Design Director (Packaging)

Markage; Canada; Hybrid; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Markage is seeking a Design Director (Packaging) to lead packaging design strategy for the Canadian market. The role will direct programs from concept through final production, balancing brand, consumer, technical, and production needs across multiple SKUs and markets.

You will set creative direction, manage senior designers, collaborate with strategists and production partners, and ensure quality from dielines to final files. This is an on-site role based in Calgary, Vancouver, or Toronto.

Qualifications

• Substantial senior design experience with leadership of major packaging work.
• Experience setting creative direction and guiding multidisciplinary designers through delivery.
• Strong presentation, critique, decision-making, and client-facing communication skills.
• Ability to balance creative ambition with scope, timing, production, and business constraints.
• Holds a valid Dex Management Area Director Certification (DEX-MAD) in the Arts, Media & Creative Production domain.

Responsibilities

• Set creative direction for packaging programs, concepts, redesigns, and range extensions.
• Translate brand and commercial objectives into clear packaging systems and design principles.
• Direct senior and mid-level designers through concept development, refinement, and rollout.
• Oversee pack architecture, visual hierarchy, mandatory content, imagery, typography, and range consistency.
• Present major creative decisions and recommendations to senior client stakeholders.
• Review design against production constraints, dielines, materials, finishes, and implementation needs.
• Work with artwork and production teams to maintain quality through final files and release.
• Resolve conflicts between design intent, regulatory content, technical requirements, and timing.
• Support scoping, resourcing, schedules, and quality standards for packaging workstreams.
• Develop clear standards that help teams deliver consistent packaging across products and markets.

Skills

Leadership

Creative direction

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Client-facing communication

Decision-making under constraints

Education

Dex Management Area Director Certification (DEX-MAD)

Bachelor's degree in Design

Tools

Print production workflows

Dielines

Artwork workflows

Job description

Markage is looking for a Design Director (Packaging) to join our Canadian team in an on-site role based in Calgary, Vancouver, or Toronto.

This role focuses on leading packaging design strategy, creative direction, systems, and production quality. You will direct packaging programs from early concept through approved design and final production. The role requires strong packaging judgment, the ability to lead multiple SKUs or ranges, and confidence balancing brand, consumer, technical, and production needs.

You will work with strategists, senior designers, artwork specialists, producers, client directors, and production partners. Clear communication, reliable follow-through, and careful work are expected.

AI-assisted tools may be used for packaging research, concept exploration, presentation development, specification review, and production documentation. All AI-assisted work must be reviewed for accuracy, relevance, confidentiality, and fit before it is shared or used.

One in-house opening. This role may be based in Calgary, Vancouver, or Toronto. These are alternative work locations for the same position, not separate vacancies.

Essential duties:

• Set creative direction for packaging programs, concepts, redesigns, and range extensions.
• Translate brand and commercial objectives into clear packaging systems and design principles.
• Direct senior and mid-level designers through concept development, refinement, and rollout.
• Oversee pack architecture, visual hierarchy, mandatory content, imagery, typography, and range consistency.
• Present major creative decisions and recommendations to senior client stakeholders.
• Review design against production constraints, dielines, materials, finishes, and implementation needs.
• Work with artwork and production teams to maintain quality through final files and release.
• Resolve conflicts between design intent, regulatory content, technical requirements, and timing.
• Support scoping, resourcing, schedules, and quality standards for packaging workstreams.
• Develop clear standards that help teams deliver consistent packaging across products and markets.

Essential requirements:

• Substantial senior design experience with a portfolio showing leadership of major work.
• Experience setting creative direction and guiding multidisciplinary designers through delivery.
• Strong presentation, critique, decision-making, and client-facing communication skills.
• Ability to balance creative ambition with scope, timing, production, and business constraints.
• Holds a valid Dex Management Area Director Certification (DEX-MAD) in the Arts, Media & Creative Production domain.

Preferred qualifications:

• Deep packaging-specific agency or studio experience.
• Experience leading large SKU ranges, multilingual packs, or multi-market packaging programs.
• Knowledge of print production, materials, finishes, dielines, and artwork workflows.