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: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing / Retail

Date Posted: 2026-10-03

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual and creative direction of multiple consumer brands with a strong emphasis on FMCG market performance and retail impact.

• Develop and refine brand worlds, packaging, and marketing assets to ensure consistent brand identity and maximize consumer engagement and conversion.

• Actively challenge existing creative strategies and processes to implement innovative solutions that enhance speed, quality, and market effectiveness.

• Leverage AI and modern tools to optimize creative workflows, accelerate project delivery, and improve overall output quality.

• Take ownership of projects from ideation through to final product realization, including managing external freelancers and partners.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a hands-on "maker" rather than a manager, emphasizing direct contribution to brand development and market success. The focus is on tangible results in the FMCG/retail space, with a clear directive to prioritize performance and conversion over purely aesthetic considerations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the development and execution of creative concepts across all brands, prioritizing market visibility, brand recognition, and impact.

• Construct, sharpen, and evolve robust brand worlds that maintain a consistent creative signature and resonate with target consumers.

• Proactively identify opportunities to improve existing creative output and processes, rejecting the status quo in favor of continuous enhancement.

• Design impactful packaging that adheres to FMCG logic: attention-grabbing, brand-aligned, and optimized for conversion at the point of sale.

• Create compelling designs for digital platforms (web, social media) and marketing collateral, focusing on performance metrics rather than solely aesthetic appeal.

• Implement ideas pragmatically and efficiently, avoiding protracted approval cycles and maintaining swift project momentum.

• Utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) and contemporary tools to continuously enhance workflow efficiency, speed of execution, and creative output quality.

• Manage projects autonomously from initial conception to the final market-ready product, ensuring all deliverables meet high standards.

• Oversee and direct freelancers and external creative partners, maintaining a rigorous quality control and brand consistency.

• Foster close collaborative relationships with the Head of Brands and cross-functional team members to ensure holistic brand alignment.

• Maintain a comprehensive perspective on brand representation, encompassing product design, communication strategies, and physical retail environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong bias towards action and market-driven creativity. The emphasis on "challenging existing" and "improving" suggests a dynamic environment where innovation and proactive problem-solving are highly valued. The explicit mention of AI indicates a forward-thinking approach to creative workflows.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational qualifications are not detailed, the emphasis on practical experience and a strong portfolio suggests that a degree in Graphic Design, Art Direction, Marketing, or a related field would be beneficial but not strictly mandatory if compensated by demonstrable skills and experience.

Experience: 2-5+ years of experience in a creative role such as design, art direction, or a similar capacity.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in Art Direction and Brand Design, with a portfolio showcasing tangible results.

• Deep understanding and practical application of FMCG Design principles and retail market dynamics.

• Proficiency in Figma for UI and web design, coupled with experience in creating engaging web and social media assets.

• Expertise in Packaging Design, with a clear focus on market impact and consumer conversion.

• Strong grasp of Consumer Behavior and decision-making processes relevant to retail environments.

• Demonstrated ability to challenge established norms and drive continuous improvement in creative output.

• A results-oriented mindset, prioritizing market performance and effectiveness over purely aesthetic considerations.

• Excellent self-management skills, enabling independent, fast-paced, and solution-oriented work.

• Proactive initiative and a drive to actively advance projects and take ownership.

• Experience with AI tools for creative workflow enhancement.

• Fluency in both German and English (written and spoken). Preferred Skills:

• Experience in Print Design and the development of marketing collateral.

• Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools to effectively steer projects.

• Understanding of conversion optimization strategies applicable to both digital and physical retail spaces.

• Experience in managing and directing freelance creative talent and external agencies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications strongly emphasize practical, market-facing experience in FMCG and retail. The "what doesn't fit" section explicitly disqualifies candidates with a purely aesthetic focus or those who are not proactive or comfortable with speed and execution, underscoring the role's performance-driven nature.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a minimum of 2-5 years of relevant creative work, with a distinct focus on FMCG and retail projects.

• Evidence of tangible results and market impact from previous design and art direction initiatives, not just conceptual work.

• Case studies demonstrating the development of brand worlds, packaging, and marketing assets that led to measurable improvements in visibility, recognition, or conversion.

• Examples of designs for web, social media, and print that clearly articulate a performance-driven approach.

• Demonstrations of how AI tools were integrated into the creative process to enhance efficiency or output quality. Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have proactively challenged and improved existing creative processes or workflows.

• Case studies illustrating the end-to-end project management of creative initiatives, from ideation to market implementation.

• Documentation of how you have collaborated with cross-functional teams (e.g., Head of Brands) to achieve cohesive brand strategies.

• Evidence of effective management and direction of external freelancers or agencies to achieve specific project goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical and must explicitly demonstrate success in FMCG/retail contexts, with quantifiable results. The emphasis is on practical application, efficiency, and market impact, aligning with the role's "maker" ethos.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the experience level (2-5 years), location (Baar, Switzerland), and the demanding, high-impact nature of the role, a competitive salary range can be estimated. For a Brand Designer/Art Director with this experience in Switzerland, the typical annual gross salary could range from CHF 85,000 to CHF 115,000. This estimate considers Switzerland's high cost of living and strong compensation standards for creative professionals.

Benefits:

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

• The chance to have a genuine and substantial influence on the success and direction of multiple brands and products in the market.

• An environment characterized by fast decision-making processes, minimizing bureaucratic delays and enabling rapid progress.

• A high degree of personal responsibility and autonomy, providing ample scope to drive initiatives and make a tangible impact.

• Opportunity to work with a growing Swiss company in the Personal Care / FMCG sector.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week is standard for a full-time role in Switzerland. The description implies a fast-paced, hands-on environment where efficiency and output are key, suggesting that while hours are standard, the focus is on results rather than strict timekeeping.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on average compensation data for similar roles in Switzerland, factoring in the specified experience level and the specialized FMCG/retail focus. Benefits are directly extracted from the provided text and highlight key advantages of the role and company culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The company operates within the Personal Care / FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) sector, focusing on developing and scaling brands that achieve significant market presence and sales. They emphasize brands that are "fast, visible, tangible, and scalable."

Company Size: International Brands AG is described as a "fast-growing Swiss company." While an exact number isn't provided, this suggests a dynamic and expanding organization, likely mid-sized, where individual contributions can have a significant impact.

Founded: The founding date is not specified, but the company's growth trajectory and established presence in tens of thousands of retail points worldwide indicate a mature yet rapidly evolving business.

Team Structure:

• The operations team appears to be lean and highly collaborative, with a direct reporting line to the Head of Brands.

• The structure fosters quick decision-making and minimizes hierarchical layers, enabling agility and rapid execution.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, with the Art Director working closely with brand strategy and product development to ensure cohesive market presence. Methodology:

• Data-driven approach to brand development, focusing on market performance, consumer behavior, and conversion rates.

• Emphasis on agile and efficient creative processes, leveraging modern tools and AI to accelerate workflows.

• A pragmatic approach to design, where creativity is directly tied to tangible business outcomes and market success.

• Continuous improvement mindset, actively seeking to challenge and enhance existing strategies and executions.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by speed, direct impact, and a pragmatic, results-oriented approach to brand building within the competitive FMCG/retail landscape. The emphasis is on "makers" who can drive tangible market success.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor, an "Art Director" who is a "superstar" and a "maker." It is not a managerial role but one where the individual is expected to lead creative vision and execution for multiple brands. The scope is broad, covering packaging, brand worlds, digital assets, and more, with significant autonomy.

Reporting Structure: The Art Director reports directly to the Head of Brands, indicating a close working relationship and direct influence on strategic brand decisions. This structure facilitates rapid feedback loops and quick decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Art Director's impact is central to the company's success. By creating designs that "stop the shelf," gain attention, and drive sales, they directly contribute to revenue generation and brand market share. The role is framed as building brands that "sell" and turning creativity into "performance."

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Leadership: Develop deep expertise in FMCG/retail branding and creative strategy, potentially leading larger creative initiatives or becoming a key creative authority within the company.

• Skill Expansion: Gain extensive experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented company, mastering rapid execution, AI integration, and market-responsive design.

• Strategic Influence: Grow from executing creative concepts to contributing more significantly to brand strategy and market positioning, leveraging a proven track record of performance-driven design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Growth in this role is likely to be defined by increased scope, strategic input, and mastery of performance-driven creative execution within the FMCG/retail domain, rather than traditional hierarchical advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "On-site" in Baar, Switzerland. This suggests a traditional office environment where in-person collaboration, quick discussions, and team synergy are valued.

Office Location(s): Baar, Zug, Switzerland. This location is known for its business-friendly environment and accessibility.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is likely dynamic and fast-paced, reflecting the company's growth and emphasis on speed and execution.

• Collaboration is key, with direct interaction with the Head of Brands and other team members.

• Access to modern tools and technology, including AI, is explicitly mentioned, supporting an efficient and innovative work environment.

• The environment is designed for individuals who thrive on taking ownership and driving projects to completion.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time working hours (estimated 40 hours/week) are expected, with a strong focus on achieving results and meeting project deadlines rather than adhering to rigid time constraints. The culture appears to favor efficiency and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement and emphasis on direct collaboration and fast decision-making point to a highly interactive and agile office setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess relevant experience, skills, and alignment with FMCG/retail focus.

• Creative Challenge/Case Study: Candidates will likely be presented with a hypothetical brand challenge or asked to present a detailed case study from their portfolio, focusing on problem-solving, strategic thinking, and market impact.

• Portfolio Presentation: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, discussing specific projects, design decisions, creative processes, and quantifiable results.

• Team/Stakeholder Interview: Meeting with the Head of Brands and potentially other key team members to assess cultural fit, collaborative style, and ability to articulate creative vision and strategy.

• Final Evaluation: Assessment of overall fit, creative prowess, understanding of market dynamics, and potential to drive brand performance.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• FMCG/Retail Focus: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature your strongest FMCG and retail projects. Clearly articulate the brand's objectives, your role, the creative solutions, and most importantly, the measurable outcomes (e.g., increased shelf visibility, sales uplift, brand recognition improvements).

• Performance Over Aesthetics: While visual quality is important, emphasize how your designs solved business problems, drove consumer behavior, and achieved specific performance targets. Use data and metrics where possible.

• Process & AI Integration: Be prepared to discuss your creative process, including how you approach concept development, iteration, and execution. Highlight instances where you utilized AI tools to enhance speed, efficiency, or creative output.

• Brand World Cohesion: Showcase your ability to develop and maintain consistent brand identities across various touchpoints (packaging, digital, print).

• Conciseness & Clarity: Present your work clearly and concisely. Be ready to articulate your rationale behind design choices and their intended impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand FMCG Dynamics: Familiarize yourself with current trends, successful packaging strategies, and consumer behavior in the personal care and FMCG sectors.

• Think Performance-Driven: Practice framing creative solutions in terms of market impact, conversion rates, and ROI.

• AI Integration: Consider how AI could be leveraged to solve creative challenges related to speed, variation, or concept generation.

• Articulate Your Process: Be ready to explain your creative workflow and how you manage projects from start to finish, especially under tight deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's practical experience and proven ability to deliver results in the FMCG/retail sector. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating this capability.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI and web design; proficiency is a requirement.

• Adobe Creative Suite (implied): While not explicitly stated, standard design tools like Photoshop and Illustrator are typically expected for packaging, print, and broader graphic design tasks.

• AI Tools: Actively utilized for workflow optimization, speed enhancement, and creative output improvement. Specific tools are not named, suggesting a willingness to adopt relevant AI technologies.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not direct responsibilities of an Art Director, an understanding of performance metrics and analytics related to marketing assets (web, social) will be crucial for demonstrating the impact of designs. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the core responsibilities of this Art Director role, focus is on creative output and market performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and AI tools highlights the company's commitment to modern, efficient creative workflows. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and willingness to adopt new technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Performance & Results: A core value is to create designs that "sell" and drive market success, prioritizing tangible outcomes over purely aesthetic considerations.

• Speed & Efficiency: The company values rapid execution, pragmatic implementation, and continuous workflow optimization, often leveraging AI.

• Proactivity & Ownership: Employees are expected to take initiative, challenge the status quo, and own their projects from conception to completion, rather than waiting for direction.

• Innovation & Improvement: A culture of constantly questioning existing methods and actively seeking better ways to achieve goals, particularly in creative and market-facing areas.

• Brand Integrity: Maintaining a consistent and strong brand identity across all touchpoints is paramount.

Collaboration Style:

• Direct & Agile: Collaboration is characterized by quick decision-making and close working relationships, particularly with the Head of Brands.

• Cross-Functional: The Art Director will work closely with brand strategy and other teams to ensure that creative output aligns with overall business objectives.

• Hands-on & Pragmatic: The team operates with a "maker" mentality, focusing on practical execution and problem-solving rather than theoretical discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture is geared towards individuals who are proactive, results-driven, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, demanding environment where direct impact is highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Aesthetics with Performance: Continuously ensuring that creative output is not only visually appealing but also highly effective in driving market performance and consumer conversion in a competitive FMCG landscape.

• Maintaining Speed and Quality: Executing projects with high quality and speed in a fast-growing company, managing multiple brands and diverse creative needs simultaneously.

• Driving Innovation: Proactively identifying and implementing new creative approaches, technologies (like AI), and strategies to keep brands competitive and engaging.

• Adapting to Market Demands: Staying ahead of evolving consumer trends and retail dynamics to ensure brand relevance and effectiveness.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep FMCG/Retail Expertise: Develop unparalleled insight into what makes brands succeed at the point of sale and in consumer perception within the personal care sector.

• Agile Creative Leadership: Master rapid creative execution, project management, and stakeholder communication in a high-growth, dynamic environment.

• Technology Adoption: Gain hands-on experience and expertise in leveraging AI and other modern tools to enhance creative workflows and output.

• Strategic Brand Building: Contribute directly to the growth and success of multiple brands, gaining experience in building market-leading products from a creative perspective.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for growth through direct impact and hands-on learning in a high-performance creative environment, specifically within the demanding FMCG/retail sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance purely aesthetic design goals with strict performance or conversion targets. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating market-driven decision-making.)

• "How would you approach developing a new packaging concept for a product in the [specific FMCG category, e.g., skincare, haircare] market to ensure it stands out on a crowded shelf and drives impulse purchases?" (Prepare to discuss shelf impact, target audience, and conversion drivers.)

• "Given our focus on speed and efficiency, how do you typically manage your creative workflow for multiple projects simultaneously, and how do you integrate new tools like AI into your process?" (Highlight project management skills and AI adoption.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you understand about International Brands AG's approach to building brands, and how does your creative philosophy align with our emphasis on market performance and tangible results?" (Research company values and demonstrate understanding.)

• "Describe your ideal collaborative environment. How do you work with stakeholders who may have different priorities, such as sales or product development?" (Emphasize collaboration, communication, and alignment with business goals.)

• "How do you measure the success of your creative work beyond just client approval?" (Prepare to discuss metrics, ROI, and market impact.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each project, tell a clear story: the challenge, your role and approach, the creative solution, and the measurable results. Quantify impact whenever possible.

• Focus on FMCG/Retail: Highlight projects that specifically demonstrate your understanding of consumer behavior, shelf appeal, and conversion in retail environments.

• Showcase Process & Tools: Be prepared to walk through your design process, including how you used Figma and any AI tools, and how these contributed to the final outcome.

• Conciseness: Present your strongest work efficiently. Be ready to answer detailed questions about your decisions and their rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh practical application, market understanding, and the ability to deliver tangible results. Candidates should prepare to defend their design decisions with data and strategic reasoning.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Brand Designer / Art Director position:

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

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your most impactful FMCG and retail projects. For each, clearly articulate the problem, your creative solution, your process (including any AI use), and critically, the measurable results (e.g., sales lift, improved shelf visibility, increased engagement).

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 2-5+ years of experience in Art Direction/Brand Design, emphasizing skills relevant to FMCG, retail, packaging, Figma, and performance-driven creative. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling, strategic rationale, and quantifiable outcomes. Be ready to discuss your approach to market challenges and how you drive performance through design.

• Research International Brands AG: Understand their brands, their market position, and their stated values regarding speed, performance, and innovation. Be prepared to articulate how your skills and mindset align with their culture.

⚠️ 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.

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