Description We're seeking a hands-on creative leader who will both guide and create alongside a team of talented designers, crafting the visual identity of our products and services through illustrations, wallpapers, and iconography. This innovative leader will leverage both traditional design skills and AI tools to scale creative output while maintaining consistent quality and product identity. This role combines creative direction with active design contribution, requiring someone who can seamlessly switch between high-level strategy and hands-on design work for product interface design. Impact & Scope: - Lead a small team of designers - Accountable and contribute directly to key design initiatives while providing creative direction - Shape visual identity across multiple product lines - Maintain high creative output while managing team responsibilities - Drive collaboration with senior stakeholders across organization Key job responsibilities - Serve as both visual arts creative director, practicing designer and manager, actively contributing to design output - Demonstrate excellent visual tastemaking skills with a vision for innovation - Lead by example through hands-on creation of illustrations, wallpapers, and iconography - Guide and mentor a team of visual designers while maintaining an active creative practice - Define and evolve our visual design system across devices and digital touchpoints - Provide detailed art direction and constructive feedback on team deliverables - Partner with Product, UX, and Engineering teams to deliver cohesive visual experiences - Establish processes and guidelines for scaling visual design across the organization - Balance creative leadership duties with personal design contributions - Pioneer the integration of AI tools in the design workflow to enhance team productivity - Develop frameworks for using AI as a creative accelerator while maintaining design integrity - Establish guidelines for AI-assisted design processes and quality control - Balance human craftsmanship with AI-powered design scaling - Directly manage and mentor a small team of designers - Foster a collaborative and innovative team culture - Provide regular performance feedback and career development guidance - Balance workload across the team while maintaining high-quality output - Recruit and onboard new team members as needed A day in the life Our ideal candidate is two-fold: 1. We're looking for a creative leader who thrives on being in the trenches with their team, someone who can jump into Figma or Illustrator to explore concepts alongside their designers rather than someone who solely manages from a distance. The role requires maintaining a high bar for personal creative output while simultaneously elevating the work of the entire team. 2. We're looking for a forward-thinking creative leader who embraces both traditional craftsmanship and innovative AI tools. This person should be able to seamlessly blend human creativity with AI capabilities, knowing when to leverage each for maximum impact. They should be excited about exploring new technologies while maintaining the highest standards of design excellence. About the team The Foundations team is part of Devices and Services Design. As a digital design craft team, we are mighty, strategic doers and hold the design quality bar high. Our concern is the art of creating high-quality outcomes for our customers and Design. We learn by generating and externalizing design intent. We combine creativity with technical mastery, while pushing the boundaries to inspire, provoke, and solution. We require keen attention to detail and design intent with a deep understanding of design and mathematical principles, methods and tools. We have a commitment to excellence that elevates a design from functional to exceptional to storied. Basic Qualifications - 10+ years of professional design experience, with 5+ years in creative leadership roles - Track record of shipping consumer products at scale - Demonstrated experience with AI design tools (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion) - Proven experience managing a small team of designers - Experience in setting and tracking team KPIs and individual performance goals - A personal portfolio demonstrating mastery in illustration, iconography, wallpaper design and/or visual systems Preferred Qualifications - Experience leading through direct contribution, not just delegation - Excellent command of current design tools and techniques (e.g., Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop) - Experience in developing workflows that combine traditional design tools with AI - Be an active practitioner who can produce high-quality design work independently - Proven ability to balance hands-on design work with team leadership responsibilities - Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills - Proficiency in prompt engineering for generating and iterating on visual designs - Understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations in the creative process - Ability to train team members on effective AI tool usage while maintaining design excellence - Excellent mentorship skills and ability to develop junior and mid-level talent - Ability to balance hands-on design work with people management responsibilities - Experience with device UI/UX and operating system design - Background in developing design systems and style guides - Knowledge of motion design and animation principles - Experience working in global, cross-cultural environments Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status. Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner. Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $162,300/year in our lowest geographic market up to $268,400/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit https://www.aboutamazon.com/workplace/employee-benefits . This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.