Thumbnail Design Manager

CatFace is a YouTube entertainment company, home to a family of channels with over 25 million combined subscribers and an average of 300 million views per month. Our goal is to entertain our audience with fun, light-hearted narratives and entertaining content for general audiences. A vital component of our business is creating multiple unique stories every week in order to keep our audience engaged.

Visit our Youtube Channels: 

https://www.youtube.com/aphmaugaming 

https://www.youtube.com/@AphmauShuki

Visit our websites: 

www.aphmeow.com 

www.catface.com 

About the Job

We’re seeking a Thumbnail Design Manager to lead our talented and growing team of thumbnail artists. This role combines creative leadership with hands-on design responsibilities. You’ll oversee a team that produces high-performing YouTube thumbnails, visually expressing our unique storytelling style for games like Minecraft and Roblox. The ideal candidate has a strong eye for visual storytelling, composition, and styles that resonate with playful, character-driven aesthetics. A strong eye for visual storytelling, chibi/cute styles, and composition is essential.

In this role, you’ll help shape visual concepts, guide thumbnail strategy across multiple channels, and ensure consistent quality while meeting fast-paced deadlines.

To apply, please submit a resume and portfolio. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to participate in a portfolio review and a management/design exercise.

What You’ll Do

• Manage and mentor a team of thumbnail artists, offering feedback and support
• Collaborate with the Creative Director, Lead Artist, editors, and writers to plan thumbnail concepts that match the tone and story of each video
• Contribute directly to the creation of thumbnails (illustration, compositing, layout) as needed
• Oversee and improve thumbnail workflows, quality control, and delivery schedules
• Stay current on YouTube design trends and iterate on what makes a thumbnail clickable
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to align thumbnail strategy with content goals
• Help maintain a consistent visual style across channels while innovating for performance
  
  

What We’re Looking For

• 3+ years of experience in digital illustration, graphic design, or thumbnail creation
• 1+ years of experience in a leadership or managerial role within a creative team
• Advanced Photoshop skills and a strong portfolio of high-performing thumbnails
• Experience with cute/chibi art styles and video game aesthetics (Minecraft, Roblox)
• Strong understanding of color theory, lighting, layout, and visual storytelling
  Awareness of YouTube culture and what drives views and engagement
• Highly organized, able to manage timelines, reviews, and revisions efficiently
• Must be based in the Austin, TX area or willing to relocate (relocation assistance available)
  
  

Bonus Points

• Experience with 3D modeling or painting over 3D assets
• Familiarity with Maya, Blender, or Blockbench for character posing and modeling
• Interest in animation pipelines and collaborative storytelling
• Experience in thumbnail A/B testing and performance analysis
  
  

What We Offer

• Excellent Medical, Dental and Vision health benefits
• 401(k) contribution
• Flexible time off
• Lunch, snacks and drinks provided in the office
• Pets in the office once a month
• Onsite fitness center
• Learning Stipend
• Relocation assistance for those coming from outside Austin.