(Senior) Creative Designer - Onsite in München (m/w/d)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Creative Designer (m/w/d)

Company: Mawave Marketing GmbH

Location: München, Bayern, Germany

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Creative & Media / Marketing / Art & Design

Date Posted: April 07, 2026

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

Remote Status: On-site (Munich)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and execute organic creative campaigns across various social media platforms, focusing on video and static content.

• Develop compelling creative copy and visual storytelling that resonates with target audiences and brand objectives.

• Leverage a deep understanding of current social media trends and platform-specific requirements to inform creative strategy.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate data-driven performance insights into iterative design improvements.

• Contribute to the visual identity and brand narrative of leading consumer brands within the social media landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on the "organic" side of social media creative, emphasizing content that is not directly paid for but aims to engage and grow an audience organically. The "Senior" aspect implies a need for independent work, creative leadership, and potentially mentorship of junior team members, though not explicitly stated. The focus on "Social Media Outcomes" and "Marketing Funnel" suggests a results-oriented approach to creative work.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and produce high-impact organic creative assets, including video edits and static graphics, for a portfolio of prominent consumer brands.

• Craft engaging and on-brand copy for social media campaigns, ensuring alignment with visual content and overall marketing objectives.

• Lead visual research, ideation sessions, and contribute to the development of compelling creative concepts for client campaigns.

• Oversee and execute image selection, video editing, and provide guidance or support for shooting sessions.

• Develop persuasive visual storytelling through design and presentation materials for pitches and client reviews.

• Analyze performance metrics of organic creative content and iterate on designs to optimize engagement, reach, and other key business objectives.

• Stay abreast of emerging social media trends, platform updates, and best practices in content creation to maintain a competitive edge.

• Collaborate closely with media strategists and performance marketing teams to ensure creative output is aligned with campaign goals and audience targeting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on creative execution (video editing, graphic design) and strategic creative thinking (ideation, storytelling, performance optimization). The emphasis on "performance-driven results" suggests that creative effectiveness will be measured by business impact, not just aesthetic appeal.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Marketing, Communications, or a related field would be beneficial. Equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered.

Experience: Minimum of 2-5 years of professional experience in social media content creation and graphic design, with a preference for candidates with agency experience.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, specifically:

  • Adobe Premiere Pro (Video Editing)
  • Adobe Photoshop (Image Editing & Graphic Design)
  • Adobe After Effects (Motion Graphics & Advanced Editing)

• Proven experience in creating organic social media content for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and others.

• Strong creative copywriting skills with an understanding of social media language and trends.

• Demonstrated ability in visual research and creative ideation for campaign development.

• Excellent storytelling abilities through visual design and presentation.

• Proficient in analyzing design performance data and making data-driven creative adjustments.

• A proactive, self-starter attitude with a strong hands-on mentality and ability to work independently.

Preferred Skills:

• Previous experience working within a marketing agency environment.

• Experience with shooting or directing photo/video shoots.

• Familiarity with other design or video editing software.

• Understanding of broader digital marketing principles and the marketing funnel.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on specific Adobe Creative Cloud programs (Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects) is critical. The "trend scout" aspect implies a need for proactive learning and a passion for staying current with social media culture and virality. The German and English language requirements are essential for client communication.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of social media creative work, including both video edits and static graphics.

• Highlight campaigns that demonstrate impactful storytelling and engagement metrics.

• Include examples of how design decisions were influenced by performance data and led to measurable improvements.

• Present case studies that illustrate the creative process from ideation to final execution for organic social media campaigns.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you approach visual research and creative idea generation for new campaigns.

• Documentation of your workflow for video editing and static graphic creation, including any time-saving techniques.

• Case studies detailing how you iterated on designs based on performance feedback to achieve better results.

• Examples of how you translate client briefs or performance data into actionable creative briefs.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role. It should not only showcase aesthetic quality but also demonstrate strategic thinking, understanding of social media dynamics, and the ability to drive results through creative output. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their process and the rationale behind their design choices.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Creative Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Munich, Germany, a competitive salary range would typically fall between €45,000 to €60,000 annually. This estimate considers the cost of living in Munich, the agency environment, and the specialized skills required.

Benefits:

• Team & Culture: Great team spirit, collegial atmosphere, flat hierarchies, fun yet professional environment, exciting projects.

• Work Flexibility: Flexible working hours, home office options, Workation (up to 3 months), Sabbatical (up to 2 months).

• Wellness & Lifestyle: EGYM Wellpass (access to over 8,000 sports and wellness offers), Sachbezug (shopping benefit), tax-free meal allowance (€7.50 per day), mobility allowance (€32 per month for public transport).

• Work Environment: Modern, bright office in Munich with city views and good public transport links, own MacBook for work.

• Time Off: 30 days of vacation per year.

• Social: Regular team events and after-work gatherings (e.g., rooftop BBQs, ski trips, retreats).

Working Hours: The role is full-time, with the expectation of approximately 40 hours per week. The company offers flexible working hours, allowing for adjustments to the daily schedule while maintaining overall productivity and team coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation. The benefits package is extensive and includes significant flexibility and lifestyle perks, such as Workation, Sabbatical, and comprehensive wellness options, which are highly attractive to creative professionals. The mobility and meal allowances are common in Germany and add tangible value.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Marketing & Advertising, specifically Social Media Marketing and Outcomes. Mawave positions itself as Europe's leader in translating consumer brands into social media success.

Company Size: Approximately 150+ employees, indicating a mid-sized agency with a significant presence and capacity.

Founded: Mawave has established itself as a leading independent agency in Europe, managing substantial advertising volumes (€200 million+). This implies a mature, growth-oriented, and well-resourced organization.

Team Structure:

• The creative team is part of a larger group of "Social Natives" (over 150 employees).

• The structure likely involves specialized teams for media, creation, and production, working in an integrated, agile manner.

• Collaboration is emphasized through "Always-on" approaches rather than traditional campaign silos.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Optimization: A core principle, using performance data to continuously refine creative and media strategies.

• Integrated Approach: Combining media, creation, and production expertise seamlessly.

• Agile "Always-on" Methods: Moving away from rigid campaign structures towards continuous engagement and optimization.

• Focus on Business Goals: Measuring success against client-relevant business objectives across the marketing funnel.

Company Website: mawave.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Mawave's culture is characterized by its innovative, data-centric, and integrated approach to social media marketing. The emphasis on "Social Natives" and "Always-on" suggests a dynamic, fast-paced, and forward-thinking environment. The company values a deep understanding of social media dynamics and a commitment to measurable business outcomes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Creative Designer role, indicating a level of expertise and autonomy beyond entry-level or junior positions. The individual is expected to contribute significantly to campaign design, ideation, and optimization based on performance data. This role is crucial for the "creation" aspect of Mawave's integrated model.

Reporting Structure: While specific reporting lines aren't detailed, in a flat hierarchy agency, a Senior Creative Designer would likely report to a Creative Director, Head of Design, or a similar leadership role within the creative department. They would collaborate closely with media planners, account managers, and performance analysts.

Operations Impact: The Senior Creative Designer directly impacts client success by developing engaging and effective social media content that drives brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, contributes to the client's marketing funnel objectives and business goals. Their work is critical in translating brand identity into compelling social narratives that resonate with target audiences.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like motion graphics, video storytelling, or platform-specific creative strategies.

• Creative Leadership: Progress towards a Creative Lead or Art Director role, managing smaller teams or specific client accounts.

• Cross-Functional Learning: Gain insights into media strategy, performance analysis, and production by working closely with other departments.

• Agency Growth: As Mawave continues to grow, opportunities for leadership roles and contributing to agency-wide creative standards will emerge.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning through internal workshops, industry trends, and potentially external training to stay at the forefront of social media creative.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant potential for growth within a leading social media agency. The focus on "performance-driven results" means that creative professionals who can demonstrate impact will be highly valued and likely have faster career progression. The company's integrated model also provides unique cross-functional learning opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company describes a "modern, bright office in Munich with a view over the city." This suggests a contemporary, well-equipped workspace designed to foster creativity and collaboration.

Office Location(s): The office is located in Munich (Moosacher Str. 70, 80809 München), with good public transport connections, making it accessible for employees commuting within the city.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on flat hierarchies and team events suggests a collaborative and social workspace where interaction is encouraged.

• Tools & Technology: Employees are provided with their own MacBook for work, indicating a commitment to equipping staff with high-quality tools necessary for creative tasks. Access to Adobe Creative Cloud is implied as a standard.

• Team Interaction: Frequent team events, after-work gatherings, and an "Always-on" approach foster close working relationships and a sense of community. The modern office design likely supports both focused individual work and dynamic team collaboration.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (approx. 40 hours/week) with flexible working hours. This allows employees to structure their day to best suit their productivity needs, while still ensuring alignment with team needs and client deliverables. The hybrid possibility of Homeoffice is also mentioned.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment at Mawave is designed to be both productive and enjoyable, combining professional rigor with a strong emphasis on team culture and employee well-being. The flexible work arrangements and modern office amenities are key features.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest.

• Portfolio Review & Creative Challenge: A key stage will involve presenting your portfolio and discussing your work. You may be given a creative brief or a practical design challenge to complete within a set timeframe, testing your skills in areas like video editing, graphic design, and copywriting under pressure.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth discussion with the hiring manager and potential team members to assess your experience, problem-solving skills, understanding of social media strategy, and how you would fit into the team's dynamics and Mawave's methodology.

• Final Interview (Optional): Potentially a meeting with a senior leader for final approval.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that highlight your skills in organic social media content creation, video editing, graphic design, and copywriting.

• Showcase Process: For each project, explain your thought process, the client's objective, your creative solution, the tools used, and importantly, the results achieved (even if qualitative for organic content).

• Highlight Performance Impact: Emphasize how your creative work contributed to engagement, reach, or other relevant metrics. If possible, provide data or case studies demonstrating this impact.

• Tailor to Mawave: Ensure your portfolio demonstrates an understanding of Mawave's data-driven, integrated approach to social media marketing and their focus on "outcomes."

• Be Prepared to Discuss Trends: Be ready to talk about current social media trends and how you incorporate them into your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully read and deconstruct any creative brief provided for a challenge. Identify key objectives, target audience, and constraints.

• Time Management: Practice completing design tasks within realistic time limits. Prioritize elements that will have the most impact.

• Articulate Your Strategy: Be prepared to explain your creative decisions, the rationale behind them, and how they align with the brief's objectives.

• Focus on Organic: Remember the emphasis on organic social content and its unique requirements compared to paid advertising.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh your practical creative skills, your strategic thinking regarding social media, and your ability to demonstrate impact. A well-prepared portfolio and thoughtful responses to potential creative challenges are crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Essential proficiency required, with specific emphasis on:

  • Premiere Pro: For video editing and post-production of social media video content.
  • Photoshop: For graphic design, image manipulation, and creating static assets.
  • After Effects: For motion graphics, animated elements, and advanced visual effects.

• Other Design Software: Familiarity with tools like Figma or Sketch could be beneficial for collaborative design workflows or presentation creation, though not explicitly listed.

• Project Management Tools: Likely used for task management and team collaboration (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira, or similar).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Social Media Analytics Platforms: Experience with native platform analytics (Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics) and potentially third-party tools (e.g., Sprout Social, Hootsuite, Brandwatch) for tracking organic content performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not specified, familiarity with tools for presenting data effectively (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced Excel/Google Sheets) would be advantageous for demonstrating performance impact.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how organic social media contributes to the broader marketing funnel and potentially integrates with CRM strategies is valuable.

• Marketing Automation Tools: Familiarity with tools that might be used for social media scheduling or campaign management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirement is deep proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud. Beyond that, familiarity with social media analytics and a data-driven mindset are key. The company's "integrated" approach suggests that understanding how creative fits into the larger marketing ecosystem is important.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Excellence: A strong emphasis on using performance data to inform creative decisions and achieve measurable outcomes for clients.

• Innovation & Agility: Embracing new trends, technologies, and methodologies ("Always-on" approach) to stay ahead in the fast-paced social media landscape.

• Collaboration & Integration: Working seamlessly across media, creation, and production departments to deliver holistic solutions.

• Passion for Social Media: A genuine enthusiasm for understanding and mastering social media platforms and their evolving dynamics.

• Client Focus: Dedication to translating client business goals into impactful social media strategies and creative executions.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Mawave's model emphasizes seamless collaboration between media, creation, and production. This means designers work closely with media strategists and producers.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Open communication channels are essential to ensure creative aligns with media plans and production capabilities.

• Feedback Culture: Expect a dynamic environment where feedback is shared constructively to continuously improve creative output and campaign performance.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing insights on trends, platform changes, and creative best practices across teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mawave's culture is built around a modern, results-oriented approach to social media. The values of data-driven decision-making, continuous innovation, and strong inter-departmental collaboration are central to their success and the daily work of their employees.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Keeping Pace with Trends: The social media landscape evolves rapidly. Staying ahead of new features, content formats, and platform algorithms requires continuous learning and adaptation.

• Balancing Creativity and Performance: Effectively merging artistic vision with data-driven performance requirements can be challenging, requiring a strategic mindset alongside creative flair.

• Client Demands: Managing creative expectations and delivering exceptional results for a diverse portfolio of high-profile brands requires resilience and strong project management skills.

• Organic vs. Paid: Differentiating and optimizing creative for organic reach, which has different dynamics and metrics than paid social campaigns.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Creative Techniques: Opportunities to hone skills in motion graphics, advanced video editing, and emerging visual storytelling formats.

• Performance Analytics Integration: Deeper understanding of how creative impacts key performance indicators (KPIs) and how to use analytics for strategic design decisions.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Learning from media strategists, account managers, and production specialists to gain a holistic view of social media campaigns.

• Industry Exposure: Potential for attending industry events, workshops, or training sessions to stay at the forefront of social media marketing and creative trends.

• Career Progression: A clear path to more senior creative roles, art direction, or leadership positions within the agency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to the dynamic field of social media marketing. Mawave's structure and emphasis on continuous improvement offer excellent opportunities for creative professionals to grow their skills and careers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used performance data to significantly improve an organic social media creative asset. What was the outcome?" (Tests data-driven approach and impact)

• "Walk us through your process for developing a creative concept from brief to final execution for a social media campaign." (Assesses workflow, ideation, and execution)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest social media trends, and how do you decide which trends are relevant for a brand?" (Evaluates trend awareness and strategic application)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Mawave's approach to social media marketing?" (Assesses research and cultural alignment)

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your creative work?" (Evaluates adaptability and collaboration)

• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a positive team dynamic." (Assesses cultural fit and teamwork)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Start with a brief introduction to yourself and Mawave's work.

Then, present 3-5 key projects, dedicating 3-5 minutes per project.

• Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate:

  • Client & Objective: What was the goal?
  • Your Role: What specifically did you do?
  • Creative Process: How did you arrive at the solution? What challenges did you face?
  • Tools Used: Which software/techniques were employed?
  • Results/Impact: What was the outcome? (Quantify if possible, or describe qualitative impact).

• Visuals: Ensure your presentation is visually appealing and uses high-quality examples. The presentation itself can be a demonstration of your design skills.

• Engagement: Be prepared for questions and engage in a dialogue about your work and creative choices. Show passion and expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just creative talent, but a strategic understanding of social media, a data-informed approach, and alignment with Mawave's values. The portfolio is your primary tool; use it to tell a compelling story of impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Creative Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Mawave Marketing GmbH careers page.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience with social media content creation, graphic design, video editing, and specific Adobe Creative Cloud skills. Use keywords from the job description, such as "organic social media," "creative campaigns," "storytelling," and "performance-driven."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate your strongest, most relevant work samples. Ensure it showcases your ability to create engaging organic content for social media, demonstrates your proficiency with relevant tools, and ideally, includes examples of how your designs have driven results. Be ready to present it.

• Research Mawave: Familiarize yourself with Mawave's client roster, their "Social Media Outcomes" philosophy, and their integrated approach. Understand their company culture and values.

• Practice Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your experience, creative process, and passion for social media design, particularly in the context of organic content and performance. Practice presenting your portfolio and answering potential interview questions.

⚠️ 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.