PRODUCT DESIGNER - HOME DECOR

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer - Home Decor

Company: Sonae MC

Location: Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: September 10, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product design initiatives for the Home Decor category, focusing on trend development and collection creation within a dynamic retail environment.

• Develop and execute compelling communication and store space concepts aligned with retail market strategies, enhancing the customer journey.

• Proactively identify and integrate emerging trends and benchmarks from various retail sectors to inform design strategies and maintain brand relevance.

• Manage and uphold brand guidelines, ensuring consistent visual identity across all product and project designs.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to deliver rapid, creative graphic solutions for products and design projects, ensuring seamless Go-To-Market execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role bridges product design with Go-To-Market (GTM) operations by focusing on the visual and conceptual development of home decor products and their retail presentation. The emphasis on trends, brand guidelines, and cross-functional collaboration indicates a strong link to GTM strategy execution, where design directly impacts market appeal and sales.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and develop innovative trend-driven concepts and cohesive collections for the Home Decor product line.

• Design and create engaging communication strategies and retail space concepts that resonate with the target market and drive in-store traffic.

• Continuously research and analyze new trends and concepts across the retail landscape, sharing insights and references to foster team innovation.

• Ensure strict adherence to and maintenance of brand guidelines across all design outputs to preserve brand integrity and recognition.

• Partner effectively with product development, marketing, and retail teams to translate design concepts into visually appealing and commercially viable graphic solutions.

• Oversee the quality assurance of all design materials, ensuring they meet aesthetic standards and are delivered within planned timelines.

• Execute photographic post-production to enhance product imagery and marketing collateral.

• Prepare and finalize design files for print, ensuring compliance with pre-press procedures and quality standards for manufacturing and retail display.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative design and operational execution. The focus on "plazos establecidos" (established deadlines) and "pre-press" procedures indicates a need for efficient project management and a strong understanding of production timelines, crucial for GTM operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: Previous professional experience in similar roles, with a proven track record in developing collections and managing design projects within a retail context.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in developing product collections and understanding market trends.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, for creating high-quality graphic assets.

• Foundational knowledge of Web Design principles and applications.

• Strong ability to manage and uphold brand guidelines effectively.

• Experience in photographic post-production and file preparation for print (pre-press).

• Excellent creative thinking and conceptualization skills.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively within a team environment.

• High sense of responsibility, autonomy, and resilience in managing workload.

• Capacity for rapid response and effective multitasking in a fast-paced environment. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with 3D rendering software for product visualization.

• Understanding of retail visual merchandising principles.

• Experience with project management tools relevant to design workflows.

• Knowledge of sustainable design practices within the home decor industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for Adobe Suite proficiency, web design knowledge, and pre-press preparation are critical technical skills for a Product Designer contributing to GTM operations. The emphasis on "rapid response" and "multitasking" suggests a need for agility in adapting designs to market feedback and production schedules.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of design projects demonstrating expertise in Home Decor product conceptualization and collection development.

• Include examples of retail space design or communication materials that highlight an understanding of the retail environment and customer engagement.

• Present case studies that illustrate the process from trend analysis and concept ideation through to final design execution and pre-press preparation.

• Highlight projects where brand guidelines were successfully managed and applied consistently.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite through the visual quality and execution of design assets. Process Documentation:

• Detail the workflow for trend research and concept development, including how insights are translated into design briefs.

• Illustrate the process for managing brand guidelines and ensuring their consistent application across diverse design outputs.

• Document the steps involved in preparing design files for print production, emphasizing quality control and pre-press checks.

• Outline collaboration processes with cross-functional teams, showcasing how feedback is integrated and design solutions are refined.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, as it directly demonstrates the candidate's ability to execute on the core responsibilities, particularly in translating trends into marketable products and ensuring design quality for retail presentation. The emphasis on process documentation implies a need for structured thinking and a systematic approach to design execution, aligning with operational efficiency.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the location (Matosinhos, Portugal), experience level (Mid-Level), and industry (Retail/Home Decor), a competitive salary range for a Product Designer is estimated between €25,000 - €38,000 annually. This estimate considers regional salary benchmarks and the typical compensation for design roles with responsibilities in collection development and retail execution.

Benefits:

• Subsidio de Alimentação (Food Allowance) on a Dá card.

• Telecommunications plan with voice and data for permanent employees.

• Flexible work model options through the "Flex it Up" program.

• Health and Life Insurance for permanent employees, with options to extend to family.

• Flexible Benefits Program (where applicable).

• Comprehensive Onboarding and initial Training, with a Continuous Learning platform and Financial Literacy Program.

• Educational support including School Awards, Merit Scholarships for children, and Holiday Programs.

• Birth Kit for new parents.

• Internal Mobility Programs to foster talent growth.

• Voluntary participation in the Flu Vaccine program.

• "Somos Sonae" program offering psychosocial, financial, and legal support.

• Ergocoaching sessions.

• Mental Health Promotion Programs and Nutrition Consultations.

• Discounts and Partnerships with over 300 brands.

• Complimentary coffee and fruit at the workplace.

• Competitive Salary.

• Collaborative and dynamic work environment.

Working Hours: Standard working hours are likely 40 hours per week, with potential for flexible arrangements as outlined in the "Flex it Up" program, allowing for adaptability in project management and design workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for Portugal for a mid-level designer role in the retail sector. Specific compensation will depend on the candidate's exact experience, skill set, and negotiation. The extensive benefits package provided by Sonae MC is a significant component of the overall compensation, emphasizing employee well-being and development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (specifically Home Decor and broader Bazaar concept within Sonae MC). Sonae MC is a leading Portuguese retail group, operating across various sectors including food, electronics, fashion, and home goods. This context implies a fast-paced, consumer-centric environment where design directly influences purchasing decisions.

Company Size: Sonae MC is a large enterprise, part of the Sonae group, which operates internationally with a significant number of employees. This scale suggests structured processes, opportunities for large-scale impact, and potential for cross-functional collaboration across diverse departments.

Founded: Sonae was founded in 1959, with Sonae MC evolving as a key retail arm. This long history indicates stability, established market presence, and a deep understanding of the Portuguese consumer landscape.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will be part of the Product and Digital Development team for "Bazaar," suggesting a specialized unit focused on product curation, development, and digital presentation.

• This team likely collaborates closely with merchandising, marketing, e-commerce, and potentially store operations teams to ensure cohesive product launches and visual merchandising strategies.

• Reporting structure is likely to a Head of Product Development or similar managerial role within the Bazaar division. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, leveraging market trends and consumer insights to inform design choices.

• Emphasis on innovation and continuous improvement in product design and retail presentation.

• Collaborative approach to problem-solving, encouraging input from various stakeholders to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Focus on efficiency and quality, ensuring designs are not only creative but also commercially viable and producible within deadlines.

Company Website: https://www.sonae.pt/ (Corporate), https://mc.sonae.pt/ (Sonae MC)

📝 Enhancement Note: Sonae MC's "people-centric" culture, emphasizing collaboration and individual recognition, suggests a supportive work environment. The "Bazaar" division likely operates with a blend of agility and structured processes, common in large retail organizations aiming for both innovation and operational efficiency in their product offerings.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Product Designer, typically requiring 2-5 years of experience. It involves significant responsibility for concept development, design execution, and cross-functional collaboration, directly impacting product launch success and retail presentation. It serves as a crucial link between creative ideation and market readiness.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Product Development Manager or a Creative Lead within the Bazaar division of Sonae MC. This structure provides guidance and oversight while allowing for autonomy in day-to-day