Design Team Manager
South Hams | On-Site
Competitive, based on experience
1-Year Fixed Term (Maternity Cover)
About the Company
This is a company that blends creativity with commercial success, specializing in bespoke gifting and product solutions. With a reputation for high-quality, innovative design, the business is looking for a creative leader to guide its talented design team. This is an exciting time for the company who have just been through a rebrand and are working with various new clients on exciting projects, all from a newly refurbished office in the heart of Totnes, Devon. If you enjoy leading projects from concept to execution, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and have a keen eye for emerging trends, this could be the perfect role for you.
The Role
This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll be responsible for overseeing the entire design process, ensuring that every product aligns with both customer expectations and the company’s creative vision. You’ll manage multiple projects, mentor a team of designers, and collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to bring ideas to life.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Leading, mentoring, and inspiring a team of designers to produce high-quality, commercially viable designs.
* Overseeing multiple design projects, ensuring they are delivered on time and within budget.
* Working closely with customers and the sales team to develop innovative product concepts.
* Managing the design process from concept through to final product, balancing creativity with functionality.
* Conducting market research to identify trends, competitor activity, and customer preferences.
* Collaborating with suppliers, production teams, and key stakeholders to ensure seamless execution.
* Implementing quality control measures and maintaining high design standards.
* Keeping up to date with design technologies and ensuring compliance with industry regulations.
* Holding regular team meetings to foster a creative and results-driven environment.
* Reporting directly to the Managing Director and contributing to strategic planning.
What We’re Looking For
If you’re a design leader with a strong creative vision and the ability to bring commercially successful products to market, then read on! We’re looking for someone who thrives in a collaborative environment and enjoys mentoring others while maintaining high creative standards.
Essential Skills & Experience
* Proven experience in a design leadership role, ideally within product, packaging, or gifting.
* A passion for packaging and gifting design that ranges from creating initial concepts to having laser-focused attention on the final inner and outer fittings
* The ability to find innovative ways to engineer products into sustainable and cost-effective packaging solutions
* Strong creative direction with the ability to turn ideas into commercially viable designs.
* Excellent project management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple and last-minute deadlines
* Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite especially Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign
* Experience creating, editing and overlaying artwork on cutter guides
* A keen understanding of market trends and emerging design innovations.
* Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively across departments.
* Competent presenting ideas to clients and offering creative solutions to queries
* Experience working with suppliers and production teams is highly desirable.
* Experience using a Digital Die Cutter machine to work up box samples to present to clients would be beneficial, but not essential
* Willingness to update project software ensuring all relevant actions are accounted for auditing purposes
* Knowledge of Microsoft software including Excel and Word
Why You’ll Love This Role
* A chance to lead and shape the creative direction of a growing design team
* A fast-paced, working with some household names and where no two days are the same
* The opportunity to work on exciting, bespoke product designs
* A supportive, friendly team that values a positive outlook, fresh ideas and innovation
* Work in a newly refurbished office in the heart of Totnes
* Flexible working hours from 8:00 to 6:00 (7.5-hour day)
* Staff discounts from the onsite café, bakery, pottery studio and hair salon
* 5-minute walk from Totnes station
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