Creative Lead

SavageOne Pty Ltd; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

SavageOne Pty Ltd is seeking a Creative Lead to steer graphic design, marketing, and retail branding initiatives. You will guide the creative direction, oversee design projects, and collaborate with marketing, merchandising, and digital teams to craft campaigns that resonate with shoppers.

The role demands a strong strategic mindset, hands-on design skills, and leadership to elevate brand presence across touchpoints. Experience in retail branding and large-scale campaigns is essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in graphic design with leadership experience.
• Expert-level in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
• Experience in marketing and retail branding.

Responsibilities

• Lead creative direction for marketing and retail design projects.
• Develop designs for campaigns, in-store displays, packaging, signage.
• Collaborate with marketing, product, and merchandising teams.
• Mentor and manage a team of designers.
• Ensure brand guidelines and retail trends are followed.
• Coordinate with external agencies and printers.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and consumer behavior.
• Manage multiple projects to deadlines in a fast-paced retail setting.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Branding

Retail marketing

Team management

Communication

Creative direction

Education

Graphic Design degree/diploma

Marketing degree

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

Figma

Sketch

Job description

We are looking for a highly skilled and visionary Creative Lead with expertise in graphic design, marketing, and retail branding to drive our creative direction and execution. This role requires a strong strategic mindset, leadership capabilities, and hands-on design skills to elevate our brand presence across multiple platforms. You will oversee the creative process, lead design projects, and collaborate with marketing, merchandising, and digital teams to develop compelling campaigns that resonate with our audience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the creative direction for all marketing and retail design projects, ensuring brand consistency across digital and physical touchpoints.
• Develop and execute innovative designs for campaigns, in-store displays, packaging, signage, social media, websites, and promotional materials.
• Work closely with marketing, product, and merchandising teams to align creative strategies with business objectives and seasonal campaigns.
• Oversee a team of designers, providing mentorship, guidance, and constructive feedback to enhance creative output.
• Ensure all visual content aligns with brand guidelines, audience insights, and retail trends.
• Collaborate with external agencies, photographers, videographers, and printers to ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, consumer behavior, and competitor branding to bring fresh, impactful ideas to the team.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced retail marketing environment.

Requirements

• Education: Degree or diploma in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Marketing, or a related field.
• Experience: 7+ years in graphic design, with at least 3 years in a leadership or creative lead role within the marketing and retail industry.
• Software Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with Figma or Sketch.

Skills

• Strong conceptual and strategic thinking with the ability to translate ideas into compelling visual campaigns.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Strong understanding of retail branding, visual merchandising, and shopper behavior.
• Experience working with large-scale marketing campaigns, digital assets, and print production.
• Motion graphics, video editing, or animation experience (a plus).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in the retail, FMCG, or e-commerce space.
• Knowledge of UX/UI principles and experience designing for web and mobile platforms.
• Understanding of retail consumer trends and shopper marketing strategies.