Senior Design Director
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Working Pattern: Hybrid – 2 days per week in the studio
Salary: $140,000–$160,000
We’re working with an exciting, strategically driven creative agency to find a talented Senior Design Director to join their Los Angeles team.
This is an opportunity for a highly creative and genuinely hands-on design leader with significant experience working across large-scale CPG brands and complex brand portfolios.
The successful candidate will establish conceptual and stylistic direction across design teams, lead complex branding and design programmes, and work closely with senior creative leadership and clients to deliver thoughtful, strategically driven work.
A strong understanding of how portfolio architecture, visual identity and design systems work together to create consistency, distinction and flexibility across brands, products, formats and markets is essential.
The Role
- Lead complex branding and design programmes across a range of CPG categories, brands and media
- Establish strong conceptual and stylistic direction across creative teams
- Develop strategically considered creative solutions from research and strategy through to final delivery
- Lead all phases of the design process, including concept development, design development and finalisation
- Develop and deliver compelling, strategically sound client presentations
- Direct, mentor and motivate multidisciplinary creative teams of approximately 3–6 designers, illustrators and other specialists
- Work across identity design, brand systems, packaging and environmental design
- Collaborate with production teams and maintain a strong understanding of print production
- Bring a genuinely hands-on approach, contributing directly to the creative work when required
- Work closely with senior creative leadership and clients to cultivate strong relationships
- Manage project timelines, scope and priorities while communicating effectively with internal stakeholders
- Provide quality control across completed projects, ensuring a high standard of design and production accuracy
- Travel as required to support client needs
About You
- 5–6+ years’ experience working at Director level across large-scale CPG brands
- Strong experience across branding, identity, packaging and design systems
- A strategic thinker who can translate business and brand challenges into thoughtful creative solutions
- A genuinely hands-on designer who enjoys getting into the work alongside their team
- Degree in Graphic Design, Illustration or a related discipline
- Highly proficient across Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign
- Extensive knowledge of print, pre-press and production
- Exceptional typography and strong design craft
- Experience with 3D and motion design is a plus
- Comfortable managing shifting priorities, tight deadlines and last-minute requests
- Confident presenting creative work and building relationships with clients
- Strong leadership and mentoring skills
Benefits
- Flexible and entrepreneurial working environment
- Employee events, lunches, outings and more
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- Monthly employer contributions
- Employee medical reimbursement programme
- Vacation leave, increasing with tenure
- Sick leave
- Major federal holidays
- Two-week end-of-year office closure
- Summer Fridays
- Paid parental leave
- 401(k) with employer match
- Basic Life & AD&D Insurance
- End-of-year discretionary bonus based on overall studio profitability and individual performance
- Annual educational development reimbursement
About the Agency
Our client is a strategically driven creative agency with studios across New York, Los Angeles and the UK.
They work with global brands across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on strategy, brand development, identity, packaging and creative design for consumer brands.
The agency partners with both large and emerging CPG businesses, delivering work across complex brand portfolios and multiple markets.
Eligibility
Applicants must be authorised to work for any employer in the U.S. The agency is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.