HOW YOU WILL MAKE HISTORY HERE...The Design Manager, Everyday Pantry Essentials (EPE), leads design across the portfolio, ensuring on-strategy delivery across packaging, production, and asset management. Reporting to the Assoc. Design Director, Italian, Frozen, & Everyday Pantry Essentials, this role leads one direct report and provides creative leadership to deliver against business and brand priorities.
The Design Manager partners closely with cross-functional stakeholders and external agency partners to bring brands to life and support business objectives. This role plays a critical part in translating design strategy into impactful, consumer-centered creative solutions while building team capability and ensuring excellence from concept through execution.
This is a hybrid role based in Camden, NJ.
WHAT YOU WILL DO...- Lead design initiatives across the Everyday Pantry Essentials portfolio, guiding one direct report and ensuring work aligns with brand strategy, visual standards, consumer needs, and business objectives.
- Manage, mentor, and develop designers by providing clear direction, constructive feedback, and ongoing performance coaching.
- Translate design strategies into actionable creative direction, briefs, timelines, workflows, and deliverables.
- Provide strategic and creative direction to internal designers and external agency partners, ensuring work delivers against the design brief and business objectives.
- Partner cross-functionally with Brand, Marketing, Innovation, Operations, Insights, and other key stakeholders to deliver effective design solutions on schedule and within budget.
- Lead day-to-day relationships with external design agencies, production partners, and vendors.
- Review, evaluate, and approve creative work to ensure design quality, accuracy, consistency, and adherence to brand standards.
- Oversee packaging production and pre-press activities, ensuring flawless execution from concept through final delivery.
- Support budget management, resource planning, production planning, and operational processes related to design projects.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve design workflows, tools, processes, and team effectiveness.
- Ensure design assets and deliverables meet regulatory requirements, production specifications, and organizational standards.
WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH...- Assoc. Design Director, Italian, Frozen, & Everyday Pantry Essentials
- Innovation & Product Development Teams
- Operations & Manufacturing Partners
- Production and Pre-Press Vendors
- Photography and Creative Production Partners
- Cross-functional stakeholders throughout the organization
WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE... (MUST HAVE)- 7+ years of experience in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) design, with food industry experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex packaging and brand design initiatives from concept through execution.
- Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and strong design concept development and execution capabilities.
- Proven leadership skills with the ability to provide creative direction, make design recommendations, and influence senior and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Exceptional visual storytelling abilities with a strong understanding of brand-building principles.
- Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate and advocate for design strategy and creative rationale.
- Deep knowledge of graphic design principles, art production, photography, packaging design, and production processes.
- Strong understanding of packaging regulations and requirements within the CPG industry.
- Working knowledge of typography, photography, print production, proofing, color management, and color separations.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a highly cross-functional organization to solve complex business challenges.
- Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE... (NICE TO HAVE)- People management experience
- Experience within the food and beverage industry.
- Experience working with nationally recognized consumer brands.
- Knowledge of packaging asset management systems and digital workflow tools.
- Experience leading external agency relationships and creative vendor partnerships.
- Exposure to innovation, product launch, and commercialization processes.
- Experience managing production budgets and forecasting project costs.
- Familiarity with sustainability-focused packaging initiatives and emerging packaging trends.
- Experience working in a highly matrixed or global organization.
- Knowledge of consumer insights and their application to packaging and design strategy.
Compensation and Benefits:The target base salary range for this full-time, salaried position is between
$105,200-$144,700
Individual base pay depends on work location and additional factors such as experience, job-related skills, and relevant education or training. Total pay may include other forms of compensation. In addition, we offer competitive health, dental, 401k and wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment. Please ask your Talent Acquisition Partner for more information about our total rewards package.
