Job Description

Location: 2 Lascelles Road, Meadowbrook, Edenvale Hours: 08:00 - 17:00 weekdays. Reporting to: Department Head About SMD Technologies Are you ready to join the fastest growing developer of brands in South Africa? With hundreds of consumer brands from Volkano, Sony, Rocka, Eiger and more, SMD Technologies is home to huge audio and incredible staff. We have a young and vibey office space, with heaps of staff spoils and the best coffee in SA, all designed to make you want to love working here. About the Role: We’re looking for a hands-on, results-driven leader to head up our packaging, creative and studio team. This is not a role for someone who wants to coast — we want someone who leads by example, takes ownership, holds high standards, and isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in to keep projects moving. You’ll manage a high-volume, fast-paced studio responsible for packaging, POS, catalogues, retail design and print across a wide range of products and brands. You’ll be expected to keep the work flowing smoothly, manage a diverse team of designers, ensure best-in-class creative output, and represent the company confidently in meetings, pitches, and partner collaborations. If you know how to bring creative visions to life and keep a studio running like clockwork — this one’s for you. Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the packaging and creative design pipeline, from briefing to delivery
• Lead, motivate and manage a team of designers, freelancers, and DTP artists
• Partner with the Traffic Manager to ensure workflows are structured, efficient, and always moving
• Represent the creative studio confidently in internal meetings, supplier presentations and external partner briefings
• Pitch creative ideas, packaging concepts and campaign rollouts that meet both strategic and commercial goals
• Set and uphold high standards for accuracy, layout, typography, packaging spec and brand consistency
• Drive productivity and accountability across the team — you’ll know when someone’s dragging their feet
• Deliver quick turnarounds without compromising quality
• Handle disciplinary issues professionally and firmly, including issuing written warnings when needed
• Ensure the studio is delivering at a pace that matches the commercial demand, every time
• Oversee design approvals, press checks, supplier queries and mock-ups
• Keep the team aligned with production deadlines, brand guidelines, and company objectives
• Manage team KPIs, and complete monthly reporting on tasks and work out of studio.
• Liaise with Product Development teams to ensure range execution is continuous and within keeping of brand guidelines.

• 7+ years experience in a senior design, packaging or creative production role (ideally FMCG, retail, or product-based)
• Proven leadership and team management experience — you know how to get the best out of your people
• Strong packaging and print knowledge, including layout, die-lines, substrates and spec sheets
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills — you're never late and never surprised by a deadline
• A portfolio that demonstrates an exceptional eye for quality and creative execution
• Clear communication skills and the confidence to represent the company at a senior level
• Tough but fair approach — you can spot nonsense a mile away and aren’t afraid to call it out constructively
• Experience working with traffic or production managers to maintain high-volume studio output
• Comfortable managing both creative and operational elements of a studio environment

• Studio delivers on time, on brief, and to a high standard — every single time
• Team morale is high, deadlines are met, and quality control is airtight
• Creative work is standout and strategically aligned
• Workflow is streamlined, with no bottlenecks or wasted time
• Dead weight is managed, and high performers are championed
• Partners and stakeholders view the studio as a strategic asset, not a support function

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