Junior Graphic Designer

Summary: Design eye-catching Instagram content, static ads and brand assets for a new food brand launching in the US. Create on-trend, on-brand designs that stop the scroll and drive engagement.

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About CARL'SCARL'S is a new food brand preparing to launch in the United States. We are building our Auckland team and are looking for a Junior Graphic Designer to create bold, on-trend visual content that captures attention, builds brand awareness and drives purchases.

The roleYou will design static content for Instagram and paid social advertising. You'll work closely with our Head of Design and Performance Creative Lead, turning briefs into polished designs that follow the CARL'S brand guidelines and stand out in busy feeds.

We're looking for a designer who is immersed in social media culture and follows US design and content trends. You should understand what makes a post stop the scroll and earn engagement, and be able to bring that energy to your work while staying true to the brand.

What you will own

• Design static ads for Meta (Instagram and Facebook) and other paid social placements.
• Create organic Instagram content, including feed posts, carousels and Stories, in line with brand guidelines.
• Produce multiple variations of headlines, visuals, layouts and offers for creative testing.
• Use performance feedback to refine designs and create further versions of successful ads.
• Apply the CARL'S visual identity consistently across all assets.
• Retouch and compose product and food imagery so it looks fresh and appetising.
• Adapt designs for placements and formats (1:1, 4:5, 9:16), checking text safe zones and legibility on mobile.
• Keep up with US social trends and formats and share relevant references with the team.
• Keep design files, templates and approved exports organised and version-controlled.
• Check every final asset for spelling, product accuracy and export specifications.

What you will bring

• Essential: A portfolio of social media and digital advertising design, including Instagram posts, static ads, carousels or campaign assets for consumer brands.
• A strong eye for on-trend, attention-grabbing design and a clear understanding of current US social media aesthetics.
• An understanding of how design drives attention, engagement and purchase decisions.
• The ability to work accurately within brand guidelines and templates.
• Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
• Strong typography, layout and colour skills, with attention to detail.
• The ability to produce a steady volume of quality work on fast turnarounds.
• Openness to feedback and a willingness to learn.
• Experience with food, beverage, DTC brands, or with US-market brands, is an advantage.
• Basic motion or animation skills, such as simple animated statics, are a bonus.

This is a junior role, suited to designers with around 1–3 years of experience or recent graduates with a strong social and advertising portfolio.

Your first 90 daysYou will learn the CARL'S brand guidelines and templates, and become confident producing on-brand assets quickly. You'll deliver static ads and Instagram content for launch campaigns, and use feedback to improve each round of designs.

Success will be measured by the quality, quantity, and consistency of your work, accuracy to brand guidelines, turnaround times, and how your designs perform in the market.

Why join CARL'SYour work will be seen by US audiences as a new food brand launches. You'll work directly with our Head of Design and Performance Creative Lead, learning from experienced creatives and seeing which designs perform and why. It's a great opportunity to build a strong commercial portfolio and grow your skills as the business grows.

How to applyPlease include a link to your portfolio in your cover letter featuring social media and advertising design work, such as Instagram posts, static ads or campaign assets, with a brief note on your role in each project. Applications that do not include social or advertising design examples will not be progressed.