Digital Designer

Build-A-Bear; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Build-A-Bear is seeking a Digital Designer to bring the brand to life through visual storytelling across web, email, CRM, paid media, social, and retail channels. The role emphasizes brand communications and digital experiences rather than product design, requiring strong typography, layout, and creative problem-solving.

Responsibilities include developing visual concepts, evolving branding systems for owned IP, and collaborating with Brand, Marketing, Copy, Photography, and eCommerce teams to

Qualifications

• 4+ years of digital design, graphic design, advertising, marketing, or related creative experience.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and hands-on design across multiple channels (web, email, CRM, paid media, social).
• Exceptional design craft with typography, layout, and visual storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Translate briefs into compelling visual concepts and channel-specific design solutions.
• Design assets across web, email, CRM, paid media, social, and digital channels.
• Contribute to seasonal campaigns, product launches, and major brand moments.
• Develop and evolve visual identities and branding systems for Build-A-Bear IPs.
• Adapt campaign creative across channels while maintaining brand integrity.
• Collaborate with Brand, Marketing, Copy, Photography, and eCommerce teams to develop integrated campaigns.
• Champion design craft with typography, composition, color, and visual hierarchy.
• Stay informed on design trends and new tools to inspire innovation.
• Explore AI-powered tools to expand creative possibilities.
• Present design concepts to stakeholders and leadership, and manage multiple projects.

Skills

Digital design

Brand storytelling

Typography

Design systems

Cross-channel design

Collaborative work

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

The Digital Designer is responsible for bringing the Build-A-Bear brand to life through compelling visual storytelling. This role develops visual concepts, brand and campaign creative, digital design systems, and channel-specific creative assets that create emotional connections with guests, celebrate the power of imagination and self-expression, and support meaningful brand experiences across every stage of the guest journey.

The Digital Designer possesses exceptional design craft, remains deeply engaged with evolving design trends and technologies, and actively contributes new tools, methodologies, and perspectives that help strengthen the creative organization. They are passionate about typography, composition, visual storytelling, and the details that transform creative from expected to memorable.

Note that this role focuses on brand communications, marketing creative, and digital brand experiences rather than product design.

Responsibilities:

• Translate strategic briefs, campaign objectives, consumer insights, and business goals into compelling and commercially effective visual concepts, campaign creative, and channel-specific design solutions.
• Design and execute creative assets across web, email, CRM, paid media, social media, digital marketing, retail marketing, and other brand communication channels.
• Contribute to seasonal campaigns, product launches, promotional initiatives, licensing programs, collaborations, wholesale initiatives, and major brand moments.
• Develop and evolve visual identities, branding systems, and creative frameworks for Build-A-Bear owned intellectual property, helping shape how proprietary characters and collections come to life across consumer touchpoints.
• Adapt and extend campaign creative across channels while maintaining consistency, quality, and brand integrity.
• Partner closely with Brand, Marketing, Copy, Photography, Print & Environmental Design, Social Media, eCommerce, and Merchandising teams to concept and develop integrated campaigns from initial idea through execution.
• Champion exceptional design craft through thoughtful application of typography, composition, color, imagery, motion, and visual hierarchy.
• Stay informed on emerging design trends, technologies, consumer behaviors, and creative best practices that may influence guest engagement and brand communication.
• Explore and introduce new tools, technologies, and creative methodologies that inspire innovation, strengthen concept development, and elevate the quality of creative work.
• Partner with creative and marketing teams to leverage AI-powered tools and emerging technologies that expand creative possibilities, inspire new approaches, and support the evolution of the design function.
• Present creative recommendations and design concepts confidently to stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Manage multiple projects and priorities while delivering high-quality work.

Required Qualifications:

• 4+ years of digital design, graphic design, advertising, marketing, or related creative experience.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating both conceptual thinking and hands‑on design execution across multiple channels, including web, email, CRM, paid media, and social media.
• Exceptional design craft with expertise in typography, layout, composition, visual storytelling, and creative problem solving.
• Familiarity with digital accessibility standards, user-centered design principles, and evolving digital experience best practices.
• Ability to translate business objectives and guest insights into compelling visual communication.
• Strong collaboration skills with copywriters, marketers, photographers, social media teams, developers, and business partners.
• Passion for design excellence, continuous learning, innovation, and advancing the creative discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with motion design, animation, video editing, or digital content creation.
• Proficiency in Figma.
• Proficiency in Adobe After Effects.
• Experience using AI-powered creative tools and technologies as a catalyst for ideation, concept exploration, visual storytelling, and creative innovation.
• Experience in retail, entertainment, toys, licensing, consumer products, lifestyle, or family-focused brands.

Behavioral Traits for Success:

• Methodical problem solving
• High accuracy and quality standards
• Craftsmanship and practical execution
• Commitment to mastery
• Independent, focused work style
• Structured, organized workflow
• Reserved, factual communication
• Steady persistence and follow-through
• Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs.
• Corporate Office located St. Louis, MO.

Your Performance Will Measured On:

Your performance will be measured by your ability to achieve annual department objectives and corporate goals which include but are not limited to the following:

• Decision‑making, judgment, and execution
• Distinctive and emotionally engaging creative.
• Quality and effectiveness of campaign execution.
• Stewardship of Build-A-Bear's visual brand standards.
• Creative innovation and adoption of emerging technologies.
• Stakeholder feedback and cross‑functional partnership.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.