Senior Packaging Design Lead, Apparel

Are you a seasoned packaging design leader who loves turning ideas into smart, beautiful, and scalable packaging for major brands? A fast-growing wholesale apparel organization is looking for a Senior Manager, Packaging Design to own and elevate packaging across a diverse portfolio of owned and licensed brands.

In this highly visible role, you will lead the end-to-end packaging design lifecycle—from concept through production—while managing a talented creative team and collaborating closely with cross-functional partners. You’ll ensure packaging is innovative, brand-right, functional, cost-effective, and aligned with sustainability and regulatory standards, all while mentoring designers and driving best-in-class execution.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead packaging creative design and production for multiple brands and licensees, from initial concept to final physical proofs.
• Oversee the full packaging lifecycle, including design, structure, substrate choices, and production of collateral.
• Manage and develop a team of (4) experienced packaging designers and (2) project managers, with dotted-line oversight of photo editing.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teams to ensure packaging is on-brand, functional, cost-effective, and compliant with sustainability and regulatory requirements.
• Assess, prioritize, and reassign workload and resources as needed to keep projects on time, on budget, and on brand.
• Collaborate with global vendors and navigate fast-paced, high-volume environments, particularly within club wholesale or similar fast-fashion channels.
• Report into the Acting CMO and Creative Director, Marketing Services, acting as a key leader within the creative organization.

What Makes You a Great Fit:

• Extensive experience as a senior packaging designer or packaging design leader, ideally within club wholesale or fast-fashion apparel.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor design teams, manage multiple concurrent projects, and drive high-quality creative outcomes.
• Hands-on expertise in packaging concept development (design, structure, substrates) and reviewing/approving physical proofs.
• Comfort working with global vendors and navigating the nuances of international production and timelines.
• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to read between the lines, build trust, and translate feedback into clear direction.
• Strategic mindset with a passion for improving processes from ideation through delivery.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the confidence to operate in a high-velocity, dynamic environment.
• Bias for action, ownership mentality, and a commitment to excellence while being highly collaborative.

If you’re excited about leading a high-performing packaging team, shaping how consumers experience apparel brands on shelf, and driving creative excellence in a fast-paced environment, we’d love to connect.