Senior Digital Design Manager – Paid Media (All Genders)

📍 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: June 09, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive creative performance and operational maturity across paid media channels by owning the end-to-end creative delivery lifecycle.

• Leverage data-driven insights and A/B testing to optimize creative assets for platforms such as Meta, Google Ads, Affiliate, and App campaigns.

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

• Act as a key decision-maker, translating brand goals and performance data into scalable, consistent, and impactful creative concepts for diverse audiences and markets.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a hybrid between a senior creative individual contributor and an operations manager, with a strong emphasis on process, automation, and performance marketing. The "Senior Digital Design Manager" title, combined with "Paid Media" specialization, indicates a need for both strong design sensibilities and a deep understanding of performance marketing mechanics and creative operations. The focus on "structure, decision-making, and scalable impact" highlights the operational rigor expected.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee the conceptual development and execution of creative assets for paid media campaigns, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and performance objectives.

• Proactively define creative directions, frameworks, and solutions that translate brand goals and performance insights into scalable creative concepts for Meta, Google Ads, Affiliate, and App campaigns.

• Ensure consistent, high-quality creative output across various platforms, audiences, and markets, while actively driving A/B testing, iteration, and optimization based on performance data.

• Reduce complexity in creative workflows by implementing simple, scalable processes and frameworks, ensuring clear, consistent, and outcome-focused delivery of all creative projects.

• Own and evolve the creative automation setup within Smartly.io, building and maintaining modular Figma templates aligned with automation logic, managing feeds, and optimizing efficiency and scalability through automation.

• Proactively identify opportunities for innovation, AI integration, and process improvements within the creative and paid media space, experimenting with new tools and translating learnings into practical team solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Paid Media, Brand, and other cross-functional stakeholders, providing clear direction, structured feedback, and confident communication to drive project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic creative leadership and hands-on operational execution. The emphasis on "ownership," "proactive definition," and "evolution" suggests a role that is not only about executing tasks but also about shaping processes and strategy within the paid media creative domain. The specific mention of Smartly.io and Figma indicates a need for expertise in modern creative automation tools and design systems.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Media Design, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in digital design, paid media creative, or creative operations, with a proven track record in performance marketing.

Required Skills:

• Strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, execution quality, and a deep understanding of performance marketing creative.

• Hands-on experience with creative automation platforms such as Smartly.io or similar.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, etc.).

• Strong skills in Figma for design, prototyping, and building modular templates.

• Familiarity with HTML5 ads and other performance-driven digital advertising formats.

• Proven ability in planning, prioritizing, and structuring creative projects effectively.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to simplify complexity and articulate ideas clearly.

• Strong ownership mentality and proactive decision-making capabilities.

• Experience with A/B testing and data-driven creative optimization.

• Fluent in English. Preferred Skills:

• Experience managing creative feeds and conditional logic within automation platforms.

• Understanding of Google Sheets for managing automation data.

• Familiarity with brand consistency frameworks and their application across diverse campaigns.

• Experience working in a fast-paced e-commerce or retail environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of creative execution skills (Adobe Suite, Figma) and operational/automation expertise (Smartly.io, A/B testing, project structuring). The "Ownership Traits" section underscores the need for a proactive, independent, and results-oriented mindset, which is crucial for a senior role focused on driving impact and improvements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5 years of digital design work specifically for performance marketing channels.

• Demonstrated examples of conceptual thinking applied to paid media campaigns across platforms like Meta and Google Ads.

• Case studies detailing the end-to-end creative process, from brief to execution, including optimization based on performance data.

• Evidence of creative automation implementation and its impact on efficiency, scalability, and creative quality.

• Examples of modular design systems or Figma templates built for automation purposes.

• Visual representation of A/B testing outcomes and iterative design improvements. Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of structured creative project planning, prioritization, and workflow management.

• Illustrate how complexity was simplified through scalable processes and frameworks in previous roles.

• Provide instances where clear, consistent, and outcome-focused deliverables were ensured.

• Demonstrate experience in developing and maintaining automation logic for creative assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are heavily geared towards demonstrating practical experience in performance marketing creative operations. Candidates should be prepared to show not just aesthetic design skills but also their ability to manage creative processes, leverage automation, and drive measurable results through design. Specific mention of Smartly.io and Figma implies that portfolio pieces related to these tools will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: EUR 40,800 - EUR 61,200 yearly. This range reflects the seniority of the role, the specialized skills required in paid media creative operations and automation, and the cost of living in Madrid, Spain.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Working model, with 60% of time in the office and 40% at home.

• Opportunity to work abroad for up to 20 days in approved countries.

• Comprehensive career development opportunities and support for shaping individual career paths.

• Excellent training programs and ongoing support for professional growth.

• Wellbeing offers to support employee health and work-life balance.

• Subsidised transport options or bike leasing schemes.

• Generous 20% discount across all zooplus products.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with a hybrid work arrangement offering flexibility between office and home-based work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a strong indicator of the expected compensation for a Senior Digital Design Manager role with specialized skills in paid media and automation in Madrid. The benefits package is comprehensive, emphasizing flexibility, personal development, and employee well-being, which are attractive to experienced professionals. The hybrid work model is clearly defined, indicating a structured approach to work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce (Pet Supplies). Zooplus SE is a significant player in the pet e-commerce industry, leveraging technology and innovation to serve over 12 million customers. This industry context means the role will likely involve high-volume creative production and a strong focus on performance metrics.

Company Size: Large enterprise, with employees across multiple international offices (Munich, Madrid, Krakow, Wroclaw, London, Vienna). This suggests a structured environment with established processes, but also potential for cross-functional collaboration and impact across a global team.

Founded: Over 25 years ago, indicating a mature and established company with a history of innovation and adaptation in the online retail space.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Sales & Marketing department, specifically focused on Paid Media creative.

• It sits within the "Individual Contributor (Expert)" career stream, suggesting a senior individual contributor role rather than direct people management, but with significant influence and strategic input.

• Operations professionals will likely collaborate closely with Paid Media specialists, Brand teams, and potentially performance analysts. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is implied by the focus on performance marketing and A/B testing.

• Emphasis on scalable processes and automation points to a structured and efficient operational approach.

• Collaboration is key, with a need to integrate creative output with marketing and business goals.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Zooplus's long history and large customer base in e-commerce suggest a data-rich environment where creative performance is directly tied to business outcomes. The "power of plus" slogan and emphasis on embracing change indicate a dynamic culture that values continuous improvement and innovation. The "Individual Contributor (Expert)" designation means the role is expected to be a subject matter expert driving significant impact through their craft and operational acumen.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor (Expert) role. It signifies a high level of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and operational leadership within the digital design and paid media creative domain. The expectation is for this individual to be a go-to expert, capable of independently driving complex projects, optimizing processes, and influencing creative strategy for performance marketing.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, as an Expert Individual Contributor, this role likely reports to a Marketing Manager, Head of Performance Marketing, or Creative Director, who oversees broader marketing initiatives. The individual will collaborate extensively with Paid Media specialists and potentially other design or marketing operations functions.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on revenue generation through the optimization of paid media creative. By improving creative effectiveness, conversion rates, and campaign efficiency, this position directly contributes to customer acquisition, sales volume, and overall marketing ROI for zooplus SE.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in creative automation, advanced paid media design strategies, or emerging digital advertising formats.

• Process Leadership: Take on broader responsibilities for defining and implementing creative operations best practices across more marketing functions.

• Innovation: Lead initiatives for integrating AI or new technologies into the creative production pipeline.

• Mentorship: Potentially mentor junior designers or creative operations specialists as the team expands.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain deeper understanding of broader marketing strategies and contribute to integrated campaign planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Expert" career stream designation is crucial. It implies that this role is not just about executing tasks but about bringing a high level of strategic thought, problem-solving, and operational excellence. Growth opportunities are likely focused on deepening specialized expertise and influencing broader operational strategies within marketing.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers a hybrid working model, with employees expected to spend approximately 60% of their time in the office and 40% working remotely. This suggests a structured approach to balancing in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary office for this role is located at Génova 17, 5plta, Madrid, Spain. Zooplus SE also has offices in Munich, Krakow, Wroclaw, London, and Vienna, indicating an international and interconnected work environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and international presence suggest a need for strong digital collaboration tools and practices, alongside in-person teamwork during office days.

• Tools and Technology: Employees will have access to industry-standard design and operations software, with a particular emphasis on Smartly.io and Figma, as well as Adobe Creative Suite.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for close collaboration with Paid Media specialists, Brand teams, and other marketing stakeholders will be prevalent during office days, fostering idea exchange and project alignment.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is in place, with the hybrid arrangement providing flexibility in how and where those hours are spent. This allows operations professionals to manage their time effectively while ensuring consistent output and availability for key meetings and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment. The 60/40 split implies a deliberate structure for in-office collaboration, likely centered around team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and project kick-offs, while remote days are for focused individual work and deep processing. The mention of international offices suggests potential for global project involvement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the core requirements, particularly experience in paid media creative, automation (Smartly.io), and Figma.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study: Expect a practical exercise or case study focused on a paid media creative challenge. This will likely involve analyzing a brief, proposing creative concepts, outlining an automation strategy, and demonstrating how you would optimize for performance.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key team members, including Paid Media specialists and potentially a Marketing Manager, to evaluate your technical skills, operational approach, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A discussion with a senior leader to assess strategic thinking, ownership, and long-term potential within the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Performance: Clearly articulate the impact of your creative work. For each piece, describe the objective, your role, the strategy (especially automation/optimization), and the measurable results (e.g., CTR, conversion rate improvements, efficiency gains).

• Showcase Automation: Include examples of how you've used or can use tools like Smartly.io and Figma to create scalable, dynamic creative assets. Detail your process for setting up feeds, conditional logic, and modular templates.

• Structure and Simplicity: Demonstrate your ability to simplify complex workflows. Present your process clearly, showing how you move from brief to execution with efficiency and effectiveness.

• Brand Consistency & Adaptation: If possible, show how you've maintained brand consistency while adapting creative for different channels, audiences, and markets.

• Problem-Solving: Be ready to discuss challenges you've faced and how you overcame them, particularly concerning creative bottlenecks, performance plateaus, or automation issues.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Paid Media Dynamics: Familiarize yourself with current trends and best practices in Meta Ads, Google Ads, and app campaign creative.

• Master Smartly.io: If not already an expert, review Smartly.io features, particularly its creative automation capabilities, feed management, and dynamic creative optimization.

• Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow, template creation, and design system thinking for scalable creative production.

• Data Interpretation: Practice interpreting performance metrics and translating them into actionable creative insights and optimization strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to test both creative and operational capabilities. The portfolio review is paramount, requiring candidates to demonstrate tangible results and a clear understanding of performance marketing creative operations. Expect to be asked about specific tools and processes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Smartly.io: This is a core requirement. Proficiency in utilizing Smartly.io for creative automation, campaign management, feed integration, and performance optimization is essential.

• Figma: Advanced skills are required for building modular design systems, creating templates, and collaborating on design assets that integrate with automation workflows.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Mastery of Photoshop, Illustrator, and potentially After Effects for creating high-quality visual assets and animations.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with performance marketing analytics platforms (e.g., Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads interface, app analytics platforms) to interpret campaign data and inform creative decisions.

• Ability to extract and analyze data from various sources to identify trends and opportunities for creative optimization. CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly a CRM role, understanding how creative assets integrate with marketing automation and CRM systems for campaign execution and personalization is beneficial.

• Experience with tools that facilitate dynamic content delivery or personalized ad experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on performance marketing creative production and automation. Smartly.io and Figma are highlighted as critical tools, indicating a modern, tech-driven approach to creative operations. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their hands-on experience with these specific platforms.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Proactivity: A strong emphasis on taking initiative, owning tasks from start to finish, and proactively identifying and solving problems without constant supervision. This translates to a mindset of anticipating needs and driving improvements.

• Structure & Clarity: Valuing clear processes, organized workflows, and concise communication. The ability to simplify complexity and bring order to creative projects is highly regarded.

• Performance-Driven: A focus on measurable results and continuous improvement. Decisions are guided by data, and success is measured by the impact on paid media performance and business objectives.

• Growth & Curiosity: A commitment to learning, exploring new tools and technologies (like AI), and adapting to evolving industry trends. This fosters innovation and keeps the team at the forefront of digital marketing.

• Collaboration & Trust: While an expert individual contributor, working effectively with cross-functional teams is crucial. Trust is built through reliable delivery and open communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working seamlessly with Paid Media, Brand, and other marketing teams to ensure creative strategy aligns with overarching goals.

• Structured Feedback: Providing and receiving clear, constructive, and outcome-focused feedback to improve creative output and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively contributing to a learning environment by sharing insights, best practices, and learnings from experiments with automation and new tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value autonomy, efficiency, and a results-oriented approach, all within a collaborative framework. The "power of plus" suggests a positive, ambitious, and team-oriented environment where continuous improvement is a shared goal.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creativity with Performance: The primary challenge is to consistently deliver innovative and engaging creative concepts that also meet stringent performance marketing objectives and KPIs.

• Scaling Creative Production: Managing the demand for high-volume, data-driven creative assets across multiple paid media channels while maintaining quality and efficiency.

• Mastering Automation Complexity: Effectively leveraging and evolving complex automation tools like Smartly.io to maximize efficiency and creative potential, requiring continuous learning and adaptation.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Ensuring all stakeholders (Brand, Paid Media, etc.) are aligned on creative direction, performance goals, and operational processes.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Automation Techniques: Deepening expertise in Smartly.io and exploring other creative automation tools and strategies.

• AI in Creative: Investigating and implementing AI-powered tools and workflows for creative ideation, asset generation, and optimization.

• Performance Marketing Analytics: Enhancing understanding of complex performance data to drive more sophisticated creative strategies.

• Design System Development: Contributing to or leading the development of advanced design systems for scalable creative production.

• Cross-functional Strategy: Gaining exposure to broader marketing and business strategies, potentially leading to roles with wider strategic influence.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is designed for someone who thrives on tackling complex challenges related to scaling creative, optimizing performance, and leveraging technology. The growth opportunities are substantial for an individual eager to become a leader in the specialized field of paid media creative operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach developing a creative strategy for a new paid media campaign, balancing brand consistency with performance optimization?" (Prepare to discuss your structured process, data input, and iterative approach.)

• "Describe a time you used creative automation (e.g., Smartly.io) to significantly improve campaign efficiency or performance. What were the key steps and outcomes?" (Focus on demonstrating hands-on experience, problem-solving, and quantifiable results.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across diverse paid media channels and audiences while still personalizing creative for maximum impact?" (Discuss frameworks, asset management, and strategic adaptation.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about zooplus SE and our mission in the pet e-commerce industry?" (Research the company's values, products, and recent news.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to a hybrid work environment and fostering collaboration with remote and in-office team members?" (Highlight your communication skills and adaptability.)

• "Describe your approach to receiving and providing feedback on creative work." (Emphasize your openness to constructive criticism and your ability to give clear, actionable feedback.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the Goal, Your Role, The Challenge, The Strategy (including automation/optimization), The Execution, and The Results (quantified).

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively. Show the creative assets, the automation setup (e.g., screenshots of Figma templates or Smartly.io logic), and the performance graphs.

• Quantify Everything: Be ready to discuss specific metrics – CTR, conversion rates, CPA, ROAS, time saved, efficiency gains.

• Highlight Automation & Process: Dedicate time to explain your process for creative automation, template creation, and workflow management. This is a key differentiator for this role.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, technical implementation, and decision-making process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of paid media creative operations, proficiency in Smartly.io and Figma, and a structured, data-driven approach to problem-solving. The interview will likely involve both strategic discussions and tactical deep dives into your past work.

📌 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 relevant to paid media creative, creative operations, Smartly.io, Figma, performance marketing, and automation. Quantify achievements with data wherever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your experience in paid media creative, automation, and performance optimization. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your solution, and the measurable results.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio, focusing on how you've driven efficiency and performance through process and technology. Be ready to discuss your Smartly.io and Figma workflows in detail.

• Research zooplus SE: Understand their business model, target audience, brand messaging, and recent marketing campaigns to 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.