-Centered Design Solutions: Include case studies or project examples that clearly illustrate how user needs and business objectives were balanced to create effective design solutions.

• Seasonal Campaign Examples: Showcase work related to seasonal campaigns, events, or promotional periods, demonstrating an understanding of the unique demands and opportunities of such initiatives.

• Data-Informed Iteration: Present examples where performance data, user feedback, or A/B testing informed design iterations and led to measurable improvements.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience in designing and optimizing creative workflows for efficiency, scalability, and quality assurance in a fast-paced environment.

• System Implementation & Integration: Demonstrate an understanding of how design tools and systems (e.g., Figma, DAMs, project management software) are integrated to support creative operations and cross-functional collaboration.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Be ready to articulate how designs were measured for effectiveness, how performance data was collected and analyzed, and how these insights were used to refine future creative strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Manager role with an operational focus, the portfolio is critical. It should not just display aesthetic talent but also evidence of strategic thinking, process management, and the ability to drive measurable results through design. The "Systems" in the title implies a need to showcase understanding of how design processes integrate with broader operational systems and tools.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Seattle, Washington & Santa Monica, California: $141,000 - $190,700 USD annually

• New York, New York: $155,400 - $210,300 USD annually

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Prescription insurance and Basic Life & AD&D insurance with optional supplemental life plans.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and dedicated mental health support services.

• Medical Advice Line for health-related inquiries.

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care.

• Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage.

• 401(k) plan with company matching.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and parental leave policies.

• Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) as part of the total compensation package.

Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week, with potential for extended hours during peak seasonal periods to meet aggressive deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are competitive for a Design Manager role in major tech hubs, reflecting the experience level and responsibilities. The inclusion of RSUs and comprehensive benefits aligns with typical compensation structures at large tech companies like Amazon. The "systems" aspect of the role might imply a need for efficient time management and workflow optimization to manage the workload.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Cloud Computing, Digital Advertising, Retail Technology. Amazon is a global leader in multiple sectors, known for its customer obsession, innovation, and operational excellence.

Company Size: Massive global enterprise with hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide. This scale offers immense resources, opportunities for impact, and exposure to cutting-edge technology and processes.

Founded: 1994. Amazon has a long history of innovation and disruption, continuously evolving its business and operational strategies.

Team Structure:

• Operations of Creative Output: The North America Stores Marketing Creative team likely operates as a central hub or a significant distributed function supporting various marketing initiatives.

• Reporting Structure: The Design Manager will likely report to a Creative Director, Head of Marketing, or a senior leader within North America Stores Marketing. They will directly manage a team of designers and collaborate with peers in marketing, analytics, and technology.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role is inherently cross-functional, requiring close partnerships with marketing managers, campaign strategists, product managers, data analysts, and engineering teams to ensure seamless execution of seasonal programs.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Amazon heavily emphasizes data and metrics to inform all aspects of its business, including marketing and creative operations. This role requires a strong analytical mindset.

• Customer Obsession: The core of Amazon's philosophy is understanding and serving the customer. Designs must be crafted with the customer experience at the forefront.

• Bias for Action & Experimentation: Amazon encourages a culture of rapid iteration and experimentation. The Design Manager will be expected to leverage this by testing design variations and quickly implementing learnings.

• Operational Excellence: Amazon's success is built on efficient and scalable operations. This role will contribute to optimizing the operational workflows for creative production.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's culture is known for its high bar for talent, intense pace, and data-driven decision-making. Understanding these cultural tenets is crucial for success in this role, especially concerning operational efficiency and performance measurement. The "Systems" aspect of the title may tie into Amazon's broader efforts in automation and process optimization that permeate all functions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-to-senior level management role focused on leading a creative function within a large marketing organization. It requires a blend of creative expertise and operational leadership, managing both people and processes to deliver at scale.

Reporting Structure: The Design Manager reports to a higher-level marketing or creative leader and directly manages a team of designers. This position sits at a critical intersection between creative strategy and operational execution, bridging the gap between high-level objectives and day-to-day creative output.

Operations Impact: The Design Manager's work directly impacts customer engagement, brand perception, and ultimately, sales performance for Amazon's seasonal events. By optimizing creative operations and ensuring impactful design, they contribute significantly to revenue generation and customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to advance into senior leadership roles such as Creative Director, Head of Design for broader categories, or leadership roles in other marketing functions.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like digital campaign strategy, user experience design for e-commerce, or managing large-scale creative operations.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunity to move into broader marketing strategy, product management, or operations roles within Amazon, leveraging strong leadership and strategic thinking skills.

• Operational Systems Expertise: Develop a deeper understanding of how creative operations integrate with larger business systems and automation frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant platform for growth within Amazon's vast ecosystem. The emphasis on managing processes and systems in addition to people will prepare individuals for broader operational leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, implying a traditional office environment within Amazon's corporate campuses in Seattle, New York, or Santa Monica. The environment will likely be dynamic, fast-paced, and collaborative.

Office Location(s):

• Seattle, Washington (Amazon's global headquarters)

• New York, New York (Major hub for tech and media)

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Expect open-plan workspaces designed to foster collaboration among team members, with dedicated areas for focused work and team meetings.

• Tools & Technology: Access to state-of-the-art design software, hardware, and internal Amazon tools for communication, project management, and data analysis.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with direct reports, peers, and cross-functional partners, facilitating a dynamic exchange of ideas and problem-solving.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is expected, the demands of seasonal events and aggressive deadlines may require flexibility and occasional extended hours. The on-site nature supports spontaneous collaboration and quick problem-solving typical of Amazon's fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests a preference for in-person collaboration and the ability to leverage physical proximity for rapid decision-making and team cohesion, which is often key in operational roles managing complex projects.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review applications and conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, highlighting key projects that demonstrate their design leadership, operational thinking, and ability to drive results. This often involves walking through case studies and explaining design rationale, process, and impact.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion about experience, leadership style, problem-solving approach, and understanding of Amazon's culture and operational principles.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with peers and stakeholders from marketing, analytics, and technology teams to assess collaboration skills and ability to manage diverse perspectives.

• Team Interviews: Meetings with potential direct reports to gauge leadership and mentorship capabilities.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: May involve a senior leader to assess strategic alignment and overall fit for the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your role, the design solution, the process used (especially any operational or systems considerations), and the measurable results or impact achieved.

• Highlight Data-Driven Decisions: Include examples where performance data, A/B testing, or usability studies influenced your design choices and led to improved outcomes.

• Demonstrate Leadership: If possible, include examples where you led a team or collaborated with multiple stakeholders to bring a complex design project to fruition.

• Process & Systems Focus: Be prepared to discuss the operational systems and workflows you've used or improved to manage design projects, especially for large-scale or seasonal campaigns.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Present your work clearly and concisely, focusing on the most relevant projects that align with the job description's requirements.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Presentation: Be ready to present a detailed case study of a past seasonal campaign or a hypothetical scenario, focusing on strategy, execution, operational challenges, and outcomes.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Prepare for questions that test your ability to handle ambiguity, solve complex design problems under pressure, and make data-informed decisions.

• Leadership & Mentorship Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would manage designers, conduct reviews, foster a positive team culture, and handle underperformance.

• Operational Efficiency Discussions: Be ready to discuss how you would streamline design workflows, implement new tools, or improve processes for seasonal event execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and case studies underscores the need for candidates to demonstrate not just creative talent but also a strategic and operational approach to design management. Amazon's interview process is known for its rigor, so thorough preparation is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly proficient), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects).

• Project Management & Collaboration: Tools like Asana, Jira, Trello, or Amazon's internal equivalents for tracking project progress, managing workflows, and facilitating team communication.

• Asset Management: Familiarity with Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems for organizing, storing, and retrieving creative assets.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Platforms: Experience with tools for analyzing campaign performance (e.g., Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics, internal Amazon analytics tools) to extract insights.

• A/B Testing Tools: Understanding and experience with platforms used for conducting and analyzing A/B tests on creative assets and campaign elements.

• Dashboarding Tools: Familiarity with creating and interpreting dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, internal Amazon tools) to visualize key performance indicators.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how designs integrate with customer relationship management platforms (e.g., Salesforce, internal Amazon systems) is beneficial.

• Marketing Automation Platforms: Familiarity with how creative assets are used within marketing automation tools for campaign execution.

• Integration Understanding: Awareness of how design tools and assets integrate with broader marketing technology stacks and operational systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Adobe Suite is explicitly required. The mention of "Systems" in the job title suggests an expectation for candidates to understand how design tools connect with broader operational and marketing technology stacks to enable efficient, data-driven campaigns.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: Every design decision must be made with the customer's experience and needs as the highest priority.

• Ownership & Bias for Action: Taking responsibility for projects and driving them forward proactively, even in the face of ambiguity.

• Invent and Simplify: Continuously looking for innovative ways to improve processes, designs, and operational efficiency.

• High Judgment & High Standards: Making sound decisions, maintaining a high bar for quality in both creative output and operational execution.

• Deliver Results: A relentless focus on achieving measurable business outcomes through effective design and efficient operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Data-Informed & Collaborative: Designs and strategies are developed through a combination of data analysis and collaborative input from diverse teams.

• Transparent Communication: Openly sharing progress, challenges, and insights with stakeholders to foster trust and alignment.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Regularly providing and receiving feedback to drive continuous improvement in both creative work and operational processes.

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively working with marketing, tech, and business teams to ensure designs are strategically aligned and operationally feasible.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon's Leadership Principles are deeply embedded in its culture. Candidates should understand how these principles, such as Customer Obsession, Ownership, and Deliver Results, translate into daily work and decision-making within a creative operations context.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Managing High Volume & Pace: The sheer volume of seasonal campaigns and the rapid pace at which they must be executed can be demanding. Maintaining quality and consistency at scale requires strong operational discipline.

• Navigating Ambiguity: As with many roles at Amazon, there will be instances of ambiguity. The ability to proactively seek clarification, define requirements, and move forward effectively is key.

• Balancing Creative Vision with Data Insights: Effectively integrating creative intuition with performance data and usability findings to create designs that are both aesthetically appealing and highly effective.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring that design strategies are understood, supported, and integrated seamlessly with the objectives and operations of multiple other departments.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design & Creative Leadership: Opportunities to refine art direction skills, explore new creative technologies, and lead larger, more complex creative initiatives.

• Operations & Process Optimization: Gain deep experience in optimizing creative workflows and integrating design operations with broader business systems and automation strategies.

• Data Analytics & Insights: Enhance skills in interpreting performance data, user research, and A/B testing to drive strategic design decisions.

• Executive Communication & Strategy: Develop strong presentation skills and strategic thinking capabilities through regular interaction with senior leadership and participation in high-level planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a significant opportunity to hone skills in managing creative operations at an enterprise scale, which is a highly valuable and transferable skill set in the modern business landscape.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you managed the creative direction for a large-scale seasonal campaign. What were the key operational challenges, and how did you ensure successful delivery?"

• "How do you leverage performance data and usability studies to inform and iterate on your design strategy? Provide a specific example."

• "Walk me through your process for art directing a team of designers and content creators to achieve a cohesive brand message across multiple channels."

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Amazon's Leadership Principles, such as Customer Obsession and Bias for Action, influence your approach to design management and operations?"

• "Describe your experience working in a large, data-driven organization. How do you ensure your creative team aligns with business objectives?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the operational process, the design solution, and the quantifiable results.

• Highlight Operational Efficiency: Emphasize any processes you optimized, systems you utilized effectively, or challenges you overcame operationally to deliver the project.

• Integrate Data: Show how data informed your decisions and how you measured the success of your designs.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, workflows, and how you managed your team and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Amazon interviews are rigorous and often use a behavioral interviewing approach (STAR method). Candidates should prepare specific examples that demonstrate their skills and experience in relation to the job requirements and Amazon's culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Amazon Jobs portal linked in this description.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight relevant experience in visual design, art direction, team management, campaign execution, and any mention of process improvement or operational efficiency. Quantify achievements whenever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features work demonstrating strong visual design, art direction, experience with seasonal campaigns, and your ability to leverage data for design decisions. Include examples that showcase process optimization or system integration if applicable.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling, demonstrating your understanding of operational challenges, and articulating the impact of your work.

• Research Amazon: Familiarize yourself with Amazon's culture, Leadership Principles, and the North America Stores Marketing team's mission. Understand how design operations contribute to customer obsession and business 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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