Associate Director, Design

Associate Director, Design#26-09719 Camden, NJ All On-site Job Description We are seeking a visionary Associate Director, Design to lead and elevate the creative vision for our Distinctive Brands portfolio (Rao's, Michael Angelo's, Pacific Foods). This role will be instrumental in shaping brand identity, driving packaging innovation, and ensuring flawless execution across multiple touchpoints. The ideal candidate will bring strategic design leadership, expertise in commercialization, and a passion for design excellence, delivering outstanding consumer experiences in a competitive marketplace. As a design leader, you will oversee a team of designers and a project manager, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and high performance. You will play a pivotal role in bridging creative strategy with execution, ensuring that our designs not only inspire but also drive business impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead & Inspire:

Manage and mentor a team of designers and a project manager, fostering growth, innovation, and design excellence.

Strategic Design Leadership:

Shape the creative direction for Distinctive Brands, ensuring brand differentiation and relevance in the market.

Brand & Packaging Innovation:

Oversee the development of breakthrough packaging design and visual identity systems that enhance brand perception and consumer engagement.

Commercialization & Execution:

Actively participate in commercialization meetings, guiding design implementation to ensure flawless execution from concept to shelf.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Work closely with Marketing, Innovation, R D, and Supply Chain teams to ensure seamless brand storytelling and product launches.

Agency & Vendor Management:

Direct and collaborate with external design agencies, ensuring best-in-class creative execution and efficiency.

Consumer-Centered Thinking:

Utilize research and insights to create compelling design solutions that elevate the consumer experience.

Process & Workflow Optimization:

Establish and refine design workflows, enabling efficiency without compromising creative excellence. What You Will Bring to the Table (Must-Have):

• Bachelor's degree in Design
• 10+ years of deep brand design experience, with a strong focus on packaging design.
• Proven ability to balance design strategy with flawless execution.
• Inspiring and effective leadership, with a track record of managing high-performing design teams.
• Expertise in crafting brand and design strategies and developing visual guidelines that drive consistency and impact.
• Experience in building and executing efficient design processes that enable exceptional creative outcomes.
• A passionate design advocate with an extraordinary eye for detail and aesthetics.
• A diverse portfolio showcasing expertise in branding and package design
• Strong ability to influence senior leadership and cross-functional business partners to champion design-led thinking. It Would Be Great If You Have (Nice-to-Have):
• Experience in Client brand design, with an understanding of industry-specific challenges and opportunities.
• Design or Creative agency background huge plus Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to play a key leadership role in shaping the future of our Distinctive Brands portfolio. As Associate Director, Design, you will lead, innovate, and drive impact, ensuring our brands remain iconic, relevant, and visually compelling. If you're a passionate, strategic, and execution-driven design leader, we want to hear from you.

EEO:

"Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of - Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans."