Senior Designer & Design Lead

Craft Collective is a boutique brand strategy, research and creative studio for founder-led brands, with food, beverage and hospitality at its core. We work with hotels and restaurants, beverage and FMCG start-ups, and established food brands in South Africa and abroad. We take them from research and positioning through to brand identity, packaging, websites and launch.

The studio is growing, and we are looking for an experienced Senior Designer to lead design across it.

The role

You will be responsible for the quality of every piece of design that leaves Craft. You will turn strategy into considered brand systems and lead projects from brief to final artwork. You will present work to founders and client teams with confidence, and guide a small in-house design team to a consistently high agency standard.

What you will do

• Lead brand identity, packaging, digital and campaign work from concept to production-ready files
• Design websites and oversee their build, primarily in WordPress
• Translate research and positioning into clear creative direction and brand systems
• Present and defend work in client meetings, manage feedback and build strong client relationships
• Plan design workflows, timelines and resourcing across concurrent projects with our project manager
• Brief, mentor and review the work of junior and mid-weight designers against clear output standards
• Manage print and packaging production with suppliers
• Contribute to the evolution of Craft’s own brand and studio processes

What you bring

• 7+ years of design experience, including at least 3 years in a senior or lead role in an agency or studio
• Proven web design experience (essential), with WordPress strongly preferred
• A portfolio of brand identity, packaging and web work of a high professional standard. F&B, hospitality or FMCG experience is a strong advantage
• Experience leading or mentoring designers and being accountable for team output
• Confidence with clients and the ability to explain design decisions in commercial terms
• Strong project planning skills and a track record of delivering on time across multiple briefs
• Expert command of Adobe Creative Suite and Figma
• Solid knowledge of print and packaging production
• A meticulous eye for detail, typography and craft

What we offer

• R40,000 to R45,000 CTC per month, depending on experience
• A senior leadership role in a growing studio, working directly with the founder
• Hybrid working, with the team together in our Strand studio at the Ocean Breeze Hotel every Tuesday
• A varied portfolio of founder-led brands across F&B, hospitality and lifestyle
• Real ownership of the creative standard and a voice in how the studio grows

To apply

• Apply via LinkedIn with your CV and a link to your portfolio, including at least one live website you designed. Include a short note on one project you led from brief to delivery: your role, the challenge and the outcome. We are looking to appoint as soon as possible and will review applications as they arrive.