Principal Visual Designer (m/f/div)

This role is part of our Experience & Engineering team in DACH. We combine technology and experience design to create emotive yet conversion-focused ideas, products, and campaigns at scale and speed. Our specialty is digital experiences and communication that change perceptions and shape new behaviours to make a difference in the market.

JOB PURPOSE

As a Principal Visual Designer, you’ll shape the visual future of one of our key clients in DACH. Combining strategic leadership, strong stakeholder communication, and deep system thinking, you’ll transform a fragmented design landscape into a consistent, high-quality user experience. Your vision sets the standard – for teams, for products, and ultimately for millions of users.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and develop a clear, forward-thinking UI design vision for one of our key clients in close collaboration with an internal UX director.
• Ensure design quality across teams through structured reviews, feedback, and mentoring.
• Support the development and evolution of a scalable multi-brand design-system.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Product, UX, Tech) to ensure a cohesive user experience across all touchpoints.
• Identify and resolve structural issues in UI processes and standards.
• Foster a design-driven culture through knowledge sharing, best practices, and inspirational leadership.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 10+ years of experience in digital product design, including experience in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of building and leading design teams, and implementing (multi-brand) design systems.
• Strong stakeholder management and strategic communication skills across all levels of an organization.
• Deep understanding of modern UI principles, state of the art experience designs, good knowledge in accessibility requirements, and technology-enabled design workflows.
• Hands-on mindset: you're both a visionary and a doer.
• Ideally, you live in Switzerland or Germany so that you can regularly work on-site at one of our DEPT offices in Zürich, Hamburg, Cologne or Berlin, as well as on-site with our clients in DACH.

WE OFFER

• The benefits depend upon the location where you apply from, so feel free to check with the recruiter.
• Flexible, hybrid working policy (1-2 days at the office, depending on location);
• Company pension scheme.
• Social events, plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues through organised activities and celebrations.
• A reputation for doing good. DEPT has been a Certified B Corp since 2021 and named ‘Agency of the Year’ at both The Lovies and The Webby Awards.
• Awesome clients. Whether big or small, local or global — at DEPT you’ll get the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes and across all industries. And we celebrate all of our successes together!
• The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications.
• Global annual DEPT Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities.

WHO ARE WE?

We are pioneers at heart. What does that mean? We are always looking forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating.

Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 30+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients problems, no matter where you are in the world.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

At DEPT, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.

We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.