Arts and Design Manager

Location: 2 Lascelles Road, Meadowbrook, Edenvale

Hours: 08:00 - 17:00 weekdays

Reporting to: Head of Department

About the Company

SMD Technologies is one of South Africa's fastest-growing brand developers and distributors, representing leading consumer technology and lifestyle brands including Volkano, Sony, Rocka, Eiger, and many more. Our people are at the heart of our success, and we are committed to creating an engaging, innovative, and rewarding work environment where employees can grow and thrive.

Job Overview

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Art and Design Manager specialising in packaging to manage the day-to-day creative output of our Art Department.

This is not purely a conceptual Art and Design Manager role. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining creative and brand standards across a high-volume packaging environment, directing designers, reviewing work, solving design challenges and ensuring that work leaving the department is commercially strong, technically considered and consistent with established brand systems.

The role requires someone who can confidently take ownership of a busy creative floor while balancing creative quality, deadlines and production realities.

You are the kind of person who knows CPA for RSA, EU and USA regulation backwards. You have built packaging systems (not style guides). You’ve mentored, built and KPIed teams. Your attention to detail, finish knowledge and repro understanding is impeccable. AND you can spot spelling and alignment mistakes at a thousand paces.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.
• Proven understanding of CPA and international regulatory requirements.

Essential Requirements

• Proven team leadership and management. 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.

SMD Technologies is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the principles of employment equity. In accordance with the Company's Employment Equity Plan and the requirements of the Employment Equity Act, preference may be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups. Applications from persons with disabilities are encouraged.