Designer, Paper & Packaging (6 months Contract)

Company Description

A portfolio is required for this role. Please include a link to your portfolio or attach it with your resume.

Indigo is a physical and digital place inspired by and filled with books, ideas, beautifully designed lifestyle products, and the creative people who help make it all happen. We believe in real books, living life fully and generously, being kind to each other and to the environment, and that stories — big and little — connect us. Indigo is our customer's happy place — for joyful moments of discovery and to connect with people who share their passion for reading, their belief in ideas, and their commitment to making the world a better and more beautiful place.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Our Mission is to inspire reading and enrich the lives of booklovers. As such, we believe in the power of people and their stories. We aim to attract top talent, nurture the potential of our employees, and create space for everyone to thrive. Our Guiding Principles are the few key ideas that are meant to influence everything we do, every day.

• We Will Hire, Inspire, Promote and Retain the Best
• We Will Be Customer Centric
• We Will Be Entrepreneurial
• We Will Be Committed to Caring About Each Other, Our Communities, and Our Environment
• We Will Be Committed to True and Shared Value Creation
• We Will Be Systems Thinking, Data Driven and AI enabled

Job Description

The Designer, Paper creates unique, original and engaging graphics and art to be used in production of Indigo private label paper products and packaging. As part of the Design Studio team, this role collaborates closely with cross-functional partners to ensure the Indigo brand is communicated in a strong and consistent manner, inspiring and engaging our customers. The designer will design unique, original and engaging graphics to be used in production of Indigo paper and packaging, and will support sourcing to ensure the successful roll out of creative concepts and delivery of proprietary product.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

• Effectiveness of project delivery and quality control
• On time, on-spec, within budget delivery of all designs and packaging
• Positive consumer response and brand appropriate design and packaging
• Satisfaction of cross-functional partners and internal customers
• Satisfaction of internal and external cross-functional partners

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Functional

• Design and creation of impactful graphics and artwork for paper proprietary product category, as well as packaging
• Present designs to cross functional teams and executive leaders
• Works closely with design leaders, internal merchant teams, artists and suppliers to ensure smooth execution of production artwork from design concept through to launch
• Development of original creative concepts that meet the given project's overall objectives and support the company's existing creative and visual guidelines
• Responsible for graphics and artwork from inception to final product, resizing and reformatting images based on needs for paper and packaging collections
• Adapt work to changing needs and support production, as required
• Keep up-to-date and informed of emerging trends
• Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all decision-making and design processes
• Proactively identify and anticipate customer expectations and needs
• Embrace and seek out technology that creates high tech and high touch solutions for Indigo’s customers
• Challenge the status quo by consistently identifying areas for improvement, diagnosing issues and working to resolve them

People

• Collaborate with others to drive flexible and iterative solutions, quickly and easily
• Share technical knowledge with others and actively seek to learn from those more knowledgeable than yourself
• Help others see the impacts of their efforts and proactively engage other functions to get input
• Encourage others to freely share their point of view and be open to feedback

Cultural

• Model Indigo’s beliefs and convey a positive image in everything you do
• Celebrate diversity of thought and have an open mindset
• Take an active role in fostering a culture of continual learning, taking risks without the fear of making mistakes
• Embrace, champion and influence change through your team and/or the organization

SCOPE

Reports to: Manager, Paper & Packaging

Manager once Removed (MOR): VP, Design Studio

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:

• Design Studio
• Sourcing, PD
• Merchant groups

External:

• Vendors
• CAD
• Artists

Qualifications

Work Experience / Education / Certifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in graphic design or design-related field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in an agency or in-house creative shop
• Previous experience in packaging, production design and designing for retail considered an asset

Competencies / Skills / Attributes

• Thorough understanding and ability in graphic design, page layout and typography
• Extensive knowledge in graphics manipulation using the following software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign
• Strong understanding of industry standards and best practices for design and development in a retail environment
• Strong conceptual skills
• Dynamic, driven, good-listener, team-oriented, with ability to handle and learn from constructive criticism
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills
• Ability to meet tight deadlines while juggling competing priorities
• Branding and package design experience an asset