Packaging Designer- Oakville

Oakville, ON | Hybrid, three days in office | Salary up to $80,000 plus benefits

This hands-on role focuses on the creative and physical development of retail packaging, from initial idea through production. It calls for a designer who sees packaging as more than a graphic surface: someone who can shape how products are packaged, presented and understood, then bring those ideas to life through compelling visual design and production-ready artwork.

Working closely with a cross-functional team in Oakville, you will explore new packaging concepts, build and assess mock-ups, solve structural and merchandising challenges, and create packaging that protects the product, communicates value quickly and strengthens shelf presence.

What we’re looking for

• A packaging innovator, not solely a graphic production artist.

• Someone comfortable developing physical structures, formats, mock-ups and merchandising solutions with Product Development and other internal partners.

• A strong visual designer who can translate product features into clear shelf communication through layout, hierarchy, typography, graphics, iconography and imagery.

• A technically grounded practitioner who understands dielines, substrates, finishes, print production, manufacturing limitations, retailer requirements and production-ready artwork.

• A proactive creative partner who introduces ideas early rather than waiting for a finished brief.

Required qualifications

• At least five years of packaging design experience, ideally within consumer packaged goods or retail products.

• A portfolio demonstrating both physical packaging development and excellent graphic design execution.

• Hands-on experience creating mock-ups, samples or prototypes and taking packaging from concept to production.

• Advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills and strong knowledge of production artwork, print processes and packaging manufacturing.

• Experience working directly with printers and manufacturers. Exposure to overseas suppliers is an asset.

• Strong project management, presentation and stakeholder communication skills.

• A collaborative, proactive and solutions-oriented approach, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

What you’ll do

• Lead retail packaging projects from creative concept and physical development through final artwork and production.

• Generate ideas for packaging structures, materials, finishes, formats and merchandising presentation.

• Create and evaluate hands-on mock-ups and samples with internal partners.

• Develop packaging layouts, visual hierarchy, typography, graphics, iconography and product storytelling.

• Translate product features into clear, compelling consumer benefits that can be understood within seconds.

• Prepare accurate, production-ready artwork and manage print production requirements.

• Build packaging systems, templates and visual standards that create consistency across product lines.

• Develop realistic product, packaging and merchandising visualizations for product development, customer presentations and retail execution.

• Collaborate with Product Development, Marketing, Sales, Sourcing, Quality and Operations throughout the process.

• Work with suppliers, printers and overseas manufacturers to resolve artwork, quality and production issues.

• Ensure packaging meets retailer, regulatory, manufacturing and sustainability requirements.

This is an opportunity to influence packaging at the earliest stages and help determine how products are packaged, how consumers experience them and how they appear at retail.

Because physical mock-up development and close collaboration are essential to the work, candidates must be able to work in the Oakville office three days per week and should live within approximately one hour’s drive.

Selected applicants will be asked to provide a portfolio that clearly identifies their role in each project. It should include examples of physical packaging concepts or construction, mock-ups or prototypes, graphic design development and finished production packaging. A design test will be included as part of the interview process for selected candidates. 

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Artificial intelligence will not be used to screen, assess or select applicants for this position.