UX & Digital Creative Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX & Digital Creative Designer

Company: GNC

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX/UI Design & Digital Creative

Date Posted: March 18, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3-6 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a critical hybrid position, intentionally blending User Experience (UX) design with Digital Creative Design to elevate GNC's digital platforms.

• The designer will be responsible for creating seamless, high-fidelity user experiences across web and mobile, ensuring exceptional usability and aesthetic appeal.

• A key aspect of this role involves producing polished, conversion-oriented digital creative assets that align with top-tier consumer brand standards.

• The position requires active participation in the product development lifecycle, contributing to feature definition, design system maintenance, and data-informed design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title and description strongly indicate a need for a candidate who is proficient in both the strategic, user-centered aspects of UX design and the execution-focused, visually compelling elements of digital creative. This is not a typical split role; it requires a unified approach to designing digital customer interactions. The emphasis on "both, intentionally" suggests a high degree of integration is expected.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Customer Experience Ownership: Lead the design of GNC’s digital customer journeys across web and mobile, encompassing discovery, product pages, cart, checkout, and post-purchase interactions, ensuring a coherent and high-quality experience.

• Product Requirements Translation: Collaborate closely with Product Managers to translate user needs, business objectives, and briefs into detailed user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs that prioritize both usability and visual excellence.

• Design System Development & Maintenance: Take ownership of GNC’s digital design system, including components, patterns, design tokens, and guidelines, ensuring its evolution, adoption by engineering teams, and consistent application across platforms.

• Data-Informed Design Optimization: Utilize analytics data, usability testing results, A/B test outcomes, and customer research to identify friction points, validate design hypotheses, and drive continuous improvement in user experience.

• High-Craft Digital Creative Production: Design visually sharp and conversion-focused digital creative assets such as landing pages, feature visuals, onsite promotional placements, and in-app content that meet consumer-brand quality standards.

• Brand Consistency & Evolution: Partner with the Marketing team to ensure digital experiences authentically reflect GNC's brand identity, maintaining visual consistency while pushing aesthetic quality forward.

• Cross-Functional Communication & Advocacy: Act as a bridge between UX, creative, product, engineering, marketing, and e-commerce teams, fluent in communicating design intent, product constraints, and advocating for user needs and craft quality.

• Design Culture Facilitation: Drive design excellence by facilitating design reviews, UX critiques, and collaborative working sessions that elevate the team's thinking and output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are detailed and cover both the strategic UX design process (translating requirements, user flows, prototypes, design systems) and the execution of digital creative (landing pages, visuals, brand consistency). The emphasis on "owning the customer experience" and "shaping features before they get built" indicates a proactive, influential role rather than purely execution-based.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 3–6 years of dedicated experience in designing for both web and mobile digital platforms.

Required Skills:

• Deep Proficiency in Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and design system management.

• Strong Working Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite: Necessary for graphic design, image manipulation, and asset creation.

• Genuine Aesthetic Sensibility: A demonstrable point of view on visual design principles, evident in the quality and range of past work (typography, color, layout, imagery, hierarchy).

• User-Centered Design & UX Methodologies: Strong understanding of principles, interaction design, and modern UX practices.

• Design System Expertise: Proven experience designing, building, and maintaining design systems and component libraries for web and mobile.

• Responsive & Mobile-First Design: Solid grasp of principles for designing across various devices and screen sizes.

• Accessibility Standards (WCAG): Knowledge and application of accessibility guidelines to ensure inclusive design.

• Digital Creative Production: Experience creating production-quality assets like banners, landing pages, email templates, and social content.

• Data-Driven Design Familiarity: Experience using usability testing, analytics, and A/B testing to inform design decisions.

• Agile Product Development: Comfort working within Agile frameworks, understanding sprints, discovery, and iterative delivery.

• eCommerce Journey Understanding: Working knowledge of key eCommerce stages (discovery, PDP, cart, checkout, post-purchase) and design's impact on conversion.

• HTML/CSS Working Knowledge: Sufficient understanding to effectively communicate design intent to engineers and assess feasibility.

• Strong Communication Skills: Ability to clearly articulate design decisions to non-designers and advocate for craft quality in cross-functional settings.

Preferred Skills:

• Retail or consumer-facing digital product experience is strongly preferred.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements clearly emphasize a dual skillset. Figma proficiency is paramount, and a strong aesthetic sense is explicitly called out as a differentiator, alongside UX fundamentals. The preference for retail/consumer experience suggests an understanding of conversion-driven design and brand perception in a competitive market.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Range: Showcase a minimum of 3-6 years of design work across both product UX (user flows, wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity mockups) and digital creative (landing pages, marketing visuals, brand assets).

• UX Thinking & Problem Solving: Present case studies that clearly articulate a design problem, the user research or analysis conducted, the design process followed, and the measurable impact of the solution.

• Visual Craftsmanship: Ensure all visual elements within the portfolio (typography, color, layout, imagery) exhibit a high level of polish, aesthetic sensibility, and brand alignment, meeting consumer-brand quality standards.

• System Design Examples: Include examples of contributions to or ownership of design systems, component libraries, or style guides, demonstrating understanding of scalability and consistency.

• Tool Proficiency: Explicitly mention and visually demonstrate work created using Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.

Process Documentation:

• User Flow & Journey Mapping: Provide examples of detailed user flows or customer journey maps that illustrate a deep understanding of user paths and interaction points.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Showcase wireframes and interactive prototypes that effectively communicate layout, functionality, and user interaction before visual design is applied.

• Design System Components: Present examples of well-documented design system components, including their usage guidelines, states, and variations.

• Data Analysis Integration: Illustrate how data (analytics, A/B tests, user feedback) has informed design decisions and led to quantifiable improvements in user experience or conversion rates.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical, with a specific emphasis on demonstrating both UX thinking and visual craft. Candidates must be prepared to walk through their process, explain their design decisions, and quantify the impact of their work, particularly in relation to user experience and conversion metrics.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with potential company match.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Employee Discount: Significant discounts on GNC products.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, workshops, and conference attendance.

• Hybrid Work Flexibility: A blend of remote work and in-office collaboration.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position, typically requiring 40 hours per week. The hybrid work model allows for 2-3 days of in-office attendance in Pittsburgh, PA, with the remaining days available for remote work. Standard business hours are expected, with flexibility for project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry standards for a mid-level designer in a major US city. The benefits listed are common for full-time roles at established companies and are tailored to align with GNC's focus on health and wellness.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Health and Wellness Retail. GNC operates in a competitive market focused on nutritional supplements and health products, emphasizing innovation and customer well-being.

Company Size: GNC is a well-established global company, suggesting a structured yet dynamic corporate environment. This implies opportunities for significant impact within a large organization, with potential for cross-functional collaboration across various departments.

Founded: 1935. GNC has a long history, indicating stability and a deep understanding of its market, while also needing to adapt to modern digital consumer expectations.

Team Structure:

• The UX & Digital Creative Designer will report to the Sr. Director/Head of Product Management, indicating a direct link to product strategy and development.

• This role involves daily partnership with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and E-commerce teams, highlighting a highly collaborative, cross-functional environment.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using analytics, A/B testing, and customer research to inform design choices and measure outcomes.

• User-Centric Design: A core philosophy of prioritizing customer needs and experiences throughout the design process.

• Agile Development: Working within Agile sprints and iterative delivery cycles to ensure rapid product development and adaptation.

• Design System Approach: Commitment to building and maintaining a cohesive design system for consistency and efficiency.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: GNC's long history combined with a focus on digital innovation suggests a company balancing tradition with a forward-looking approach. The hybrid role and cross-functional collaboration point to a modern work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level individual contributor. It requires a solid foundation of 3-6 years of experience, demonstrating the ability to work independently on complex design tasks while also contributing to team-wide design standards and processes. The expectation is for the designer to take ownership and drive outcomes.

Reporting Structure: The designer reports to the Sr. Director/Head of Product Management. This direct reporting line to product leadership signifies that design is considered a strategic component of product development, offering visibility and influence over product strategy and user experience.

Operations Impact: The designer's work will directly impact GNC's digital presence, influencing customer acquisition, engagement, conversion rates, and overall brand perception. By improving UX and creative quality, the role contributes to revenue generation and customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in either UX, digital creative, or further integrate both, potentially leading to senior or lead roles within the design team.

• Design System Leadership: Potential to become the primary owner or lead for GNC's digital design system, influencing its direction and adoption across the organization.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop skills in influencing product strategy and advocating for design excellence across diverse teams, potentially moving into product management or design leadership roles.

• Industry Expertise: Gain specialized knowledge in health and wellness e-commerce design, a valuable niche within the broader digital design landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a strong platform for growth, particularly for individuals who can demonstrate strategic thinking and impactful design execution within a consumer-facing digital product environment. The reporting structure suggests a clear path for influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: GNC operates a hybrid work environment. This means the role combines remote work flexibility with a requirement for in-office presence, fostering collaboration and team connection.

Office Location(s): The primary office location for in-person work is Pittsburgh, PA, specifically at 75 Hopper Place, Suite 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed for collaboration, with opportunities for face-to-face interaction with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and E-commerce teams.

• Technology Enabled: Access to standard office equipment and technology necessary for design work, including computers and necessary software licenses.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and team meetings, fostering a shared design culture.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for 2-3 days of in-office attendance in Pittsburgh, PA, with the remaining days available for remote work. The schedule is generally aligned with standard business hours, with the expectation of adaptability for project deadlines and iterative development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key feature, requiring candidates to be comfortable with both remote autonomy and in-office collaboration. The Pittsburgh location is central to the in-person component.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios to assess for core qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing specific projects, their design process, problem-solving approaches, and the impact of their work. This stage heavily evaluates both UX thinking and visual craft.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially Marketing stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and understanding of different functional perspectives.

• Design Challenge (Potentially): A practical exercise or case study may be given to assess problem-solving abilities, design thinking, and execution speed under timed conditions.

• Final Interview: A discussion with the Sr. Director/Head of Product Management to assess overall fit, strategic thinking, and alignment with GNC's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your hybrid UX and Digital Creative skills, highlighting your ability to solve user problems beautifully and effectively. Aim for 3-5 strong case studies.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), your solutions, and the quantifiable results or learnings. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Figma & Adobe Skills: Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your proficiency in Figma for UX/UI and Adobe Creative Suite for creative asset production.

• Emphasize Data & Iteration: Show how you used data (analytics, A/B tests, user feedback) to inform your design decisions and how your designs evolved based on iterative feedback.

• Showcase Design System Contributions: If applicable, detail your involvement in creating or maintaining design systems, emphasizing consistency and scalability.

• Be Prepared for "Why": Be ready to explain why you made specific design choices, not just what you designed.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the User: If given a challenge, always start by defining the user, their goals, and the problem space.

• Sketch & Wireframe: Quickly translate ideas into low-fidelity sketches or wireframes to communicate core concepts.

• Consider Visuals: Think about how you would apply brand guidelines and aesthetic principles to your solution.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss potential trade-offs, technical constraints, and how you would prioritize features.

• Focus on Impact: Frame your solution in terms of its potential impact on user experience and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a comprehensive evaluation of both technical design skills and collaborative abilities. The portfolio is the primary tool for assessment, requiring candidates to demonstrate a deep understanding of their design process and its outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for all aspects of UX/UI design, including wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity mockups, and collaborative design system management. Deep proficiency is required.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Necessary for digital creative asset production, including Photoshop for image editing and manipulation, Illustrator for vector graphics, and potentially others like After Effects for motion graphics if applicable. Strong working fluency is expected.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/Mobile Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms to understand user behavior, track conversions, and identify areas for UX improvement.

• A/B Testing Tools: Experience with platforms like Optimizely, Google Optimize, or internal A/B testing frameworks to validate design hypotheses and measure performance.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned as a primary tool for this role, a working understanding of eCommerce platforms and their integration with CRM and marketing automation tools may be beneficial for contextualizing user journeys and conversion funnels.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is highlighted as the core design tool, with Adobe Creative Suite being the secondary essential. Familiarity with analytics and A/B testing tools is crucial for the data-driven aspect of the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Live Well Philosophy: A company-wide ethos that permeates product development and customer interaction, aiming to empower individuals to achieve their health and wellness goals.

• Innovation & Collaboration: A drive to develop cutting-edge solutions through teamwork and the generation of new ideas.

• Customer Focus: Prioritizing consumer needs and aspirations, ensuring products and experiences are designed to meet and exceed expectations.

• Action-Oriented: A culture that values turning aspirations into tangible actions and driving meaningful change.

• High Craft Standards: A commitment to excellence in both the functional (UX) and aesthetic (creative) aspects of digital products.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role is designed to be deeply embedded within product, engineering, marketing, and e-commerce teams, fostering a collaborative environment where design is a shared responsibility.

• Design Advocacy: A culture where design decisions are debated constructively, with strong advocacy for user needs and aesthetic quality.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: Working within Agile sprints implies a continuous cycle of feedback, iteration, and improvement, encouraging open communication and receptiveness to input.

• Shared Ownership: The emphasis on building a design system and driving design culture suggests a move towards shared ownership of design quality across teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Live Well" philosophy is central to GNC's brand and likely influences the team's approach to product design and customer engagement. The collaborative nature of the role means strong interpersonal and communication skills are vital.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing UX & Creative Demands: Effectively managing time and focus between detailed UX problem-solving and high-craft creative execution within a fast-paced environment.

• Evolving Design System: Ensuring the design system remains relevant, scalable, and adopted by engineering teams amidst evolving product features and brand direction.

• Data Interpretation & Application: Translating raw analytics and A/B test data into actionable design improvements, especially when data is ambiguous or conflicting.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating diverse stakeholder needs and priorities to ensure design decisions align with both user experience goals and business objectives.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency: Upholding GNC's brand identity across digital products while pushing for modern aesthetic standards.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Hybrid Expertise: Refine skills in both UX strategy and high-end digital creative, becoming a versatile design leader.

• Master Design Systems: Gain in-depth experience in the strategy, implementation, and governance of large-scale design systems.

• eCommerce Optimization: Develop specialized knowledge in optimizing conversion funnels and user journeys within the health and wellness retail sector.

• Influence Product Strategy: Grow in ability to influence product roadmaps and feature definition through strong design rationale and user advocacy.

• Industry Best Practices: Stay abreast of emerging UX trends, creative techniques, and design tools through company-sponsored learning or industry engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a hybrid role and a growing digital product space. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to excel in both strategic design thinking and execution, particularly within the e-commerce sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs with business requirements. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-solving process, user advocacy, and ability to find balanced solutions).

• "Walk us through your process for designing a new feature for a web or mobile application. What steps do you take from concept to final design?" (Highlight your UX methodology, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration with Product/Engineering).

• "How do you ensure visual design quality and brand consistency across a digital product, especially when working with a design system?" (Demonstrate your aesthetic sensibility, understanding of brand, and design system principles).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about GNC's mission and the health and wellness industry?" (Research GNC's current initiatives, values, and market position).

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs from cross-functional teams?" (Showcase your ability to receive feedback gracefully and integrate it effectively).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, your solution, and the impact. Use a consistent framework.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-quality visuals, including wireframes, prototypes (if shareable), final designs, and any relevant data visualizations.

• Explain Your "Why": Be ready to articulate the rationale behind every significant design decision you made, tying it back to user needs and business goals.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced bounce rates, improved task completion times).

• Highlight Hybrid Skills: Ensure your presentation clearly showcases your proficiency in both UX thinking and visual/digital creative execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate their design process and impact. Candidates should prepare to discuss specific projects in detail and demonstrate how they integrate user-centered design with strong visual aesthetics.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX & Digital Creative Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the GNC careers portal. Ensure your resume is tailored to highlight relevant experience in UX/UI design, digital creative, and e-commerce.

• Portfolio Customization: Prepare a digital portfolio (PDF or link) that prominently features 3-5 of your strongest projects. Prioritize examples that demonstrate your hybrid UX and creative capabilities, problem-solving approach, and measurable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Integrate keywords from the job description such as "UX Design," "Digital Creative Design," "Figma," "Adobe Creative Suite," "Design System," "eCommerce," and "User-Centered Design" naturally within your resume's experience descriptions.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining your portfolio projects, and discussing how you leverage data and user feedback to drive design decisions. Be ready to discuss your approach to collaboration and brand consistency.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with GNC's current digital presence, product offerings, and brand messaging. Understand their "Live Well" philosophy and how it translates into their digital customer experience.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with GNC through their official application process before making application decisions.