Senior Designer

The Kitchen North America; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading marketing agency in Toronto seeks a Senior Designer with over 8 years of experience in creative environments. This role requires expertise in Adobe Creative Suite and a strong understanding of branding and visual design systems. Responsibilities include leading design projects, mentoring junior designers, and ensuring high standards of creative excellence. The position offers a hybrid work setup and benefits that emphasize work-life balance and professional growth.

Benefits

Hybrid work flexibility

Health, dental, and vision plans

Professional development opportunities

Team celebration events

Referral bonuses

Diversity and inclusion programs

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional design experience in a creative or agency environment.
• Strong understanding of visual systems, branding, typography, and digital design.
• Proven ability to manage multiple design projects and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead creation of brand-aligned visual systems for digital and print.
• Oversee multiple design projects from concept through delivery.
• Develop compelling presentation materials and communicate design strategy.

Skills

Adobe Creative Suite proficiency

Branding expertise

Visual design systems

Project management skills

Mentorship experience

Communication skills

Education

Degree in Graphic Design or Communication Design

Tools

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

After Effects

Job description

ROLE: SENIOR DESIGNER

TEAM: CREATIVE, SALT XC

LOCATION: TORONTO (HYBRID)

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Salt is a North American marketing agency that creates connected experiences through creative, digital & media innovation.

Our mission is to “Earn the World’s Attention” and Salt is built to find, develop, execute, and amplify the ideas that are worthy of our clients’ audiences. We’ve structured our agency to do what’s right for our clients – to connect different perspectives, to work across mediums, and to focus on delivering meaningful, effective results.

We’re committed to living up to the values in our name. “Salt of The Earth” means we value collaborative, humble, hard-working people here. We’re looking for people who are as smart as they are kind because we believe the right talent and the right culture help us do what’s right for our clients.

ROLE OVERVIEW

As a Senior Designer at SALT XC, you bring creative excellence and design leadership to every project. You’ll lead the development of creative concepts and translate ideas into visually powerful designs across digital, social, and experiential touchpoints. You balance hands-on design execution with mentoring others, guiding creative direction, and ensuring the highest visual standards. You have a deep understanding of brand systems, composition, and storytelling — and use these to elevate the quality and consistency of all creative work. The ideal candidate has a strong track record of design leadership within fast-paced creative environments, combining aesthetic rigor with strategic thinking to bring bold, effective ideas to life.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Brand-Aware Design Systems & Execution

• Lead the creation of brand-aligned visual systems that ensure design consistency across digital, print, and experiential platforms.
• Translate strategic and creative briefs into scalable design frameworks that support integrated campaigns.
• Oversee multiple design projects from concept through delivery, managing timelines, priorities, and output quality.
• Review and refine work from Designers and Junior Designers to ensure brand standards and creative excellence are consistently met.
• Partner with Creative Directors and Art Directors to evolve design systems that strengthen client brands and campaign effectiveness.

Presentation & Stakeholder Communication

• Develop visually compelling decks, mockups, and presentation materials that clearly communicate creative intent and brand story.
• Present work confidently to internal teams and clients, articulating rationale and design strategy effectively.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Accounts, Strategy, and Production to ensure creative alignment with client goals, timelines, and deliverables.
• Provide constructive feedback and mentorship to junior design team members, fostering communication, growth, and shared creative excellence.

Strategic Design Thinking

• Connect creative design decisions to brand strategy, audience insights, and campaign objectives.
• Lead and contribute to brainstorms, concept development sessions, and creative workshops with strategic and visual input.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen storytelling and visual impact across all touchpoints.
• Use design thinking principles to problem-solve creative challenges, balancing aesthetics with usability and effectiveness.

Visual Craft & Attention to Detail

• Deliver visually exceptional work that demonstrates mastery in layout, typography, color, composition, and motion.
• Uphold and elevate design standards across all projects, ensuring every output is polished, precise, and presentation-ready.
• Explore and apply new tools, techniques, and visual trends to keep creative work modern and relevant.
• Bring innovation and craft to every project — from early concepting through to final delivery — inspiring confidence and creativity in others.

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• 8+ years of professional design experience in a creative, marketing, or agency environment.
• Degree or diploma in Graphic Design, Communication Design, or related field preferred.
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects).
• Strong understanding of visual systems, branding, typography, and digital/social design.
• Experience leading or mentoring junior designers; ability to provide actionable, constructive feedback.
• Proven ability to manage multiple design projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience with motion design, HTML5, or interactive content is considered an asset.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills with client-facing experience.

PERKS & BENEFITS

That set us apart: we don’t just talk about balance, growth, and culture, we build for it.

• Work-Life Flexibility: Hybrid setup, up to 28 paid days off, winter holiday shutdowns, and dog-friendly office vibes.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Health, dental, and vision plans, plus Salt Bucks to spend on what matters to you—wellness, RRSPs, or extra time off.
• Growth-Driven Culture: Dedicated Salt Days, top-tier learning access, and formal leadership development.
• Celebration-First Mentality: Legendary team trips, seasonal socials, and Salt Swag that reps your squad.
• Real Rewards: Referral and new business bonuses, exclusive lifestyle perks, and personalized wellness options.
• Culture of Belonging: DEI programs, active ERGs, and a workplace where every voice counts.

WHAT WE STAND FOR

• Salt of the Earth: We lead with humility, honesty, and heart—always.
• Do What’s Right: No shortcuts. We choose integrity over ease, every time.
• Earn Your Salt: We roll up our sleeves, chase results, and celebrate the journey.
• Make Things Better: We’re resolution-seekers, always pushing for smarter ways forward.
• Seek Different Perspectives: Diversity fuels our thinking. Inclusion drives our impact.

Salary: The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $65,000–$90,000. Individual compensation within this range is determined based on job-related factors such as experience, skills, level of responsibility, internal equity, and business needs. This range represents the expected base salary for this role and does not include other elements of Salt/The Kitchen’s total rewards program.