Senior Designer - DS Smith : Job Details

About the role

Are you a creative thinker ready for your next big opportunity? We're looking for a talented Senior Designer to join our team remotely on a Fixed Term maternity contract! You'll work on a variety of exciting projects for major clients in Retail Marketing and POS design, bringing ideas to life in a fast-moving, dynamic environment.

You'll report to the Head of Design and be part of a passionate team that thrives on creative challenges and innovation.

As a Senior Designer, you will create and deliver original concepts for retail marketing, displays, and POS, ensuring alignment with brand and retailer guidelines. You’ll review teamwork, support budgeting and timelines, and collaborate across departments to deliver high-quality service that drives growth.

You’ll consistently produce innovative, shopper-focused solutions, ensuring all work meets client briefs, is delivered on time, and exceeds expectations. You’ll also add value by challenging briefs and offering creative, strategic ideas.

Responsibilities will include (but not limited)

• Review and manage project briefs and timelines.
• Deliver original, brand-compliant creative work.
• Support brainstorms, pitches, and mentor junior team members.
• Communicate clearly with clients and teams.
• Monitor industry trends to keep creative work fresh.

About you

Minimum requirements:

• Previous experience within the Point of Sale, display and retail marketing area.
• Exceptional ability to create innovative and original concepts and ideas that answer the client’s briefs
• Ability to execute designs based on your creative concepts with accuracy and speed
• Excellent eye for detail, layout, typography, and application of imagery.
• Experience of working to tight deadlines, and comfortable to short deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• An enthusiastic and positive/can-do attitude
• Previous experience of working with brand and retailer guidelines and the translation of supplied assets into new ideas and concepts
• Fluent in InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop
• Collaborative and a strong communicator - with other team members and with clients
• Ability to work as part of a team or independently
• Experience with web or digital design would be an advantage
• Significant experience in a creative studio
• Some experience of managing and mentoring junior team members and other designers

Benefits

• Competitive salary - dependent on experience
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Pension and share scheme
• Life assurance and income protection
• Employee assistance programme
• Cycle to work scheme and corporate discounts

Location: Remote based but is required to travel to alternative DS Smith Retail Marketing, sub-contractor, client or 3rd party sites when necessary, and may also be required to work from alternative DS Smith Retail Marketing sites from time to time.

When submitting your CV, please add a link on your CV to your portfolio to showcase examples of your work

About us

DS Smith is a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, and its retail marketing division plays a key role in helping brands connect with consumers at the point of sale. While DS Smith is widely recognized for its innovative corrugated packaging, the retail marketing side of the business focuses on designing and producing eye-catching point-of-sale displays, promotional stands, and branded in-store experiences that drive shopper engagement and boost sales. Unlike standard packaging, which primarily protects products during transport and storage, retail marketing solutions are designed to attract attention and influence purchase decisions in-store. With a strong commitment to sustainability and circular design, DS Smith helps retailers and brands create impactful marketing campaigns that are both effective and environmentally responsible

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.