Digital Designer Intern

Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicis Groupe Africa is seeking a Digital Designer Intern to join our Johannesburg-based team for a 12-month internship starting March 2027. You will work across disciplines including creativity, strategy, data and technology, gaining hands-on experience in a live studio environment.

Ideal candidates are completing or have completed a Diploma, Degree or Higher Certificate in Digital Design, with strong portfolio work and familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Qualifications

• Currently completing or recently completed a Diploma, Degree or Higher Certificate in Digital Design.
• Foundational working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign.
• Portfolio demonstrating creative thinking and design ability, including academic, personal and freelance projects.
• Understanding of designing for social media and digital platforms across channels.
• An interest in digital trends, social media, technology and popular culture.

Responsibilities

• Stay up to date with digital platforms and trends.
• Manage your creative process on projects.
• Collaborate with Strategists, Developers, Media, Accounts, etc.
• Contribute to pitches for new business and campaigns.
• Design across multiple channels and deliver against a deliverables list.
• Lead craft and design of ideas and present to clients when required.

Skills

Social platforms knowledge

Adobe Creative Cloud

Creative thinking

Education

Diploma/ Degree in Digital Design

Interaction Design

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe InDesign

Adobe After Effects

Figma

Job description

Company description

Publicis Groupe is a global leader in communication and is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation.

Publicis Groupe Africa has opened applications for Le Cubs 2027, its flagship 12-month internship programme designed to give young South African graduates meaningful workplace experience and an opportunity to build future‑ready careers in the marketing and communications industry.

Starting in March 2027, successful applicants will join teams across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, gaining hands‑on experience in disciplines including creativity, strategy, human resources, data, technology, AI, media and business support.

Le Cubs is designed to bridge the gap between tertiary education and the workplace, giving graduates the opportunity to move beyond theory, contribute to real work, learn from industry professionals and develop practical skills in a connected, collaborative environment.

Overview

• Title: Digital Designer Intern
• Location: CAPE TOWN
• Reporting To: Senior Digital Designer/Group Head/Creative Director

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

As a Digital Designer Intern you will work with our passionate, multi‑talented studio delivering on exceptional, integrated concepts and designs to exceed client briefs and expectations.

A Digital Designer Intern can expect to be craft‑led and platform neutral conceptual thinkers, in particular having an understanding of all major social platforms as well as being comfortable executing work on these platforms as well as any digital format. Should a desire to transform companies by creating beautiful, intuitive, and human‑centred products and experiences.

The successful candidate will be tuned into all aspects of South African popular culture and the platforms and media it plays in, as well as have a strong point of view on what it takes to win in this space.

Responsibilities

Duties include, but not limited to:

What you’ll do everyday

• Be up to date with digital platforms
• Manage your creative process on projects
• Work with other disciplines (Strategists, Developers, Media, Accounts, etc.)
• Be a champion for digital innovation on every project you touch
• Participate in pitches for new business
• Define or apply the aesthetic of overall campaigns
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Generate ideas and sell them into clients or other members of the team
• Mock up creative ideas
• Design across multiple channels
• Consistently produce creative elements against a deliverables list
• Participate in brainstorms & conceptualisation
• Lead the craft & design of your idea
• Compile presentations for clients and learn to present
• Attend client briefings & if required, present to clients

Qualifications

• Currently completing or recently completed a Diploma, Degree or Higher Certificate in Digital Design, Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Multimedia Design,
• Interaction Design or a related creative field.
• Foundational working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly:
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe After Effects would be advantageous
• Basic understanding of digital design principles, typography, layout, colour and visual composition.
• An understanding of designing for social media and digital platforms, including the different formats and specifications required across channels.
• A portfolio or student body of work demonstrating creative thinking and design ability. Academic, personal and freelance projects are welcome.
• Basic understanding of UI/UX principles and tools such as Figma would be advantageous.
• An interest in digital trends, social media, technology and popular culture.
• No previous agency or professional experience required.

THE PERSON

• Great time management
• Ability to work under pressure & meet tight deadlines
• Adopt problem solving skills
• Strong communication skills with ability to provide rationales for creative choices made
• Adequate presentation skills
• Working knowledge of existing and emerging technologies & platforms
• A strong understanding of best practice interaction and visual design principles
• Able to work with team members

OPERATIONAL KPI’S

• Ability of design work (Show minimum of 4 examples)
• Must show an understanding of various programmes

Working knowledge of these tools

• Illustrator
• Photoshop
• Indesign
• After Effects (Advantageous)
• KeyNote / PowerPoint
• Spark AR Studio
• AdobeXD (UI/UX)
• Figma
• Google Web Designer & DV360 (Advantageous)
• Facebook Creative Hub (Advantageous)
• 3D Animation & Production (Advantageous)

Additional information

Publicis Groupe Africa is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan.

All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to candidates from designated groups. Interested candidates must please submit a concise CV including a link to your portfolio if necessary. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks after submitting your application, please consider your application as unsuccessful.

COMPANY VALUES

TRUST

Trust is the cornerstone upon which we build our relationships. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of how a partner should behave. We treat our people and our clients with respect, transparency and honesty

TALENT

This is first and foremost a people business. We are committed to ensuring Publicis Groupe is a destination for the best talent in our industry. We value people as individuals, growing ourselves as we grow our client’s business

TRANSFORMATION

True transformation comes when we stop managing change, and instead initiate change. We believe in our purpose to be the admired force for business transformation. We believe that focusing on performance and results has the power to transform client business