Packaging Graphic Designer

Role Overview

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• Experience utilizing Digital Asset Management tools.
• Experience working with sporting goods, outdoor, or active lifestyle brands.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for growth.