Creative Manager - Packaging at Clicks Group

Job Objectives

• To lead, manage and mentor the Clicks packaging design team, including senior and junior creative designers, finished artists, illustrators, photographers and freelance designers in order to deliver to plan
• To develop and communicate our brand objectives, by planning, resource sourcing and multitasking workload across the internal staff and external agencies to deliver
• To ensure that all work delivered is aligned to the  brand CI’s as well as brand tiering and brand architecture
• To ensure and maintain brand consistency in-line with relevant marketing strategies and Corporate Identity guidelines thus acurate implementation across all sub-brands are key.
• To collaborate with industry leaders to foster inspiration & learnings as well as the know how of keeping up with international trends in order to continually bring an edge to Private Label design continually.
• To recruit, retain and develop the best design talent in order to deliver the best in class and invest in the future of Clicks Private Label.
• To lead and create innovative spaces by leading brainstorming sessions to promote design thinking in order to achieve the highest standard in creativity and ensuring all briefs are met
• To manage budgets and costings across all resources to ensure we remain within budget constrainst. 
• To work closely with traffic, client services and the Creative Executive to ensure smooth workflow and delivery of work, while ensuring the team’s creative brief is understood and executed within respective deadlines
• To maintain good client relationships as well as create strong partnerships with the marketing teams in order to co-create content and campaigns which complement our brand equities making a real impact with consumers
• To maintain responsibility for all freelance hiring, rate negotiation and management whilst making sure the internal design team is working as efficiently as possible 
• To perform the sourcing of and directing outside resources ie: production agency, photographer, make-up artists, stylists’ illustrators and models, while building and maintaining professional relationships with a network of resources.
• To provide a strong support base to the Creative Executive in order to create the best sustainable design agency & design hub with top South African talent. 

Minimum requirements

Essential Skills, Abilities and Job Related Knowledge

• Strategic and creative design thinking
• Strong knowledge of packaging construction, holistic design solutions, brands CI’s and implementation thereof essential
• Strong market and trend related knowledge
• Excellent knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite CC: Illustrator, Photoshop, In-design.
• A strong understanding of design management systems and studio work flow to drive efficiencies
• Strong understanding of all printing processes
• Strong understanding of manufacturing best practices relating to quality checks and high standards of consistency
• Have strong understanding of the various brand CI’s as well as brand tiering and brand architecture
• Excellent multi-tasking skills
• Resillience under pressure
• Strong verbal and communications skills
• Budget Management skills
• Excellent working knowledge of language and copy
• Strong influencing and presentation skills
• Delivering against demanding deadlines
• Excellent knowledge of all packaging design principles, brand development, creative processes
• Excellent conceptualisation and packaging design skills
• High pressure solution solving ability

Qualifications and Experience 

• Bachelors degree in Graphic Design & Art or equivalent Graphic Design qualification
• Packaging Diploma
• At least 10 years packaging and brand design experience with an outstanding working knowledge of concept artwork, finished Art and all print & packaging processes.
• Minimum 7 years management experience in leading teams, conducting performance reviews & measurements 
• Experience of developing high performing design teams.