Design Lead

Toronto, ON
$90,000-110,000 per year
Permanent
Full-time

1 month ago

Since its founding over a decade ago, our client has been helping brands act with impact. They are a communication and branding agency that specialize in delivering strategic, big ideas and integrated thinking across all consumer channels - from digital and social to retail and experiential events.They solve the most complex challenges for some of the country's most respected household names in the beverage, telecommunications, and CPG sectors. We are currently looking for an experienced designer to join their creative department as a leader, champion, and culture builder who will inspire, mentor, and elevate their work to the next level.In this role, you will own the creative standard for all design output across the agency, from early concepting and pitch work through to final execution across every client and touchpoint. As the most senior design voice in the agency, you lead by example: setting the bar, shaping the aesthetic, and embedding a design-first mindset into how they think, work, and create.You will work with the Executive Creative Director, Strategy and Account teams. You will lead and grow the design team, while remaining hands-on and elevating the work.Responsibilities:Design Leadership & Craft * Own and set the design standard across all of our work.

Lead the visual realization of creative concepts across multiple mediums, including brand identities, campaigns, activations, packaging and experiential activations.
Act as the final design authority - pushing work further, refining details, and ensuring ideas are expressed with clarity and craft.
You'll have the opportunity to also art direct the look and feel of campaigns and concepts.

Creative Partnership * Collaborate closely with our full team to shape ideas early - ensuring design thinking is present from the start, not layered on later.

Partner with the creative team on larger projects to develop and evolve concepts through to final delivery.
Lead the creation of high-impact visual mocks, hero imagery, and design systems for pitch decks and presentations.

Team Leadership & Mentorship * Lead, mentor, and grow the design team - providing clear direction, thoughtful feedback, and hands-on coaching.

Foster a supportive, challenging, and inspiring environment.
Manage and direct internal design resources, ensuring work is delivered at a high standard and on schedule.
Champion a design-first culture - advocating for quality, craft, and creative ambition across the agency.

Execution & Delivery * Oversee projects from concept to completion, ensuring final outputs are production-ready and true to the idea sold.

Ensure accuracy, consistency, and quality across all final files - print, digital, and experiential.
Interpret and respond to client feedback with strategic intent, protecting the integrity of the work while evolving it.
Manage shifting priorities and timelines while maintaining momentum, clarity, and calm leadership.

Qualifications:

7-10 years of design experience, with a strong portion in a (communications and branding) agency environment.
Proven experience leading design across brand, campaign, and multi-channel work.
A strong, considered creative portfolio that shows both conceptual thinking and executional excellence across mediums.
Experience across print (packaging, signage, OOH), digital (web, social, UI), and brand identity systems.
Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions internally and to clients.
Highly collaborative, with experience working across creative, strategy, and account teams.
Expert knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Figma; motion and 3D experience a bonus.

$90,000 - $110,000 a yearSalary Range: $90,000 - $110,000 a yearAIP Connect believes in equal opportunity. Our recruitment consultants are committed to inclusive recruitment and selection practices and will not discriminate based on age, colour, ability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.Accessibility: If you need any accommodations during the interview process, please let us know.Posted Salary: Actual compensation within this range will be determined based on job-related skills, relevant experience, education, and training. This range reflects base salary only and does not include eligibility for bonus program or other benefits.For the most accurate and up-to-date details on this role, please refer directly to AIP Connect's careers page, as third-party sites may not reflect current information.We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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