Brand and Packaging Design Manager

Apply on JLP Jobs - the official careers website for John Lewis Partnership, John Lewis & Partners, and Waitrose & Partners.

Expected salary: £45,000 to £55,000 (dependent on experience)

Contract type: This position is a Permanent role

Working pattern/flexible working: The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The Design team aim for around 2 days a week, key days for the team are Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings including at our Pimlico site.

Location: This role is based at our Bracknell Head Office.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead and manage brand and packaging design projects, ensuring alignment with our Brand World vision and commercial goals.
2. Liaise with stakeholders to develop clear briefs, manage critical paths, and ensure deliverables meet strategic objectives.
3. Collaborate with agencies to deliver high-quality creative solutions, providing creative feedback.
4. Manage stakeholder relationships, presenting creative work and securing alignment at senior levels.
5. Solve design challenges through insight, data, and creative problem-solving.
6. Maintain and update brand guidelines, ensuring accessibility and adherence across all touchpoints.

Essential skills/experience you'll need

1. Creative Excellence: Experienced in reviewing and evaluating design work.
2. Strategic thinking: Ability to balance creativity with business needs using insight and data.
3. Stakeholder & agency management: Skilled in influencing, collaborating, and driving alignment.
4. Project management: Experience managing budgets, timelines, and multiple projects.

Desirable skills/experience you may have

1. Creative Leadership: Strong brand and packaging design expertise with a focus on commercial impact, with knowledge and practical application of design & branding.

As a Brand & Packaging Design Manager, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering the Waitrose brand through high-quality, distinctive design. As a brand guardian, you will ensure consistency across all touchpoints while driving creative excellence.

You will be responsible for managing end-to-end creative projects, from developing new brand assets, concepts, and toolkits to overseeing Own Brand packaging, ensuring alignment with our Brand World vision and delivering commercial impact.

In this role, you will also oversee project management, including resource planning, budgeting, critical paths, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring projects are delivered efficiently and to the highest standard.

Success in this role requires balancing creativity with operational efficiency and collaborating closely with internal teams, external agencies, and suppliers to bring the Waitrose brand to life across all customer touchpoints.

Various full-time hours required.