Arts and Design Manager

In brief

**Overview** This role at SMD Technologies is for an experienced, hands-on Arts and Design Manager specializing in packaging. The position focuses on managing the day-to-day creative output of the Art Department. It is not purely a conceptual role; the successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining creative and brand standards within a high-volume packaging environment, directing designers, reviewing work, solving design challenges, and ensuring all output is commercially strong, technically considered, and consistent with established brand systems. **What you will do** * Manage and art direct the day-to-day creative output of the packaging design team. * Provide clear creative direction, feedback, and guidance to designers across multiple levels of seniority. * Review packaging artwork and concepts before they progress through approval and QC. * Ensure consistent application of brand identities and packaging systems across large product ranges. * Interpret briefs and translate commercial requirements into strong creative solutions. * Develop and evolve packaging concepts, visual systems, and range architecture. * Identify weak briefs, missing information, or creative problems early and work with relevant stakeholders to resolve them. * Maintain established brand and style-guide standards across all creative work. * Support designers in solving complex layout, hierarchy, typography, imagery, and packaging challenges. * Work closely with Traffic, QC, Product Development, Marketing, and other internal stakeholders. * Manage multiple brands and projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment. * Mentor and develop designers and help raise the overall creative standard of the department. * Remain hands-on when required and be capable of taking work from concept through to finished design. * Maintain a proven understanding of CPA and international regulatory requirements. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * Proven team leadership and management (including KPIs, Leave management, Task Scheduling and more). * Proven professional experience as an Art Director, Senior Designer, or Design Lead within packaging, FMCG, consumer products, or a closely related environment. * Strong packaging portfolio across established commercial brands is essential. * Demonstrable experience developing and managing packaging systems, rather than only individual pack designs. * Excellent understanding of brand architecture, visual hierarchy, typography, layout, and range consistency. * Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. * Good understanding of print production, dielines, and packaging artwork requirements. * Experience mentoring or art directing other designers. * Ability to review creative work critically and provide clear, actionable direction. * Comfortable working in a high-volume environment with multiple concurrent deadlines. **Who should apply** The ideal candidate is someone who can confidently take ownership of a busy creative floor while balancing creative quality, deadlines, and production realities. They should possess deep knowledge of CPA for RSA, EU, and USA regulations, have experience building packaging systems (not just style guides), and have mentored, built, and KPIed teams. Impeccable attention to detail, finish knowledge, and repro understanding is expected, along with the ability to spot spelling and alignment mistakes quickly. **Deadline** Not specified **Reference** Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/arts-and-design-manager-smd-technologies Source: myjobmag

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At a glance

• Adobe Creative Suite

Extracted automatically from the advert; confirm requirements on the original listing.

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