Senior Graphic Designer

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization

As a key member of the Creation Center Shanghai (CCS), the Senior Graphic Designer plays a critical role in shaping the visual direction and creative excellence of adidas products and campaigns across multiple categories. This role combines strategic thinking with hands-on design execution, driving innovative graphic solutions that connect global brand vision with local consumer insights.

Acting as a creative leader and trusted design expert, the Senior Graphic Designer influences visual storytelling, elevates design quality, and delivers culturally relevant concepts that strengthen brand desirability and deepen engagement with the next generation of Chinese consumers.

Key Responsibilities

Design Direction & Design Excellence

• Lead the development of innovative and premium graphic design concepts across multiple categories, product ranges, seasonal calendars, and special projects.
• Translate strategic briefs and consumer insights into compelling visual narratives and commercially relevant design solutions.
• Drive the creation and evolution of graphic language systems, ensuring consistency with brand guidelines while pushing creative boundaries.
• Elevate overall design quality through strong visual judgment, attention to detail, and best-in-class execution.
• Champion originality, innovation, and craftsmanship throughout the creative process.
• Create finalized artwork and production-ready assets with precision and accuracy.
• Serve as a key creative contributor in cross-functional discussions, influencing product direction and ensuring design integrity throughout the development process.
• Present concepts and design rationale confidently to stakeholders at various organizational levels.

Project Leadership & Workflow Management

• Independently lead multiple projects from concept development through final execution, ensuring alignment with business and creative objectives.
• Manage priorities, deliverables, and timelines across complex seasonal calendars and fast-paced projects.
• Collaborate closely with Product Marketing, Product Development, Sourcing, and Design counterparts to ensure seamless execution.
• Drive process excellence by establishing and maintaining structured workflows, tools, and best practices.
• Identify potential risks proactively and implement solutions to maintain project momentum and quality standards.
• Support resource planning and contribute to workload management within the team.

Innovation & Consumer Insight

• Continuously monitor trends across sport, fashion, street culture, design, technology, and digital platforms to inspire innovative creative solutions.
• Translate China consumer insights and market trends into impactful graphics that resonate with local audiences while maintaining global brand consistency.
• Conduct competitor and industry benchmarking to inform design strategy and identify new opportunities.
• Explore and integrate emerging technologies, including AI-supported design tools and creative workflows, to enhance efficiency, ideation, and output quality.
• Drive experimentation and foster a culture of innovation within the design team.

Collaboration & Mentorship

• Act as a role model for creative excellence, collaboration, and professionalism within the team.
• Provide guidance, feedback, and informal mentorship to junior designers and new team members.
• Share knowledge, creative inspiration, and best practices to elevate team capabilities.
• Foster strong cross-functional partnerships and contribute positively to team culture and creative community initiatives.

Key Relationships

• Senior Design Director / Design Director
• Product Marketing Teams
• Product Development Teams
• Sourcing and Material Teams
• Brand Communications & Activation Teams
• Global Design and Creative Partners
• External Creative Partners and Vendors (when applicable)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Advanced graphic design expertise with outstanding visual storytelling capabilities.
• Strong conceptual thinking with the ability to translate insights into compelling design solutions.
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and other relevant design platforms.
• Strong understanding of typography, color, composition, trend forecasting, and graphic systems.
• Knowledge of apparel graphics development, print techniques, and production processes.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong collaboration skills across diverse functions and cultures.
• Experience leveraging AI-supported creative tools and digital design technologies.
• Fluency in English; Mandarin proficiency is a plus.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Fashion Design, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5-8 years of professional experience in apparel graphic design, sportswear, fashion, lifestyle, or streetwear industries.
• Demonstrated success delivering commercially impactful and brand-right design solutions.
• Proven ability to independently lead projects and influence creative outcomes.
• Experience working within China market dynamics and/or a global brand environment.
• Strong understanding of sport, culture, fashion trends, and consumer behavior.
• Passion for innovation, creativity, and continuous learning, with strong alignment to adidas brand values.