SUPERSTAR - Brand Designer / Art Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: SUPERSTAR - Brand Designer / Art Director

Company: International Brands AG

Location: Baar, Zug, Switzerland

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Brand Design & Art Direction (GTM Focus)

Date Posted: October 03, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the visual and creative direction for multiple brands within the Personal Care / FMCG sector, with a strong emphasis on market performance and consumer engagement.

• Develop and execute compelling creative concepts that drive visibility, recognition, and tangible sales impact at the retail shelf and online.

• Build, refine, and maintain robust brand worlds and visual identities that resonate with target consumers and differentiate from competitors.

• Drive the design process for packaging, ensuring it is attention-grabbing, brand-aligned, and optimized for conversion in a retail environment.

• Leverage AI and modern design tools to enhance workflow efficiency, accelerate creative output, and maintain a competitive edge in a fast-paced market.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "SUPERSTAR" Art Director, emphasizing a highly hands-on, results-oriented individual who will take significant ownership. The focus is distinctly on FMCG and retail performance, moving beyond purely aesthetic design to drive commercial success. This suggests a need for candidates who can demonstrate a clear link between their creative output and tangible market results.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute innovative creative concepts across all brands, prioritizing market visibility, strong brand recognition, and measurable sales impact.

• Architect and continuously evolve cohesive brand worlds and visual identities, ensuring consistency and appeal across all touchpoints.

• Proactively challenge existing creative strategies and workflows, driving continuous improvement and innovation rather than mere maintenance.

• Design packaging with a keen understanding of FMCG retail logic: ensuring maximum shelf appeal, brand integrity, and conversion power.

• Create high-performance web, social media, and marketing assets that prioritize effectiveness and sales conversion over pure aesthetics.

• Translate creative ideas into market-ready products rapidly, pragmatically, and efficiently, minimizing delays from feedback loops.

• Integrate and leverage AI tools to optimize creative workflows, enhance speed, and elevate overall creative output.

• Independently lead projects from initial concept ideation through to final product launch and market presence.

• Manage and direct freelance designers and external creative partners, upholding rigorous quality and performance standards.

• Collaborate closely with the Head of Brands and cross-functional teams to ensure integrated brand strategies and execution.

• Adopt a holistic perspective, considering design's impact on product development, communication strategies, and physical retail environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on creative excellence and commercial acumen. The emphasis on "performance," "sales," "conversion," and "market impact" indicates that candidates will be evaluated not just on their design skills, but on their ability to translate those skills into tangible business outcomes within the FMCG and retail sectors. The expectation to "turn ideas into reality quickly, pragmatically and efficiently" suggests a need for agile execution and strong project management capabilities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Art Direction, Visual Communication, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role.

Experience: 2-5+ years of experience in a creative role such as Design, Art Direction, or a closely related field, with a demonstrated track record of success.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong, results-driven portfolio showcasing real-world FMCG or retail design work with proven execution and market impact.

• Figma Proficiency: Very strong skills in Figma, including extensive experience with UI design and web design applications.

• Cross-Disciplinary Design: Proven experience across packaging design, social media content creation, web design, and print collateral.

• FMCG & Retail Acumen: Deep understanding of FMCG design principles, retail environments, and consumer behavior that drives purchasing decisions.

• Performance-Oriented Mindset: Ability to focus on impact, performance, and commercial results, not solely on aesthetics.

• Proactive & Solution-Oriented: A mindset that challenges the status quo, actively seeks improvements, and offers pragmatic solutions.

• Independence & Initiative: Ability to work independently, take ownership of projects, and drive them forward without constant direction.

• Agile Execution: Capacity to execute tasks quickly, pragmatically, and efficiently.

• AI Integration: Practical experience and comfort using AI tools within a daily creative workflow.

• Language Proficiency: Fluency in both German and English.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in managing external creative resources (freelancers, agencies).

• Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools.

• Understanding of broader marketing and brand strategy principles beyond visual design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Qualifikation" section strongly emphasizes practical, market-driven experience over academic credentials. The explicit mention of what "does not fit this role" (purely aesthetic thinking, lack of FMCG interest, rigid processes, waiting for instructions, conceptual vs. execution focus) provides critical insight into the ideal candidate profile. Candidates should prepare to highlight projects where their design directly contributed to sales, shelf presence, or brand growth.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• FMCG/Retail Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies of successful FMCG or retail design projects, emphasizing the strategic thinking, execution, and tangible market results (e.g., increased shelf visibility, sales uplift, brand recognition improvement).

• Packaging Design Examples: Include a selection of packaging designs that demonstrate an understanding of shelf appeal, brand hierarchy, and conversion-driving elements.

• Digital Asset Performance: Present examples of web and social media assets, ideally with data or insights into their performance (e.g., engagement rates, click-through rates, conversion impact).

• Figma Work Samples: Provide examples that highlight advanced Figma skills, including UI/UX considerations for web or digital applications.

• Brand World Development: Illustrate instances where you've built or evolved a brand's visual identity and its application across various channels.

Process Documentation:

• While not explicitly required as a separate submission, be prepared to discuss your design process, including:

  • How you approach concept development and ideation for FMCG brands.

  • Your methodology for translating insights into actionable design solutions.

  • How you manage feedback and iterations to maintain speed and quality.

  • Your approach to integrating AI tools into your workflow for efficiency and creative enhancement.

  • How you ensure brand consistency and strategic alignment throughout the design lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the cornerstone of this application. Candidates must curate their portfolio to directly address the "performance" and "market-driven" aspects highlighted in the job description. Simply showing aesthetically pleasing work will not suffice; it must demonstrate commercial impact and a deep understanding of the FMCG/retail landscape.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on similar Art Director roles in Baar, Switzerland, with 2-5 years of experience in a specialized creative field like FMCG design, the estimated annual gross salary range is CHF 85,000 - CHF 110,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Direct collaboration with the Head of Brands, offering significant mentorship and exposure.

• Opportunity for real impact on brands, products, and their market success, providing a strong sense of contribution.

• Fast decision-making environment, minimizing bureaucratic delays and enabling quick execution.

• High degree of ownership and autonomy, allowing for significant creative freedom and the opportunity to truly build and shape brands.

• Exposure to a fast-growing Swiss company in the Personal Care / FMCG space with a global reach.

Working Hours: Full-time (100%), typically around 40 hours per week, with expectations for agility and responsiveness due to the fast-paced nature of the role and industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on typical Swiss market rates for experienced creative professionals in a specialized sector. International Brands AG's emphasis on "fast decisions" and "high ownership" suggests a dynamic work environment where results are prioritized. The listed benefits strongly align with the company's described culture of empowerment and direct impact.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Personal Care / FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) – a highly competitive sector where shelf presence, consumer appeal, and rapid product cycles are critical.

Company Size: Based on LinkedIn data for International Brands AG, the company likely falls into the 50-200 employee range, suggesting a growing but still agile organization.

Founded: The company was founded prior to 2026, indicating established operations and a history of market presence, with a focus on scaling existing brands and developing new ones.

Team Structure:

• The role reports directly to the Head of Brands, indicating a senior creative position within the brand management function.

• The team likely consists of brand managers, marketing specialists, and potentially other designers or creative support, fostering cross-functional collaboration.

• Operations within this context likely refer to the end-to-end process of bringing a product from concept to market, including design, packaging, and initial marketing asset creation. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on understanding consumer behavior and market dynamics to inform creative decisions, moving beyond purely aesthetic considerations.

• Agile & Efficient Execution: A focus on speed, pragmatism, and minimizing lengthy feedback loops to ensure rapid product development and market entry.

• Performance Optimization: Continuous effort to improve brand visibility, recognition, and sales conversion through design and creative strategy.

• Ownership & Initiative: A culture that encourages individuals to take full responsibility for their projects and drive them forward proactively.

Company Website: https://www.internationalbrands.ch

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by speed, ownership, and a results-oriented approach, particularly within the FMCG/retail context. The "SUPERSTAR" branding for this role suggests they are seeking top-tier talent who can thrive in a dynamic, high-impact environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-level to senior individual contributor role, equivalent to an Art Director or Senior Brand Designer. It offers significant responsibility and ownership over the visual and creative output for multiple brands, directly impacting their market success.

Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the Head of Brands, providing a clear line of communication and strategic alignment with senior leadership. This offers exposure to high-level brand strategy and decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Art Director's work will have a direct and measurable impact on the company's revenue and market position. By creating designs that drive consumer attention and conversion at shelf and online, this role is instrumental in achieving sales targets and building brand equity within the competitive FMCG landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

• Brand Leadership: Potential to grow into a Brand Lead or Creative Director role, managing larger teams and broader brand portfolios.

• Strategic Influence: Deepen influence on overall brand strategy, product development, and market positioning through demonstrated creative and commercial success.

• Skill Specialization: Develop expertise in specific areas of FMCG design, digital brand building, or AI-driven creative workflows.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain hands-on experience in scaling brands within a fast-growing company, valuable for future entrepreneurial pursuits.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a significant opportunity for a designer who wants to move beyond pure execution and have a tangible impact on brand growth and commercial success. The direct reporting line and emphasis on ownership suggest a fast track for high performers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting specifies "On-site" in Baar, Switzerland, indicating a physical office environment. This suggests a preference for in-person collaboration, brainstorming, and hands-on work.

Office Location(s): Baar, Zug, Switzerland. This is a well-connected location within Switzerland, offering a professional business environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on working closely with the Head of Brands and cross-functional teams suggests a collaborative workspace designed to facilitate idea exchange and project synergy.

• Tools & Technology: Expect access to industry-standard design software (especially Figma), potentially AI tools, and necessary hardware for high-quality creative output.

• Hands-on Approach: The workspace likely supports a dynamic, "builder" mentality where designers are actively involved in all stages of product development and creative execution.

Work Schedule: Full-time (100%), typically around 40 hours per week. However, the fast-paced nature of FMCG and the "hands-on, fast" expectation may require flexibility and responsiveness outside of standard hours to meet project deadlines and market demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement points towards a company culture that values in-person interaction, spontaneous collaboration, and direct oversight, which can be beneficial for fast-paced creative projects.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application & Portfolio Review: Submission of CV and a strong portfolio showcasing relevant FMCG/retail work.

• Creative Challenge/Case Study: Likely a practical exercise or a deep dive into portfolio case studies, focusing on problem-solving, strategic thinking, and execution for FMCG brands. Expect to discuss how you'd approach specific design challenges for their brands.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about your experience, approach to design, understanding of FMCG market dynamics, and cultural fit. Behavioral questions assessing ownership, speed, and proactivity will be key.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss overall vision and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select projects that clearly demonstrate your ability to drive market performance, shelf appeal, and consumer conversion in FMCG/retail. Quantify results wherever possible (e.g., "Increased shelf penetration by X%", "Contributed to Y% sales growth").

• Show Your Process: For key case studies, briefly explain your thought process, problem identification, creative solutions, and execution steps. Highlight how you used insights into consumer behavior.

• Figma & AI Showcase: Explicitly point out your Figma skills and how you've integrated AI tools into your workflow to enhance efficiency or creativity.

• Brand World Consistency: Demonstrate your ability to build and maintain a consistent visual identity across various applications.

• Tailor to International Brands: If possible, subtly align your portfolio presentation with the style and market of International Brands AG's current or aspirational brands.

Challenge Preparation:

• FMCG Design Principles: Refresh your knowledge of current FMCG packaging trends, retail shelf dynamics, and what captures consumer attention.

• AI Tool Application: Be ready to discuss specific AI tools you use and how they can be applied to accelerate design workflows, generate concepts, or refine assets.

• Ownership Scenarios: Prepare examples of how you've taken initiative, driven projects independently, and solved problems proactively in previous roles.

• Speed & Pragmatism: Think about how you balance quality with speed, and how you make pragmatic decisions to move projects forward efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to deliver commercially successful designs within the FMCG context. Candidates should be prepared to articulate not just what they designed, but why and how it performed in the market, with a strong emphasis on their hands-on, results-driven approach.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential and required at a very high skill level for UI and web design, and likely for broader asset creation and prototyping.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is assumed for comprehensive graphic design, packaging, and print work.

• AI Tools: Actively leveraging AI for concept generation, asset creation, workflow enhancement, and potentially image editing (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E, Adobe Firefly, or similar).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not the primary focus, familiarity with tools that track digital asset performance (e.g., social media analytics, web analytics) would be beneficial for understanding the impact of created assets. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core design role, but an understanding of how design assets integrate into marketing automation platforms or CRM campaigns could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for "Very strong Figma skills" highlights this as a critical technical competency. The emphasis on AI tools indicates a forward-thinking approach to design technology and a need for candidates to be adaptable and innovative.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Performance & Results: A strong emphasis on achieving tangible outcomes, driving sales, and making a measurable impact in the market.

• Ownership & Accountability: Individuals are expected to take full responsibility for their work, projects, and outcomes, acting as builders rather than just executors.

• Speed & Agility: A culture that values rapid execution, pragmatic decision-making, and efficient workflows to stay competitive.

• Innovation & Improvement: A continuous drive to challenge existing methods, explore new ideas (including AI), and improve processes and outcomes.

• Holistic Brand Building: A belief that design is integral to the entire product lifecycle, from concept and packaging to market presence and consumer experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Direct & Pragmatic: Collaboration is likely characterized by clear communication, a focus on project goals, and efficient problem-solving, minimizing unnecessary alignment.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close working relationships with brand management and potentially product development teams are crucial for ensuring design aligns with overall brand strategy and market needs.

• Feedback-Driven Improvement: Openness to constructive feedback and iterative refinement of designs to achieve optimal market performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values align directly with the "SUPERSTAR" persona they are seeking: proactive, results-driven individuals who can operate with autonomy and contribute significantly to brand growth in a fast-paced environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: The need to execute quickly while maintaining high creative standards and strategic alignment for FMCG products.

• Driving Market Impact: Translating creative concepts into designs that demonstrably improve shelf presence, consumer engagement, and sales performance in a competitive market.

• Adapting to Evolving Trends: Staying ahead of design trends, consumer preferences, and technological advancements (like AI) within the dynamic FMCG sector.

• Managing Multiple Brands: Effectively juggling creative demands and strategic priorities across a portfolio of diverse brands.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design & AI Skills: Opportunities to deepen expertise in Figma, explore new AI creative applications, and refine packaging and digital design techniques.

• Brand Strategy Immersion: Gain in-depth understanding of FMCG brand development, market positioning, and commercial strategy through close collaboration with the Head of Brands.

• Project & Process Ownership: Develop strong project management and leadership skills by taking full ownership of brand creative initiatives.

• Industry Exposure: Work within a fast-growing company with a global reach in the Personal Care / FMCG market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are framed as opportunities for growth, particularly in developing a robust blend of creative talent and commercial acumen. The company's emphasis on building brands suggests a strong developmental path for ambitious designers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed packaging for an FMCG product. What was your strategic approach, and what were the measurable results?" (Focus on shelf appeal, conversion, and any data you can share.)

• "How would you approach building a visual identity for a new brand in the personal care space, considering both shelf impact and digital presence?" (Demonstrate understanding of FMCG/retail logic and brand consistency.)

• "Imagine a scenario where you need to launch a new marketing campaign asset quickly. How would you leverage AI tools to accelerate your workflow while maintaining quality and brand integrity?" (Showcase practical AI application and efficiency.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What does 'performance-driven design' mean to you in the context of FMCG?" (Align with their emphasis on results over pure aesthetics.)

• "How do you embody 'ownership' in your creative process?" (Provide examples of taking initiative and driving projects.)

• "What are your thoughts on our current brands [mention a specific brand if known]? How might you approach evolving their visual identity?" (Show research and strategic thinking.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each selected case study, craft a narrative that highlights the problem, your creative solution, your process (including Figma/AI use), and the positive market outcome.

• Quantify Everything Possible: Use numbers, percentages, and specific metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work.

• Focus on FMCG/Retail: Ensure the selected projects directly relate to the job requirements and showcase your understanding of this specific market.

• Be Prepared for Live Design Critiques: They might present a hypothetical design challenge or ask you to critique an existing design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating a commercial mindset and a proven ability to deliver results in the FMCG/retail sector, supported by a strong portfolio and practical examples of your design process and tool utilization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this SUPERSTAR Brand Designer / Art Director position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on join.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Carefully curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 key FMCG/retail projects that best demonstrate your ability to drive market performance, shelf appeal, and sales conversion. Ensure these projects showcase your Figma skills and any experience with AI tools.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize relevant experience (2-5+ years), specific skills (Figma, FMCG design, packaging, brand identity), and achievements that align with the "performance-driven" and "ownership" aspects of the role.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, how you approach FMCG challenges, and how you leverage AI. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to ownership, speed, and problem-solving.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review International Brands AG's website and their existing brands. Understand their market position, target audience, and overall brand aesthetic to tailor your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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.