Visual Designer, Zappos

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Visual Designer
Company: Amazon (Zappos)
Location: New York, New York, United States
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Creative & Design / Marketing Operations
Date Posted: February 11, 2026
Experience Level: 5+ Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the creation of compelling digital experiences across Zappos' marketing channels, focusing on visual design for email, web, and social media.
• Collaborate closely with design and editorial teams to translate business requirements into high-impact creative assets that enhance customer engagement and reinforce brand identity.
• Apply expert knowledge of typography and layout to ensure clean, engaging, and on-brand visual solutions.
• Manage efficient workflows to consistently deliver high-quality creative output under ambitious deadlines, a key aspect of operations in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Partner with cross-functional teams, including Shopbop design, to develop creative solutions that align with business objectives and maintain brand consistency across all customer touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Visual Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean into marketing operations and GTM execution through creative asset development. The role requires a strong understanding of how visual design impacts conversion rates, brand awareness, and customer journey optimization within an e-commerce context. The emphasis on "Invent and Simplify" and "Bias for Action" suggests a need for operational efficiency in the design process.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute on-brand visual designs for email marketing campaigns, website features, social media content, and broader digital marketing initiatives.
• Collaborate with product marketing, editorial, and other cross-functional teams to conceptualize and deliver creative solutions that meet defined business objectives and drive customer engagement.
• Ensure a consistent and cohesive visual presentation of the Zappos brand and its associated sub-brands (like Shopbop) across all digital customer touchpoints.
• Design and optimize responsive email templates and landing pages with a focus on improving conversion rates and user experience.
• Create visually engaging and shareable social media content designed to build brand awareness, foster community, and drive traffic.
• Support the entire production workflow from initial concept and wireframing through to final asset delivery, ensuring all creative adheres to brand guidelines while also pushing creative boundaries.
• Maintain and evolve brand guidelines, ensuring their application across all creative output while encouraging innovative design approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for operational excellence in creative production. This includes managing multiple project streams, adhering to brand standards consistently, and optimizing designs for specific marketing channels (email, social, web) to achieve measurable business outcomes like conversion and brand awareness.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of professional design experience, with a significant portion focused on digital and marketing collateral.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability in visual design, with a strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in digital marketing assets.
• High proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite applications, specifically Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Acrobat, operating within a macOS environment.
• Deep understanding of typography, layout design, and color theory as applied to digital mediums.
• Experience designing for e-commerce platforms, with a focus on email marketing, website features, and social media content.
• Ability to translate complex business requirements and marketing objectives into clear, compelling visual solutions.
• Experience in creating responsive designs for various devices and platforms.
• Strong understanding of brand guidelines and corporate identity, with the ability to maintain consistency while innovating.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with e-commerce platforms, search interfaces, social media applications, and their associated UX patterns.
• Experience in designing services and applications with multiple user touchpoints across different platforms and devices.
• Familiarity with A/B testing principles for visual elements to optimize conversion rates.
• Basic understanding of HTML/CSS for email and web design implementation.
• Experience collaborating with Shopbop design teams or managing shared design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for proficiency in specific Adobe Creative Suite applications, especially within macOS, is a critical technical qualification. The emphasis on e-commerce experience and UX patterns suggests the need for a designer who understands the operational impact of design decisions on customer journeys and conversion funnels, not just aesthetic appeal.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust online portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a minimum of 5 years of design experience with a clear emphasis on digital marketing, e-commerce, and brand-focused projects.
• The portfolio should demonstrate a strong command of visual design principles, including typography, layout, color, and imagery, applied across various digital channels.
• Include case studies that detail the design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your visual solutions on key business metrics (e.g., conversion rates, engagement, brand awareness).
• Showcase specific examples of responsive email templates, landing pages, and social media campaign assets.
• Highlight experience working with brand guidelines and how you maintained brand consistency while driving creative innovation.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the end-to-end creative production workflow, from concept ideation and stakeholder alignment to final asset delivery and implementation.
• Be prepared to discuss your workflow management strategies, particularly how you prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet ambitious deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to articulate how you collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., marketing, editorial, product) to gather requirements, iterate on designs, and ensure alignment with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role in a company like Amazon/Zappos, the portfolio is not just a showcase of aesthetic talent but a testament to operational capability in design. Candidates must be able to demonstrate how their design process is efficient, scalable, and directly contributes to measurable business outcomes, aligning with the "Deliver Results" and "Invent and Simplify" principles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $132,500 - $185,000 USD annually.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.
• Prescription Drug Plan.
• Basic Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance.
• Option for Supplemental Life Plans.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Mental Health Support services.
• Medical Advice Line for consultations.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care.
• Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement Coverage.
• 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) for vacation, personal days, and sick leave.
• Parental Leave for new parents.

Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week, typical for full-time roles in the US, with potential for occasional overtime during peak campaign periods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to New York, NY. The benefits package is extensive and a significant component of the total compensation, reflecting Amazon's comprehensive approach to employee well-being and financial security. The mention of sign-on payments and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) indicates a total compensation structure common in large tech and retail organizations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce / Retail (Footwear and Apparel)

Company Size: Amazon is a global technology giant with hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide. Zappos, as a subsidiary, operates with a distinct culture known for its focus on customer service and employee happiness, while benefiting from Amazon's vast resources and operational scale.

Founded: Zappos was founded in 1999, acquired by Amazon in 2009. This blend of a unique company culture with the operational rigor of Amazon creates a dynamic work environment.

Team Structure:

• The Visual Designer will likely be part of a larger Marketing or Creative team within Zappos, reporting to a Design Lead or Marketing Director.
• This role requires close collaboration with copywriters, marketing managers, campaign strategists, and potentially web developers.
• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, extending to teams within Amazon and potentially the Shopbop design division for shared initiatives.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on data-driven decision-making to inform design choices and measure campaign effectiveness.
• Workflow optimization is crucial, leveraging tools and processes to ensure efficiency and speed in creative production.
• A culture of continuous improvement, encouraging designers to stay updated on the latest design trends, software, and customer engagement strategies.

Company Website: https://www.amazon.com, with Zappos operating as a distinct brand within it.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Zappos' unique customer-centric culture and how it integrates with Amazon's operational framework is key. The "Leadership Principles" mentioned in the job description (Invent and Simplify, Bias for Action, etc.) are core to Amazon's operational philosophy and should be understood by candidates.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a mid-to-senior level individual contributor position within the creative operations function. It requires a solid foundation of design skills coupled with an understanding of how visual assets contribute to broader marketing and business objectives.

Reporting Structure: The Visual Designer will report to a manager within the Zappos design or marketing department. This manager will oversee creative output, project assignments, and performance reviews. Collaboration will extend across various departments, requiring strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Operations Impact: The Visual Designer's work directly impacts key operational metrics such as website conversion rates, email click-through rates, social media engagement, and overall brand perception. High-quality, strategically designed assets are critical for driving revenue and customer loyalty in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like email design, UX/UI for e-commerce, or motion graphics.
• Leadership: Progress into a Senior Visual Designer role, leading projects or mentoring junior designers.
• Cross-functional Moves: Transition into roles focused more directly on marketing operations, campaign management, or brand strategy.
• Skill Development: Opportunities to learn new design software, explore emerging digital marketing channels, and gain exposure to A/B testing methodologies for creative optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Visual Designer at Amazon/Zappos often involves becoming a subject matter expert in visual communication for e-commerce, contributing to strategic decisions about creative direction, and potentially taking on project leadership. The "Invent and Simplify" principle suggests a path for those who can identify and implement more efficient design workflows.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, suggesting a traditional office environment within Zappos' New York City operations. The environment is likely collaborative, with opportunities for in-person interaction with design colleagues, marketing teams, and other stakeholders.

Office Location(s): New York, NY. This location offers access to a vibrant creative community and is a hub for many retail and e-commerce businesses.

Workspace Context:

• A dynamic and fast-paced work environment characteristic of a large e-commerce retailer.
• Collaboration is highly encouraged, with opportunities to work closely with diverse teams to bring creative visions to life.
• Access to standard office technology and design software, with potential for specialized hardware or software as needed for specific projects.
• The office culture likely blends Zappos' unique, customer-focused approach with Amazon's results-oriented operational standards.

Work Schedule: The role is expected to adhere to a standard 40-hour work week. However, the nature of e-commerce marketing often involves managing campaigns with specific launch dates, which may require flexibility and occasional work outside standard hours to meet critical deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major city like New York suggests a candidate looking for a traditional office setting with the benefits of in-person collaboration and networking, while also being part of a globally recognized organization.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.
• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: Expect a deeper dive into your portfolio with a hiring manager or senior designer. This will focus on your design process, problem-solving skills, understanding of e-commerce, and ability to articulate the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss specific projects in detail.
• Skills Assessment/Design Challenge: You may be given a design exercise to complete, either in real-time or as a take-home assignment, to evaluate your design skills, speed, and ability to interpret briefs. This often simulates real-world operational tasks.
• Behavioral & Leadership Principles Interview: This stage focuses on assessing your fit with Zappos/Amazon's culture and leadership principles. Questions will likely probe your experience with collaboration, problem-solving, innovation, and delivering results.
• Final Interview: Potentially a final conversation with senior leadership to confirm fit and discuss role expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your visual design skills, e-commerce experience, and ability to drive business results (conversion, engagement). Highlight digital marketing campaigns, responsive designs, and brand consistency examples.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the challenge, your role, your process, the solutions you implemented, and the quantifiable outcomes. Use data and metrics wherever possible.
• Showcase Process: Include wireframes, sketches, or mood boards to illustrate your thought process and how you arrived at the final design.
• Highlight Brand Mastery: Demonstrate your ability to work within and evolve brand guidelines, showing examples of how you maintained consistency across multiple touchpoints.
• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to walk through your portfolio, answer questions about your design choices, and discuss your experiences with collaboration and meeting deadlines.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully analyze any design challenge provided. Identify the core objectives, target audience, and desired outcomes.
• Simulate Real-World Constraints: Practice designing under time pressure, mimicking the fast-paced operational environment.
• Focus on Impact: Even if a formal metric isn't provided, consider how your design would contribute to business goals like conversion or engagement.
• Communicate Your Rationale: Be prepared to explain your design decisions clearly and concisely, linking them back to the brief and broader business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process at Amazon is known for its rigor, especially regarding the Leadership Principles and data-driven approach. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just design talent but also an operational mindset – how they manage projects, collaborate, and deliver measurable results.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Expert proficiency required in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Acrobat familiarity is also expected for document handling and review.
• macOS: The primary operating system for design work.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary responsibility, familiarize yourself with how design impacts key metrics. Understanding of tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal Amazon/Zappos reporting dashboards would be beneficial to contextualize design performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of email marketing platforms (e.g., Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Campaign) and how visual assets are implemented within them. Familiarity with content management systems (CMS) for web features would also be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite and macOS is very specific. Candidates should ensure their toolset aligns with these requirements. While direct analytics/CRM tool experience might not be mandatory, understanding how design contributes to these systems and their metrics is crucial for an operations-minded designer.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: All design decisions should ultimately serve the customer experience and drive satisfaction.
• Invent and Simplify: Create efficient, scalable design solutions that streamline processes and reduce complexity.
• Bias for Action: Navigate fast-paced deadlines and deliver high-quality work promptly, demonstrating agility.
• Deliver Results: Focus on creating designs that achieve measurable business goals and contribute to the company's success.
• Earn Trust: Build strong, collaborative relationships with stakeholders across design, marketing, and other departments through reliable communication and high-quality output.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with marketing managers, copywriters, and other designers.
• Open to feedback and iterative design processes to refine creative solutions.
• Proactive communication to ensure alignment on project goals and timelines.
• A culture that values both individual creative contribution and effective teamwork to achieve shared objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The integration of Amazon's Leadership Principles directly into the job description signifies their importance. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they embody these principles in their daily work and design approach, reflecting a blend of creativity and operational discipline.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Innovation: Maintaining Zappos' unique brand voice while pushing creative boundaries to stay competitive in the fast-paced e-commerce landscape.
• Meeting Ambitious Deadlines: Consistently delivering high-quality visual assets under tight turnaround times characteristic of retail marketing campaigns.
• Cross-functional Stakeholder Management: Effectively collaborating with diverse teams, each with potentially different priorities and perspectives, to achieve cohesive creative outcomes.
• Adapting to Evolving Trends: Staying current with digital design trends, platform updates, and customer behavior shifts to ensure creative remains relevant and effective.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to hone skills in areas like motion graphics, advanced retouching, or interactive design.
• E-commerce Optimization: Learning about conversion rate optimization (CRO), A/B testing strategies for visual elements, and user experience (UX) best practices within e-commerce.
• Brand Strategy: Gaining deeper insights into brand management and how visual identity supports broader marketing and business strategies.
• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry conferences, workshops, or online courses to stay abreast of design and marketing innovations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in high-growth e-commerce environments and require strong operational skills in project management, communication, and adaptability, alongside design expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance multiple competing design priorities under a tight deadline. How did you manage your workflow and ensure all deliverables met quality standards?" (Focus on process, prioritization, and operational efficiency).
• "Walk us through a successful digital marketing campaign you designed. What was the objective, what was your creative approach, and what were the measurable results?" (Emphasize impact, data, and ROI).
• "How do you ensure your visual designs are not only aesthetically pleasing but also optimized for conversion and user engagement on platforms like email and web?" (Highlight understanding of marketing operations and UX principles).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you embody Amazon's 'Invent and Simplify' Leadership Principle in your design work?" (Prepare specific examples of streamlining processes or creating efficient solutions).
• "Describe your experience collaborating with non-design teams, such as marketing or editorial. How do you ensure clear communication and alignment?" (Focus on cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management).
• "What excites you about Zappos' brand and customer-centric culture, and how do you see your design work contributing to it?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the brand's values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around key themes or project types that align with the job description (e.g., Email Campaigns, Website Features, Social Media).
• Quantify Your Success: For each project, clearly state the objective, your role, the solution, and the quantifiable results (e.g., "% increase in click-through rate," "% improvement in conversion").
• Showcase Process, Not Just Polish: Be prepared to discuss your thought process, sketches, wireframes, and iterative revisions. This demonstrates your problem-solving skills and operational approach to design.
• Tailor to the Role: Highlight projects that specifically demonstrate experience with e-commerce, responsive design, and driving business outcomes through visual communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their work through the lens of Amazon's Leadership Principles and with a clear focus on quantifiable results and operational efficiency, not just creative aesthetics.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Visual Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Amazon Jobs portal via the provided link.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, easily navigable, and prominently features projects that align with the core responsibilities and requirements outlined in this job description, particularly e-commerce and digital marketing examples.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 5+ years of relevant design experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat) on macOS, and any experience with e-commerce, responsive design, and driving measurable results. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining your portfolio projects with a focus on business impact, and preparing examples that demonstrate your understanding of Amazon's Leadership Principles.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Zappos' brand, its customer service philosophy, and its relationship with Amazon. Understand their current marketing efforts and visual identity.

⚠️ 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.