Senior Digital Design Manager – Paid Media

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Digital Design Manager – Paid Media

Company: zooplus SE

Location: Madrid, Spain

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: April 21, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive creative performance and operational maturity across all paid media channels through structured design management and data-driven optimization.

• Own the end-to-end creative lifecycle for performance marketing campaigns, from conceptualization and asset creation to A/B testing and iterative improvement.

• Lead and evolve creative automation strategies, particularly leveraging platforms like Smartly.io, to enhance efficiency, scalability, and creative quality.

• Act as a key decision-maker and collaborator, translating brand goals and performance insights into actionable creative frameworks and scalable solutions.

• Implement and refine creative operations processes to reduce complexity, improve speed, and ensure consistent brand alignment across diverse audiences and markets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role title "Senior Digital Design Manager – Paid Media" and the emphasis on "creative performance," "paid media," "automation platforms such as Smartly.io," and "performance marketing channels" strongly indicate this position falls under the umbrella of Marketing Operations or Creative Operations, with a significant focus on performance marketing execution and optimization. The "Manager" title and "Senior" designation, coupled with the requirement for 5+ years of experience, suggest a leadership role within the operations function.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Creative & Conceptual Ownership:

  • Lead conceptual development for paid media campaigns, translating strategic briefs into compelling creative directions and scalable frameworks.
  • Ensure consistent brand representation across all creative assets while adapting them for specific platforms, audiences, and regional markets.
  • Serve as a primary creative decision-maker, guiding stakeholders towards confident and effective solutions that align with both brand and performance objectives.
  • Oversee the delivery of design executions from initial ideation through to final master assets, ensuring high quality and strategic alignment.

• Paid Media & Performance Design:

  • Manage the complete creative delivery process for META, Google Ads, Affiliate, and App campaigns, ensuring timely and high-quality output.
  • Proactively drive A/B testing initiatives, analyzing performance data to iterate and optimize creative assets for maximum impact and conversion rates.
  • Anticipate future campaign needs and proactively prepare assets, templates, and reusable solutions to streamline the creative workflow and accelerate deployment.

• Creative Operations, Planning & Prioritization:

  • Establish and maintain robust planning, prioritization, and structuring frameworks for all creative projects within the paid media domain.
  • Simplify complex workflows and operational challenges through the implementation of clear, scalable processes and standardized frameworks.
  • Ensure all creative deliverables are communicated clearly, consistently, and with a strong emphasis on achieving defined outcomes and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

• Automation & Smartly.io Optimization:

  • Take full ownership of the creative automation setup within Smartly.io, continuously refining and improving its functionality.
  • Develop and maintain modular Figma templates that are seamlessly integrated with automation logic, ensuring flexibility and efficiency.
  • Manage essential components of the automation process, including data feeds, conditional rules, and automation logic, potentially using tools like Google Sheets.
  • Drive significant improvements in efficiency, scalability, and overall creative quality through the strategic application of automation technologies.

• Innovation, Enablement & Collaboration:

  • Continuously identify and explore opportunities for creative innovation, leveraging emerging technologies like AI and adopting best practices for process improvement.

  • Experiment with new design and automation tools, translating learnings into practical, applicable solutions for the team and broader organization.

  • Foster strong collaborative relationships with Paid Media, Brand, and other cross-functional teams, providing clear direction and constructive feedback.

  • Communicate complex ideas and strategies effectively to diverse stakeholders, ensuring alignment and buy-in.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate distinct areas of focus: creative strategy, performance-driven execution, operational efficiency, and technology integration. The emphasis on "ownership," "proactive," "scalable," "data-driven," and "automation" highlights the operations-centric nature of this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in digital design, creative operations, or performance marketing creative execution.

• Demonstrated success in developing and delivering high-impact creative assets specifically for performance marketing channels (e.g., social media ads, search ads, display ads).

• Hands-on experience managing creative automation platforms, with a strong preference for Smartly.io or comparable solutions, including setup, management, and optimization.

• Proven expertise in leveraging design and collaboration tools, including advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects) and Figma for template creation and workflow management.

Required Skills:

• Conceptual Creative Development: Ability to translate marketing objectives and insights into innovative and effective creative concepts for paid media.

• Paid Media Design Expertise: Deep understanding of creative best practices for major paid media platforms (META, Google Ads) and their impact on campaign performance.

• Creative Automation Proficiency: Hands-on experience with automation platforms like Smartly.io, including feed management, dynamic creative optimization (DCO), and template building.

• Design Tool Mastery: Advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, with a focus on creating scalable, modular assets and templates.

• Performance Data Analysis & Optimization: Ability to interpret campaign performance data (e.g., CTR, conversion rates) and translate insights into actionable creative optimizations and A/B tests.

• Project Management & Prioritization: Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Brand Consistency Management: Skill in maintaining brand integrity while adapting creative across various channels, audiences, and markets.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with HTML5 ad creation tools and workflows.

• Familiarity with affiliate marketing creative requirements.

• Understanding of app campaign creative best practices.

• Basic knowledge of data visualization tools for reporting creative performance.

• Experience working in an e-commerce environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of creative talent and operational rigor. The requirement for "5+ years of experience in digital design, paid media, or creative operations" and "proven strong experience in creative work for performance marketing channels" points to a role that is not just about aesthetics but about driving measurable business outcomes through creative execution. The explicit mention of Smartly.io and Figma highlights the crucial technical skills required for workflow automation and efficient asset creation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Conceptual Thinking: Showcase examples of creative concepts developed from initial briefs, illustrating the thought process behind the final execution.

• Performance-Driven Creative Examples: Include case studies or projects that clearly demonstrate how your creative work directly contributed to improved campaign performance metrics (e.g., increased click-through rates, higher conversion rates, reduced cost per acquisition).

• Automation Workflow Integration: Present examples of how you've utilized or could utilize automation tools (like Smartly.io) to streamline creative production, personalize ads at scale, or improve workflow efficiency. This could include examples of template structures or logic applied.

• Scalability and Adaptability: Highlight projects where creative assets were designed for scalability across multiple platforms, audiences, or markets, showcasing adaptability and efficient asset management.

• Process Improvement Initiatives: If possible, include examples where you identified and implemented improvements to creative operations processes, leading to gains in speed, quality, or cost-effectiveness.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Candidates are expected to demonstrate an understanding of designing and optimizing creative workflows for paid media campaigns, focusing on efficiency, clarity, and collaboration.

• Implementation & Automation Methods: The portfolio should reflect practical experience in implementing creative solutions, particularly those involving automation, dynamic creative optimization, and template-based production.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Showcase how you measure the effectiveness of creative assets and campaigns, and how you use performance data to inform future creative decisions and process adjustments.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role heavily focused on "creative performance" and "operations," a robust portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just showcasing aesthetic quality to demonstrating tangible impact on business objectives and the ability to manage and optimize complex creative workflows, especially through automation. The emphasis on Smartly.io and Figma suggests portfolio pieces should ideally reflect experience with these tools or similar automation and design systems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Generous Annual Vacation: 28 days of annual vacation to ensure work-life balance.

• Private Medical Health Insurance: Comprehensive private medical health coverage for employees.

• Hybrid Working Model: Flexibility to work from home up to 40% of the time, balancing office collaboration with remote work.

• Work Abroad Option: Opportunity to work remotely from approved countries for up to 20 days per year, fostering global experience and flexibility.

• Career Development: Access to development opportunities and excellent training and support to foster professional growth and career path shaping.

• Wellbeing Support: Various wellbeing offers to support employee health and happiness.

• Commuting Assistance: Subsidised transport options or bike leasing schemes to encourage sustainable commuting.

• Employee Discount: A significant 20% discount across all zooplus products, benefiting pet owners.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, estimated at 40 hours per week, with a hybrid model allowing for flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for similar senior-level design and operations roles in major European cities like Madrid, considering the specific technical requirements (Smartly.io, Figma) and the focus on performance marketing. The provided benefits list is directly extracted from the job description and highlights a strong package focused on employee well-being, flexibility, and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce (Pet Supplies)

zooplus SE operates within the rapidly growing and highly competitive pet e-commerce sector. This industry demands agility, customer-centricity, and a strong focus on operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making to thrive against both niche players and large generalist retailers. For operations professionals, this means a dynamic environment where process optimization and performance measurement are paramount.

Company Size: Over 1000 employees (as indicated by LinkedIn data, although exact numbers vary).

A company of this size typically has established processes but also offers opportunities for impact and influence within specific departments. For operations roles, it implies a need for scalable solutions that can be implemented across potentially large teams and customer bases, alongside opportunities to collaborate with various specialized departments.

Founded: 1999

Founded in 1999, zooplus has over 25 years of experience, positioning it as a mature and experienced player in the e-commerce landscape. This longevity suggests a solid understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and operational challenges, while the company's continued ambition points to a culture that embraces innovation and adaptation rather than stagnation.

Team Structure:

• Operations Focus: This role sits within the Sales & Marketing department, specifically focused on Paid Media creative. The team likely comprises specialists in paid media management, creative production, and potentially marketing analytics.

• Reporting Structure: The Senior Digital Design Manager will likely report to a Head of Marketing, Director of Paid Media, or a similar senior marketing leadership role, with direct oversight of creative operations for paid channels.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with Paid Media Managers, Brand Managers, Performance Marketing Specialists, and potentially data analysts to ensure creative aligns with campaign goals and performance insights are integrated.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: Decisions are informed by performance data, A/B testing results, and customer insights to optimize creative effectiveness.

• Agile Workflow Planning: Utilizing structured planning and prioritization frameworks to manage a high volume of creative requests and campaign iterations efficiently.

• Automation & Efficiency Practices: A strong emphasis on leveraging technology, particularly platforms like Smartly.io, to automate repetitive tasks, personalize content at scale, and improve overall operational efficiency.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights zooplus as an established e-commerce leader in the pet industry, suggesting a data-driven, customer-focused, and operationally sophisticated environment. The role's placement within Sales & Marketing and its specific focus on Paid Media Creative Operations indicate a need for professionals who can blend creative vision with rigorous operational execution and performance measurement.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Management / Specialist Leadership

This role represents a senior-level position within the operations and creative functions. It requires not only deep technical expertise in digital design and paid media but also strong leadership capabilities in managing workflows, driving automation, and making critical decisions. The scope involves significant ownership of creative performance and operational processes for a key marketing channel.

Reporting Structure:

The Senior Digital Design Manager will likely report to a Director or Head of Marketing, Paid Media, or a similar senior leadership role. They will be responsible for managing the creative output and operational efficiency for paid media campaigns, potentially leading a small team or working closely with external agencies and internal creative resources. Collaboration with Paid Media Managers and Performance Marketers will be crucial.

Operations Impact:

This role has a direct impact on the company's revenue through the optimization of paid media campaigns. By improving creative effectiveness, A/B testing, and process efficiency, the Senior Digital Design Manager contributes to higher conversion rates, lower customer acquisition costs (CAC), and increased return on ad spend (ROAS). Their work directly influences the company's ability to acquire and retain customers through digital channels.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in creative automation, advanced performance marketing creatives, or specific channel optimization (e.g., AI-driven creative).

• Leadership Expansion: Progress into a broader Creative Operations Manager role, overseeing creative strategy and execution across multiple marketing functions, or managing a larger creative team.

• Strategic Marketing Roles: Transition into roles with broader marketing strategy responsibilities, leveraging a deep understanding of creative performance and operational efficiency to inform go-to-market strategies.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into related roles within Performance Marketing, Brand Management, or Digital Strategy, leveraging their unique skill set.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the emphasis on ownership and strategic decision-making indicate this is a pivotal role for career progression, offering a path beyond pure design execution into operational leadership and strategic marketing contribution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Work Model

zooplus SE operates with a hybrid working model, requiring employees to spend approximately 60% of their time in the office and 40% working from home. This setup aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration, team cohesion, and spontaneous idea generation with the flexibility and focus that remote work can offer.

Office Location(s):

The primary office location specified is Madrid, Spain, at Génova 17, 5plta, 28004. The company also has offices in Munich, Krakow, Wroclaw, London, and Vienna, suggesting a multinational operational footprint.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office environment is designed to foster collaboration, with opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues in Paid Media, Brand, and other marketing functions. This is crucial for seamless campaign execution and feedback loops.

• Technology & Tools: Employees will have access to the necessary technology and tools, including advanced design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma) and potentially specialized marketing automation platforms, to perform their roles effectively.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model allows for regular team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and project discussions in person, ensuring alignment and shared understanding, while remote days offer focused work time.

Work Schedule:

The role operates on a standard full-time schedule, estimated at 40 hours per week. The hybrid model provides flexibility in how these hours are structured, allowing for a balance between office presence and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and office location in Madrid are key aspects of the work environment. The emphasis on collaboration and the provision of necessary tools are standard for roles requiring intensive creative and operational work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's core requirements, particularly in paid media creative and automation.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience, focusing on your approach to creative strategy, performance optimization, and operational management. Expect questions about your understanding of paid media channels and automation platforms.

3. Portfolio Presentation & Technical Assessment: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your work, showcasing conceptual thinking, execution quality, and demonstrable impact on campaign performance. This may include a discussion or a practical exercise related to creative automation (e.g., Smartly.io, Figma templates) or A/B testing strategies.

4. Cross-functional Stakeholder Interview: An opportunity to meet with key collaborators (e.g., Paid Media Managers) to assess communication, collaboration style, and ability to integrate creative operations with broader marketing goals.

5. Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and strategic alignment with zooplus's objectives.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your skills in paid media creative, performance optimization, and automation. Prioritize work that demonstrates measurable results.

• Highlight Process & Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the brief, your role, the creative strategy, the operational processes involved (especially automation), and the quantifiable results achieved (e.g., improved KPIs).

• Showcase Automation Experience: Include examples of how you've used or would use tools like Smartly.io or Figma templates to create scalable, dynamic, or personalized ad creatives. Explain the logic and benefits.

• Demonstrate Problem-Solving: Be prepared to discuss challenges you've faced in creative operations or paid media and how you overcame them.

• Tailor to zooplus: Research zooplus's brand and current paid media campaigns to tailor your presentation and highlight how your skills align with their specific needs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Creative Automation Scenario: Be ready to discuss how you would set up or optimize a creative automation workflow for a specific paid media campaign using Smartly.io or similar tools. This might involve discussing feed structures, dynamic elements, or A/B testing logic.

• Performance Optimization Case Study: Prepare to walk through a case study where you significantly improved the performance of paid media creatives through iterative testing and data analysis.

• Process Improvement Proposal: Think about how you would approach improving the creative production workflow for paid media at zooplus, considering speed, quality, and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role will heavily scrutinize both creative output and operational capability. A strong portfolio demonstrating hands-on experience with paid media automation and performance data is non-negotiable. Candidates should prepare to articulate their strategic thinking and operational methodologies clearly.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Smartly.io: This is a core requirement. Proficiency in managing creative automation setups, including feed integrations, dynamic creative optimization (DCO), rule-based logic, and campaign management within the platform.

• Figma: Essential for building modular, scalable design templates that integrate with automation workflows. Experience in creating component libraries and collaborative design systems is highly valued.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Advanced proficiency in Photoshop for image editing and creation, Illustrator for vector graphics, and potentially After Effects for motion graphics and video assets used in paid media.

• HTML5 Ad Creation Tools: Familiarity with tools or coding practices for creating interactive and dynamic HTML5 ads for various platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Platform Analytics: In-depth understanding of analytics dashboards within META Ads Manager, Google Ads, and potentially app campaign platforms to extract performance data.

• Data Analysis Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with spreadsheet software (e.g., Google Sheets, Excel) for managing data feeds and basic analysis is implied. Experience with more advanced analytics or business intelligence tools could be a plus.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): While not a primary focus, understanding how paid media creative performance impacts CRM data and customer journeys can be beneficial.

• Workflow Automation: Beyond Smartly.io, a general understanding of workflow automation principles and how they apply to marketing processes is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Smartly.io and Figma is a key differentiator for this role, indicating a strong focus on automated creative production and scalable design systems. Candidates must be able to demonstrate practical, hands-on experience with these specific tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A core value will be the reliance on performance data and analytics to guide creative development, optimization strategies, and operational improvements.

• Efficiency & Scalability: A strong emphasis on developing processes and creative solutions that are efficient, repeatable, and scalable to meet the demands of a large e-commerce business.

• Proactive Ownership: Team members are expected to take initiative, anticipate needs, and drive projects forward with a strong sense of responsibility and accountability.

• Collaboration & Communication: Open and clear communication is vital for effective cross-functional teamwork, ensuring alignment between creative, media, and marketing objectives.

• Continuous Improvement: A culture that encourages experimentation, learning from results (both successes and failures), and a commitment to ongoing refinement of processes and creative output.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires seamless integration with Paid Media Managers and other marketing teams, acting as a partner rather than an isolated function. This involves proactive communication, shared goal-setting, and collaborative problem-solving.

• Process Review & Feedback: An environment where processes are regularly reviewed, and constructive feedback is exchanged to foster continuous improvement and innovation within the creative operations workflow.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, learnings from A/B tests, and insights from automation tool usage to elevate the collective expertise of the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture likely revolves around performance, efficiency, and data-driven strategies, typical of a successful e-commerce operations environment. The emphasis on proactive ownership and collaboration is key for a Senior Manager role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Quality with Speed: The fast-paced nature of paid media requires rapid iteration and deployment of creative assets, posing a constant challenge to maintain high conceptual and execution quality.

• Managing Diverse Creative Needs: Catering to varied campaign objectives, audience segments, platform specifications, and market nuances while maintaining brand consistency and operational efficiency.

• Evolving Automation Landscape: Staying abreast of new features and capabilities within automation platforms like Smartly.io and integrating innovative solutions to maximize their potential.

• Data Interpretation for Creative Insights: Effectively translating complex performance data into actionable creative recommendations and process improvements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Automation Techniques: Deepen expertise in leveraging Smartly.io for complex DCO, AI-driven creative optimization, and advanced feed management.

• Performance Marketing Strategy: Gain a broader understanding of paid media strategy, audience segmentation, and campaign planning to better inform creative development.

• Emerging Creative Technologies: Explore and experiment with new tools and platforms for creative production, AI-powered design, and interactive ad formats.

• Leadership and Process Management: Develop skills in team leadership, strategic workflow design, and stakeholder management within a dynamic marketing operations context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for adaptability and continuous learning, while the growth opportunities point towards specialization and leadership within the marketing operations and performance marketing domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a scalable creative framework for a new paid media campaign targeting [specific audience/platform]?" Focus on structure, asset types, and automation logic.

• "Describe a time you used performance data to significantly improve the effectiveness of paid media creatives. What was your process?" Be ready to quantify results and explain your analytical approach.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about zooplus and the pet e-commerce industry?" Show your research and enthusiasm for the company's mission and market.

• "How do you see creative operations contributing to the overall success of a business like zooplus?" Emphasize the link between efficient creative processes and revenue growth.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation logically, starting with an overview of your role and the project's objectives, followed by your creative process, the operational execution (including automation), and concluding with the measurable results.

• Quantify Everything: For each case study, provide specific data points and metrics that demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., X% increase in CTR, Y% decrease in CAC).

• Showcase Automation & Scalability: Clearly explain how you used or would use tools like Smartly.io and Figma templates to create efficient, scalable, and personalized creative solutions.

• Be Prepared for Technical Deep Dives: Expect questions about your specific techniques within Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and Smartly.io.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of creative vision, operational rigor, and technical proficiency, particularly with automation tools. Candidates must be able to articulate their impact with data and showcase strategic thinking in their portfolio presentation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.smartrecruiters.com.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords and responsibilities directly related to "digital design," "paid media," "creative operations," "performance marketing," "Smartly.io," "Figma," and "automation." Quantify achievements wherever possible (e.g., "Increased ad CTR by 15% through data-driven creative optimization").

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best exemplify your skills in paid media creative execution, performance optimization, and automation. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your solution, the tools used (especially Smartly.io/Figma), and the measurable business impact.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your selected portfolio pieces, focusing on articulating your strategic approach, operational processes, and quantifiable results. Be ready to discuss your experience with automation and A/B testing in detail.

• Research zooplus: Understand their brand, target audience, and current marketing efforts, particularly their paid media presence, to better tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.