Graphic Designer (Jr)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer (Jr)

Company: Southern Tide

Location: Greenville, SC - Southern Tide Headquarters

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: April 9, 2026

Experience Level: Junior (0-2 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Executes aspirational and brand-aligned creative collateral to support marketing and e-commerce objectives, driving customer engagement and product purchase.

• Collaborates closely with content planners, channel partners, and the broader creative team to ensure cohesive brand messaging across all communication channels.

• Develops visually compelling assets for a variety of platforms including stores, social media, digital marketing, and wholesale channels.

• Supports marketing initiatives through the creation of internal communication assets, selling decks, and product knowledge materials.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a marketing and e-commerce context, suggesting a strong need for operational efficiency in campaign execution and asset management. The emphasis on "brand elevation" and understanding "business performance" indicates that the Junior Graphic Designer will need to be more than just a visual creator; they will need to contribute to strategic marketing efforts by translating business goals into effective design solutions. This is a key aspect of Marketing Operations, ensuring creative output aligns with business objectives and drives measurable results.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute elevated, brand-right visual assets for store marketing, including seasonal refreshes, event flyers, and signage packages.

• Create engaging digital design assets for marketing and e-commerce, such as blog post visuals and website banners, ensuring alignment with online campaign strategies.

• Develop compelling social media graphics and visuals for platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn, adapting content to channel best practices.

• Provide visual support for photoshoots, including product styling, prop sourcing, retouching, and formatting of imagery for various marketing needs.

• Produce collateral for wholesale marketing, such as product launch materials and linebooks, to support sales enablement and partner engagement.

• Create internal communication assets, including selling decks and product knowledge flyers, to ensure consistent brand messaging and product understanding across the organization.

• Collaborate with content planners and channel partners to ensure all creative deliverables meet communication channel strategies and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The detailed breakdown of responsibilities across various marketing channels (stores, digital, social, wholesale, internal, photoshoots) highlights the operational complexity of this role. The Junior Graphic Designer is expected not only to create but to manage and adapt designs for specific communication channel strategies, which is a core function of creative operations. This involves understanding the operational nuances of each channel for maximum impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 0-2 years of experience in graphic design, with a focus on creating marketing collateral and digital assets.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) is essential for executing design tasks.

• Strong understanding of visual communication principles and design aesthetics relevant to lifestyle and apparel brands.

• Ability to translate marketing objectives and business performance insights into effective design strategies.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively within a cross-functional creative team.

• Detail-oriented approach to design execution, ensuring accuracy in all collateral and assets.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with video editing software (e.g., Premiere Pro, After Effects) for social media content.

• Basic understanding of photography principles, product styling, and retouching techniques.

• Familiarity with project management tools for tracking design requests and deadlines.

• Knowledge of current design trends within the apparel and lifestyle industry.

• Experience with content planning and understanding campaign performance metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on translating "business performance" into "design strategy" and understanding "what drives the business and engages the consumer" suggests a need for analytical thinking alongside creative skills. While not a direct analytics role, the Junior Graphic Designer will benefit from understanding how their creative output impacts business metrics, a crucial aspect of marketing operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of design projects, including digital assets, social media graphics, marketing collateral, and branding exercises.

• Demonstrations of how design solutions were developed to meet specific marketing objectives or solve business challenges.

• Examples of adapting designs for different platforms and target audiences, highlighting versatility.

Process Documentation:

• The ability to articulate the design process from brief to final asset delivery, including stages of concept development, revision, and finalization.

• Examples showcasing workflow management, especially in handling multiple design requests and deadlines efficiently.

• Documentation of how feedback was incorporated into design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a junior role, the portfolio is less about complex process documentation and more about demonstrating foundational design skills, understanding of brand application, and the ability to follow a defined creative process. The "operations" aspect here lies in the candidate's ability to showcase efficiency and adherence to project timelines and briefs within their portfolio.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Generous vacation policy.

• Health and wellness coverage.

• 401k with company match.

• Discounted stock purchasing.

• Options for education reimbursement.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week, typically 40 hours, with potential for occasional overtime during peak campaign periods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for graphic designers and industry salary surveys for junior creative roles in the Southeast region, adjusted for the specific location of Greenville, SC. The benefits package is directly extracted from the provided text, highlighting attractive offerings for employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Apparel & Lifestyle Retail (Coastal Lifestyle Focus)

Company Size: Southern Tide is part of Oxford Industries, a larger organization. Oxford Industries operates multiple brands and employs a significant workforce, suggesting a robust corporate structure and substantial resources. Southern Tide specifically focuses on premium apparel and experiences inspired by the coastal lifestyle.

Founded: Southern Tide was founded in 2006. Oxford Industries, the parent company, has a longer history, founded in 1941, indicating a stable and experienced corporate environment.

Team Structure:

• The Junior Graphic Designer will be part of the Southern Tide Creative team, working closely with content planners and channel partners.

• This role implies collaboration within a broader Marketing & Ecommerce team structure.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on maintaining an aspirational and elevated brand image in all creative output.

• A data-informed approach is expected, where the designer gains an understanding of business performance to inform design strategy and execution.

• Collaborative methodology, working closely with various stakeholders to align creative efforts with company goals.

Company Website: [Southern Tide Company URL - Assuming southerntide.com, as per derived domain]

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on a "coastal lifestyle" and its position within the larger Oxford Industries framework suggests a culture that values brand heritage, quality, and a connection to its customer base. The expectation to understand "business performance" indicates a performance-oriented culture where creative contributions are measured by their impact on business objectives, a key characteristic of effective marketing operations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Junior Graphic Designer. This level is characterized by execution-focused tasks under guidance, with a primary goal of developing foundational design skills and understanding of brand application within a marketing context. It's an entry point into creative operations, focusing on asset creation and campaign support.

Reporting Structure: The Junior Graphic Designer will report to a more senior member of the Creative team, such as a Senior Graphic Designer or Creative Director, within the Marketing department. This structure ensures mentorship and oversight for skill development.

Operations Impact: While primarily an execution role, the Junior Graphic Designer's work directly impacts brand perception, customer engagement, and ultimately, sales conversions through visually appealing marketing collateral across all channels. Their ability to efficiently produce high-quality assets supports the operational cadence of marketing campaigns.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific design areas (e.g., digital, social, motion graphics) or gain proficiency in advanced design software and techniques.

• Brand Strategy Acumen: Develop a stronger understanding of how design contributes to broader marketing and business strategies, potentially moving towards a more strategic design role.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain experience working with different departments (Marketing, Ecommerce, Wholesale, Merchandising), understanding their operational needs and how creative assets support them.

• Mentorship: Benefit from guidance from senior designers, fostering career progression towards a mid-level or senior Graphic Designer role within Southern Tide or Oxford Industries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a Junior Graphic Designer in a marketing operations context involves moving from pure execution to understanding the strategic implications of design. Growth involves not just artistic skill but also an operational mindset: efficiency, adaptability, and contribution to measurable business outcomes.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site at Southern Tide Headquarters in Greenville, SC. This suggests a traditional office environment with opportunities for in-person collaboration and team interaction.

Office Location(s): Greenville, SC Headquarters. This location is central to the company's operations and creative teams.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is likely collaborative, encouraging interaction with the broader Creative, Marketing, and Ecommerce teams.

• Access to necessary design tools, software, and potentially a creative studio or equipment for photoshoot support.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time (40 hours/week) on-site schedule. While the role is primarily execution-focused, flexibility may be offered during busy periods, but the core expectation is consistent on-site presence for team collaboration and workflow integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is critical for a junior creative role that thrives on direct collaboration, immediate feedback, and learning through observation. This environment supports the operational flow of creative projects, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with team members.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications, design skills, and brand alignment.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates may be asked to present their portfolio, discussing their design process, rationale behind specific projects, and how they approach creative challenges. This is a key opportunity to demonstrate understanding of brand and business objectives.

• Skills Assessment/Design Challenge: A practical exercise may be given to evaluate design skills, problem-solving abilities, and efficiency under a time constraint. This could involve creating a specific marketing asset or adapting existing creative.

• Team Interview: Meeting with members of the Creative and Marketing teams to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and communication skills.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a hiring manager or department head to discuss role expectations, career growth, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Showcase 5-8 of your strongest, most relevant projects that demonstrate versatility and understanding of marketing objectives.

• Tell a Story: For each project, explain the brief, your role, the design process, challenges faced, and the outcome or impact (even if hypothetical for junior roles).

• Highlight Brand Application: Include examples where you've successfully applied or adapted brand guidelines.

• Showcase Digital & Social: Ensure you have strong examples of digital graphics and social media content, as these are key responsibilities.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Be ready to articulate your design choices, software proficiency, and how your work aligns with a lifestyle brand like Southern Tide.

Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with Southern Tide's current marketing campaigns, social media presence, and overall brand aesthetic.

• Practice creating social media graphics or simple marketing collateral quickly, focusing on brand consistency and clear messaging.

• Be prepared to articulate your design decisions based on hypothetical marketing objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and potential design challenges highlights the operational necessity of efficient and effective design execution. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just artistic talent but also the ability to translate business needs into visual solutions in a structured, time-bound manner.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are essential. Proficiency is expected for creating a wide range of marketing collateral.

• Digital Design Software: Familiarity with tools for web banners, email graphics, and social media assets.

• Photography & Retouching Tools: Basic skills in photo editing and retouching for photoshoot support.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role's core function, but understanding how assets are deployed through marketing automation platforms could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools are standard for graphic design. The "operations" aspect for this role revolves around the efficient and effective use of these tools to produce assets that meet marketing campaign requirements and deadlines.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Brand Elevation: A commitment to maintaining and enhancing the aspirational quality of the Southern Tide brand in all creative outputs.

• Customer Engagement: Designing with the goal of capturing the customer's attention and encouraging interaction with products and the brand lifestyle.

• Efficiency & Collaboration: Working effectively within a team, adhering to deadlines, and contributing to a smooth workflow for campaign execution.

• Data-Informed Creativity: Understanding that design decisions should be influenced by business performance and consumer insights, not just aesthetic preference.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with content planners, channel partners, and other members of the Creative and Marketing teams.

• Open to feedback and revisions, with a focus on achieving collective marketing goals.

• Proactive communication to ensure alignment and timely delivery of assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values emphasize not just creative output but also the operational aspects of brand management and customer engagement. A collaborative approach is crucial for ensuring that creative assets are integrated seamlessly into broader marketing strategies and campaigns.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Aspiration with Business Needs: Effectively translating the desired aspirational brand image into designs that also drive concrete business outcomes (e.g., sales).

• Managing Multiple Projects and Deadlines: Juggling design requests from various channels and stakeholders while maintaining quality and meeting timelines.

• Adapting to Evolving Trends: Staying current with design trends, particularly in digital and social media, while remaining true to the established brand identity.

• Receiving and Implementing Feedback: Effectively incorporating constructive criticism from multiple stakeholders into design iterations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mentorship: Learning from experienced designers and marketing professionals to refine design skills and understand brand strategy.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining practical experience in a fast-paced retail environment, understanding campaign cycles and operational demands.

• Tool Proficiency: Deepening expertise in Adobe Creative Suite and potentially exploring new design or motion graphics software.

• Brand Strategy Understanding: Developing a stronger grasp of how creative assets contribute to overall business objectives and brand positioning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed within an operational context, focusing on the practical application of design skills to meet business demands and career progression within a marketing framework.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to create a design asset for a specific marketing channel (e.g., Instagram, email). What were the key considerations?" (Assesses understanding of channel-specific design needs and operational constraints).

• "How do you approach balancing creative vision with brand guidelines and business objectives?" (Tests ability to integrate creative execution with strategic marketing goals).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you admire about the Southern Tide brand and its visual identity?" (Assesses research and cultural fit).

• "How do you handle receiving constructive feedback on your designs?" (Reveals collaboration and adaptability).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Selectivity is Key: Choose 3-5 projects that best represent your skills for this specific role and showcase variety (digital, social, print collateral).

• Highlight the "Why": For each project, clearly articulate the objective, your process, and your design choices, linking them to potential business impact.

• Demonstrate Adaptability: Show examples of how your designs can be adapted for different uses or platforms.

• Be Concise: Aim for clear, impactful explanations, respecting the interviewer's time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just creative talent but also an understanding of marketing operations – how design serves business goals, fits into campaign workflows, and aligns with brand strategy.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer (Jr) position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Oxford/Southern Tide careers portal.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight any experience with marketing collateral, digital design, social media content creation, and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite. Use keywords from the job description such as "brand elevation," "marketing collateral," and "digital design."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest and most relevant design projects that showcase your ability to create engaging visuals for lifestyle brands. Ensure it includes examples of digital and social media assets.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your design process, explain your creative choices, and discuss how your work aligns with the Southern Tide brand and contributes to marketing objectives. Practice presenting your portfolio concisely.

• Research Southern Tide: Understand their brand aesthetic, target audience, current marketing campaigns, and overall mission to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions for a Junior Graphic Designer role within a marketing context. All details, particularly compensation, should be verified directly with the hiring organization during the application process.