Senior Designer - Beauty
Zuru · Auckland
About ZURU
ZURU is a reimagination company. We look for categories that have stood still, then we build next-generation products and brands that set the new standard. ZURU Toys is reimagining play. ZURU Edge is reinventing everyday consumer brands. Rhodes Pet Science is reimagining pet science. ZURU Tech is leading the next building revolution.
ZURU started in 2003 with two brothers from New Zealand, and we're still founder-owned and operated today. Since then we've become the world's second-biggest privately held toy company, and nearly half of all Gen Y and Gen Z households with kids in the US own a ZURU product. Today we're 5,000 people in 34 offices, selling into more than 150 markets, backed by over 100 acres of fully automated manufacturing. And we're only getting started.
About the role:
ZURU Group is seeking a highly motivated and talented Senior Designer to join
our Beauty Vertical design team, leading creative direction across the Beauty
Cosmetics portfolio. This role is responsible for building the visual identity,
brand world, and creative output for a portfolio of exciting new beauty brands,
from early-stage development through to market launch.
This role requires a strong understanding of beauty, lifestyle, and consumer
brand aesthetics, with the ability to translate cultural trends, consumer insights,
and category codes into distinctive, best-in-class creative.
Roles & Responsibilities
Leadership & Direction:
Set the creative standard for the portfolio, providing clear direction, feedback, and support to drive professional growth.
Champion strong creative decision-making, ensuring each brand has a clear and distinctive visual point of view.
Lead creative brainstorming sessions, elevating brand representation across brands.
Lead, direct, and mentor the junior team members, fostering a collaborative and creative environment.
Design & Campaign Creation:
Own the art direction of the beauty cosmetics brands, setting visual strategy and direction across all non-packaging brand touchpoints.
Lead end-to-end 360 campaign development for brand launches, from creative concept and visual strategy through to photography direction, social, digital, and retail assets.
Create, manage, and organise brand assets across campaign, social, digital, e-commerce, and advertising.
Commission photographers, content creators, and agencies for campaigns.
Manage multiple projects simultaneously, taking work from concept to final execution within deadlines.
Identify new methods, techniques, and creative formats to enhance design and content execution.
Other tasks as management may deem appropriate from time to time.
Brand Development :
Build detailed brand guidelines from scratch for each brand, covering tone of voice, visual aesthetic, content principles, and photography style.
Create distinctive, ownable brand worlds for the brands — ensuring they feel relevant, differentiated, and commercially compelling.
Ensure visual consistency and brand integrity across all communications as each brand progresses toward market.
Stakeholder Engagement :
Understand marketing initiatives, strategic positioning, and target audience across the beauty portfolio.
Present and articulate creative concepts, brand worlds, and strategies to brand managers and senior leadership.
Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external partners to drive successful project outcomes.
Collaborate across the wider Edge design team, BAU support, and cross-functional partners—including marketing, product, packaging, and content—to ensure cohesive, on-brand consumer touchpoints.
What you will bring:
5–8 years’ professional design experience in a creative or design leadership role, ideally across beauty, lifestyle, wellness, fashion, FMCG, or consumer brand launches.
Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire a design team while driving creative direction across multiple brands simultaneously.
Strong understanding of beauty and personal care brand aesthetics, visual identity, content, and consumer-facing creative.
Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Figma.
Experience building brands from early-stage development through to market launch.
Ability to interpret marketing briefs and translate them into aligned, inventive, and commercially relevant creative solutions.
Strong communication skills and a collaborative approach when working with internal teams, stakeholders, and external creatives.
Excellent attention to detail, file management, task prioritization, and timeliness, with the ability to self-manage across multiple concurrent projects.
Experience directing beauty-focused photography, campaign shoots, content creation, and external creative partners.
Who thrives at ZURU
This isn't a 9-to-5. We move fast, think big and set goals most companies would call impossible, then go after them. The people who thrive here are entrepreneurs at heart. They own their work, chase bold ideas and never stop raising the bar.
At ZURU, you drive your career, and we give you the platform to take it as far as you can. There are opportunities here that you won’t find anywhere else, and you'll be surrounded by talented people who make things happen. We're a true meritocracy: we reward impact, not tenure.
How we work
Big ideas happen when great people work side by side, so we're office-first by design. Being together means faster collaboration, sharper decisions and stronger teams, and it's where the real learning happens. Some flexibility may be available depending on the role, location and business needs, but most roles are office-based.
Want to see what life at ZURU really looks like? Follow @LifeatZURU on Instagram or visit www.zuru.com.
ZURU – Reimagining tomorrow 🚀
ZURU may use AI tools to help screen, assess or select applicants.