Marketing Designer
📍 Job Overview
Job Title: Marketing Designer Company: Sherwin-Williams Location: San Diego, California, United States Job Type: Full-time Category: Marketing & Design Operations Date Posted: February 11, 2026 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Role Summary
- Execute creative design strategies to produce compelling marketing collateral that supports Sherwin-Williams' brand objectives and Go-To-Market (GTM) initiatives.
- Collaborate closely with marketing teams, sales operations, and cross-functional stakeholders to translate strategic requirements into visually effective design solutions.
- Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to brand guidelines and project scopes within a fast-paced operations environment.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of design processes and asset management, enhancing operational efficiency and brand consistency across all marketing channels.
📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Marketing Designer," the emphasis on collaboration with sales operations, GTM initiatives, and the need for efficient asset management suggests a strong connection to the operational aspects of marketing. This role will likely involve more than just creative execution, requiring an understanding of how design supports broader business objectives and operational workflows.
📈 Primary Responsibilities
- Develop and produce a wide range of marketing materials, including digital assets, print collateral, presentations, and campaign visuals, ensuring brand consistency and visual appeal.
- Collaborate with marketing managers and product teams to understand project objectives, target audiences, and key messaging for effective design translation.
- Manage the design process from concept development through final production, incorporating feedback and revisions from stakeholders in a timely manner.
- Maintain and organize a library of design assets, ensuring easy accessibility and proper usage for marketing and sales teams to support operational efficiency.
- Stay abreast of current design trends, industry best practices, and competitive landscape to inform creative strategies and enhance the visual impact of Sherwin-Williams' marketing efforts.
📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities focus on the operational aspects of design within a marketing context. This includes not only creative output but also project management, asset organization, and collaboration with other operational functions like sales and product marketing.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a closely related field. Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in graphic design, with a focus on marketing collateral and brand asset creation.
Required Skills:
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for design execution and asset manipulation.
- Strong understanding of Microsoft Office Suite for content integration and collaboration.
- Excellent time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects under deadlines, crucial for operations.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within a team environment, interacting with marketing, sales, and other cross-functional departments.
- Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, for clear articulation of design concepts and project requirements.
- Keen eye for detail, including strong proofreading abilities and a solid understanding of typography, layout, and color theory.
- Good color vision and an understanding of color systems, particularly relevant to Sherwin-Williams' product offerings.
Preferred Skills:
- Familiarity with the Sherwin Color system and its application in marketing materials.
- Experience with digital asset management (DAM) systems for efficient storage and retrieval of creative assets.
- Basic understanding of project management principles as they apply to design workflows and operations.
📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred skills highlight a desire for candidates who can quickly integrate into Sherwin-Williams' specific operational environment, particularly regarding their color system and asset management practices. The emphasis on time management and team skills points towards a role that requires strong operational execution.
📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- A curated selection of design projects showcasing a breadth of marketing collateral (e.g., brochures, digital ads, social media graphics, presentations).
- Demonstration of proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, highlighting complex design techniques and problem-solving through visual execution.
- Examples that illustrate an understanding of brand guidelines and how to apply them consistently across different media.
- Work that reflects an ability to manage project scope and deliver on deadlines, demonstrating operational efficiency in the design process.
Process Documentation:
- Your portfolio should implicitly or explicitly demonstrate your approach to design projects, from initial brief to final asset delivery, highlighting your workflow and any process optimizations you've implemented.
- Case studies or project descriptions that detail how you managed revisions, incorporated feedback, and ensured final deliverables met strategic objectives and operational requirements.
📝 Enhancement Note: For a design role supporting marketing operations, the portfolio is critical. It needs to showcase not just creative talent but also the ability to execute within defined processes and deliver assets that are functionally useful for marketing and sales operations.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $68,302 - $85,665 USD per year. Benefits:
- Comprehensive Health Insurance plans tailored for employees and their families.
- Retirement savings plans, including 401(k) options, to support long-term financial well-being.
- Total Well-being programs designed to enhance physical, mental, and emotional health.
- Access to extensive resources and information on employee benefits through myswbenefits.com.
Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, consistent with a full-time on-site role.
📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided based on AI analysis, indicating a mid-level position. The benefits listed are standard for large corporations and aim to support employee well-being and long-term security, which are important considerations for operations professionals seeking stable employment. The working hours are typical for a full-time role, emphasizing the on-site commitment.
🎯 Team & Company Context
🏢 Company Culture
Industry: Building Materials (Paints & Coatings) Company Size: Large Enterprise (Sherwin-Williams is a Fortune 500 company, employing tens of thousands globally). This size implies robust operational structures, established processes, and potential for internal career mobility. Founded: 1866. With a long history, Sherwin-Williams has developed a strong legacy, established brand recognition, and a deep understanding of its market, influencing its operational approach.
Team Structure:
- This role will likely be part of the broader Marketing department, potentially within a dedicated Creative Services or Brand Marketing team.
- The team structure will involve reporting to a Marketing Manager or Creative Director, with frequent collaboration with marketing specialists, product managers, and potentially sales operations teams.
- Cross-functional collaboration is inherent, requiring designers to work closely with teams responsible for campaign execution, sales enablement, and product launches.
Methodology:
- Sherwin-Williams' approach likely emphasizes data-informed decision-making in marketing, meaning design outputs will need to be aligned with campaign performance metrics and customer insights.
- Workflow planning and optimization are crucial given the scale of the organization, ensuring efficient production and distribution of marketing assets.
- Automation and efficiency practices are likely employed in areas like asset management and campaign deployment, where design plays a foundational role.
Company Website: https://www.sherwin-williams.com/
📝 Enhancement Note: The company's large size and long history suggest a structured, process-oriented environment. For a designer, this means adhering to established brand guidelines and operational workflows, but also offers opportunities to contribute to large-scale, impactful projects.
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This Marketing Designer role is positioned at a mid-level, requiring independent execution and some project management capabilities within the design function. It serves as a crucial link between creative vision and its operational implementation in marketing campaigns. Reporting Structure: Typically, a Marketing Designer reports to a Marketing Manager, Creative Director, or Senior Designer. This structure allows for guidance on strategic direction and operational alignment while providing autonomy in design execution. Operations Impact: The role's impact on operations is direct through the creation of assets that enable sales teams, support marketing campaigns, and maintain brand consistency. High-quality, on-brand designs streamline marketing execution and enhance customer engagement, directly contributing to operational efficiency and revenue generation.
Growth Opportunities:
- Specialization: Advance into senior design roles, focusing on specific areas like digital design, brand identity, or motion graphics, offering deeper expertise within the marketing operations spectrum.
- Skill Development: Opportunities to learn new design software, explore emerging design trends, and gain experience in areas like user experience (UX) or user interface (UI) design, broadening operational capabilities.
- Leadership Potential: Progress to a Lead Designer or Art Director position, overseeing design projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing more significantly to strategic marketing operations planning.
📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for a designer in a large corporation like Sherwin-Williams often involves deepening technical skills, expanding strategic input into marketing operations, and potentially moving into leadership roles that manage creative resources and workflows.
🌐 Work Environment
Office Type: This position is on-site, requiring the designer to work from the specified Oakland, CA location (note: the job description mentions Oakland, CA 94611, while the overview states San Diego, CA. This discrepancy needs clarification, but the "on-site" nature is clear). The environment is likely a corporate office setting. Office Location(s): The job description specifies an office at 4220 Broadway St, Oakland, CA 94611. However, the job overview lists San Diego, CA. Candidates should verify the correct work location.
Workspace Context:
- The workspace will likely be collaborative, with opportunities to interact with fellow designers, marketing professionals, and other internal stakeholders.
- Access to standard office technology, design software, and potentially a dedicated creative workstation will be provided to facilitate efficient design work.
- Team interaction will be key for feedback loops, project alignment, and knowledge sharing, fostering a dynamic operational environment.
Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, typical for full-time on-site roles. Flexibility may be offered based on project needs and company policy, but the core expectation is consistent on-site presence.
📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement emphasizes the need for direct collaboration and integration within the physical office environment, which is often crucial for creative teams to foster synergy and streamline project workflows. Clarification on the exact work location is essential.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: HR or a recruiter will conduct an initial review of your resume and qualifications, focusing on relevant design experience and skills.
- Portfolio Review: A key stage will involve submitting and presenting your portfolio. Be prepared to walk through specific projects, explaining your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work.
- Skills Assessment: You may be given a design challenge or a case study to assess your technical skills, creativity, and ability to meet project requirements under time constraints, simulating operational demands.
- Team/Manager Interviews: Interviews with the hiring manager and potential team members will assess your cultural fit, collaboration style, and alignment with the team's operational objectives.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, your understanding of marketing principles, and your ability to create effective brand assets.
- Tell a Story: For each project, explain the brief, your thought process, design choices, challenges faced, and the final outcome. Quantify results where possible (e.g., "increased engagement by X%").
- Highlight Process: Show how you manage feedback, iterate on designs, and ensure brand consistency, demonstrating your operational approach to design.
- Tailor to Sherwin-Williams: If possible, include projects that show an understanding of their brand aesthetic or experience with similar industries.
Challenge Preparation:
- If a design challenge is given, focus on understanding the brief thoroughly.
- Prioritize clear communication of your design rationale and how your solution addresses the stated objective.
- Demonstrate efficient use of tools and time management during the challenge.
📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily relies on the portfolio, which serves as a tangible demonstration of operational design capabilities. Candidates should prepare to articulate their process and outcomes meticulously.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- Adobe Creative Suite: In-depth proficiency is essential. This includes Photoshop for image editing and manipulation, Illustrator for vector graphics and illustrations, and InDesign for layout and print production.
- Microsoft Office Suite: Essential for integrating design elements into presentations (PowerPoint), documents (Word), and potentially spreadsheets (Excel) for data visualization.
Analytics & Reporting:
- While not a primary tool for a designer, an understanding of how design impacts marketing analytics (e.g., click-through rates on digital ads, engagement on social media) is beneficial. Familiarity with basic analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) might be a plus for understanding asset performance.
CRM & Automation:
- Experience with Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems is highly preferred for efficient storage, retrieval, and distribution of creative assets, a key component of marketing operations.
- Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Monday.com) used by marketing teams to track design requests and project progress.
📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is standard for a marketing designer, with a strong emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite. The mention of DAM systems highlights the role's connection to operational efficiency in managing creative resources.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- Color & Protection: A core value reflecting Sherwin-Williams' business. Designers are expected to embody this by creating visuals that both "color" (inspire, engage) and "protect" (maintain brand integrity, ensure clarity).
- Customer Focus: Creating designs that resonate with target audiences and support sales enablement.
- Efficiency & Collaboration: Working effectively within the team and with cross-functional partners to deliver high-quality work on time.
- Innovation: While adhering to brand standards, there's an expectation to bring fresh ideas and creative solutions to marketing challenges.
Collaboration Style:
- The team likely fosters a collaborative environment where designers work closely with marketing strategists, copywriters, and other professionals to develop integrated campaigns.
- Open communication and constructive feedback are expected to ensure design outputs align with strategic goals and operational requirements.
- Knowledge sharing about design trends, software updates, and best practices is encouraged to maintain a high level of creative output.
📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaboration and efficiency points to a team that values strong working relationships and streamlined processes, essential for effective marketing operations.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Balancing Creativity with Brand Standards: Consistently producing innovative designs while strictly adhering to established brand guidelines and corporate aesthetics.
- Managing Multiple Stakeholder Feedback: Navigating diverse opinions and feedback from various departments (marketing, sales, product) to arrive at a final design that satisfies all requirements.
- Adapting to Evolving Marketing Trends: Staying current with digital design trends, platform requirements (e.g., social media formats, web standards), and marketing technology.
- Meeting Tight Deadlines: The fast-paced nature of marketing often means tight turnaround times, requiring strong time management and prioritization skills.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Advanced Design Software Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in Adobe Creative Suite or explore new creative tools and technologies.
- Marketing Strategy Workshops: Gaining a better understanding of marketing campaign objectives, target audience segmentation, and Go-To-Market strategies to inform design decisions.
- Brand Management Seminars: Learning more about brand consistency, identity development, and how design contributes to overall brand equity.
- Cross-functional Exposure: Opportunities to work on projects that involve sales enablement, product launches, or digital marketing initiatives, broadening understanding of business operations.
📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the operational complexities of design within a large corporation. Growth opportunities focus on enhancing both creative and operational skill sets, preparing designers for more strategic roles.
💡 Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "Describe a time you had to balance creative vision with strict brand guidelines. How did you ensure both were met?" (Focus on your process for managing constraints).
- "Walk us through a marketing campaign you designed. What was the objective, your role, the process, and the outcome?" (Prepare a case study from your portfolio).
- "How do you handle receiving critical feedback on your designs, especially from non-designers?" (Emphasize your collaborative and problem-solving approach).
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What do you know about Sherwin-Williams' brand and its visual identity?" (Research their website, recent campaigns).
- "How do you see your design skills contributing to our marketing and sales operations?" (Connect your abilities to business objectives).
- "Describe your ideal team collaboration dynamic." (Highlight your ability to work effectively with others).
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure: Organize your presentation logically, perhaps by project type or by demonstrating a range of skills.
- Storytelling: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, your role, and the results. Use visuals effectively to support your narrative.
- Process Emphasis: Be ready to discuss your workflow, how you manage feedback, and your approach to ensuring brand consistency. This demonstrates your operational capabilities.
- Tool Proficiency: Be prepared to speak about how you leverage specific features in Adobe Creative Suite to achieve your design goals.
📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just creative talent but also operational proficiency, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of how design supports broader business objectives.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this Marketing Designer position at Sherwin-Williams:
- Submit your application through the provided Oracle Cloud portal link.
- Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest marketing design projects that best showcase your skills in Adobe Creative Suite, brand consistency, and ability to create impactful collateral. Tailor your selection to highlight projects relevant to the paint and coatings industry or consumer/B2B marketing if possible.
- Optimize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your years of experience, proficiency in required software (Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office), and any experience with asset management or project coordination. Use keywords from the job description for better ATS (Applicant Tracking System) matching.
- Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your chosen portfolio pieces. Be ready to explain the project brief, your design process, challenges overcome, and the results achieved. Focus on demonstrating how your work contributed to marketing objectives or operational efficiency.
- Research Sherwin-Williams: Familiarize yourself with Sherwin-Williams' brand, current marketing campaigns, and company values to better articulate your fit during interviews and tailor your responses. Understand their mission to "inspire and improve the world by coloring and protecting what matters."
⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding the specific work location (San Diego vs. Oakland), should be verified directly with Sherwin-Williams' hiring organization before making application decisions.
Application Requirements
A Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design or a related field is required, along with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office. Preferred qualifications include 2+ years of design or marketing experience and knowledge of the Sherwin Color system.