Packaging Graphic Designer

Position Overview

The Packaging Designer is a creative professional responsible for making products jump off the shelf through innovative and compelling exterior design. As a mid-to-senior level professional, this role executes the organization's visual identity by ensuring that external boxes or containers not only draw the consumer's eye but also effectively communicate crucial product features. 

This role supports the Creative Director in collaboration with the Product Design team, delivering eye-appealing, functional, and safe packaging designs that align with established premium brand standards. Key functions include designing packaging prototypes, analyzing consumer trends, managing multilingual translation workflows, and incorporating the realities of shipping, eco-friendly materials, and industry regulations to drive sales and support organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities

Packaging Prototyping & Design

• Design the external packaging for a variety of products, balancing visual appeal (color wheel, design balance) with the practical realities of shipping and product protection.
• Analyze existing packaging to conceptualize new, more cost-effective designs that lower production price points while maintaining brand integrity.
• Present design concepts to stakeholders, gather feedback, and iterate on packaging tweaks to achieve the final approved design.

Translation & Localization Management

• Coordinate with localization teams and copywriters to manage multilingual translations for packaging copy.
• Ensure accurate typesetting, proper character formatting, and spatial balance when laying out multiple languages on a single die-line.
• Adapt packaging designs to meet varying global regulatory requirements and regional market standards.

Trend Analysis & Material Selection

• Continuously research consumer and digital trends to determine the most effective design elements for target audiences.
• Evaluate and select appropriate packaging materials, demonstrating a strong understanding of cost per unit, potential packaging imperfections, and eco-friendly/recycled options.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Marketing Execs, Copywriters, and Graphic Designers, to brainstorm and execute packaging solutions.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders and end-users to ensure the packaging conveys the right message and motivates the target audience to buy.
• Collaborate with consumer safety and product-related groups to ensure all packaging meets industry regulations, norms, and safety rules.

Workflow & Asset Management

• Actively manage end-to-end design workflows and processes, ensuring packaging projects move smoothly from initial concept to final production.
• Utilize project management tools to track task progress, manage timelines, and communicate updates to cross-functional partners.
• Identify workflow bottlenecks and proactively recommend and implement process refinements to improve team efficiency, reduce time-to-market, and elevate output quality.
• Manage multiple complex design projects simultaneously, ensuring all tasks are prioritized to meet established deadlines under pressure.
• Utilize internal Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems to organize, upload, and maintain design files, die-lines, and prototypes.
• Ensure all final deliverables meet brand standards and technical manufacturing specifications for their intended use.

Qualifications

Required:

• 3–5 years of professional design experience, including a mandatory and dedicated focus on physical packaging design.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (specifically Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop)
• Deep understanding of different types of packaging materials, manufacturing processes, and industry safety rules.
• Proven experience working collaboratively within a brand design team to maintain, execute, and elevate an established visual identity.
• Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, and research skills, with an extremely creative mindset and great attention to small details.
• Strong presentation and sales skills to effectively pitch ideas and prototypes to a group of stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-volume environment under deadline pressure.
• Experience leveraging generative AI tools + processes to optimize efficiency and work quality. 

Preferred:

• Experience designing packaging for products sold in major big-box retailers, demonstrating a strong understanding of retail shelf impact, visual merchandising, and physical display constraints.
• Experience typesetting and managing translation workflows for international or multilingual packaging.
• Experience analyzing packaging costs and optimizing designs for lower production price points.
• Familiarity with the latest eco-friendly packaging trends and smart packaging technologies.
• High emotional intelligence, enthusiasm, and a highly collaborative, innovative team-player mindset.
• Experience utilizing Digital Asset Management tools.
• Experience working with sporting goods, outdoor, or active lifestyle brands.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Lifting & Carrying: Ability to occasionally lift and carry items weighing up to 25 lbs (e.g., boxes of onboarding materials or work equipment), with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Pushing & Pulling: Ability to push or pull work-related items or equipment weighing up to 30 lbs, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Stationary Positions: Ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods during the workday while performing job duties.
• Movement: Ability to occasionally move about the work area to access materials, equipment, or participate in meetings.
• Manual Dexterity: Frequent use of hands and fingers to operate a computer, phone, and other standard remote-work equipment.
• Visual Acuity: Ability to view and interpret information on a computer screen, including text, data, and visual materials, for extended periods.
• Work Environment: This position is primarily remote and performed in a home or remote office setting.

Travel & Schedule

• Travel: Periodic travel for shoots, team workshops, or creative productions may be required.
• Schedule: Remote; generally follows standard business hours. This role requires the professional flexibility typical of a creative position to meet project-critical deadlines.

Additional Expectations

• Design Excellence: Maintain a commitment to high standards of design quality and visual innovation.
• Professional Integrity: Demonstrate dependability and a solutions-oriented approach to design challenges.
• Adaptability: Maintain flexibility to respond to evolving brand needs and industry trends.