Design Director

ROLE: DESIGN DIRECTOR

LOCATION: TORONTO (HYBRID) TEAM: CREATIVE, SALT XC

Company Overview

Salt is a North American marketing agency that creates connected experiences through creative, digital & media innovation. Our mission is to “Earn the World’s Attention,” and Salt is built to find, develop, execute, and amplify the ideas that matter to our clients’ audiences. We are structured to do what’s right for our clients — connecting perspectives, operating across mediums, and ensuring meaningful, effective creative solutions.

We live the values in our name. “Salt of the Earth” reflects how we work: collaborative, humble, and hard-working. We believe talent and culture create great work — so we're looking for people who are as smart as they are kind.

Role Overview

As a Design Director at SALT XC, you are an expert craftsperson and emerging creative leader who drives design excellence across digital, social, experiential, and brand‑led projects. You combine hands‑on design mastery with the ability to guide others, owning key workstreams and ensuring the quality, clarity, and consistency of every creative output.

You translate strategy into thoughtful visual solutions, elevate concepts through refined execution, and collaborate closely with Creative Directors, Strategists, and cross‑functional partners. You are a trusted partner in bringing creative ideas to life — ensuring design systems, brand standards, and visual storytelling are executed at the highest level.

This role is ideal for someone who is ready to step into larger leadership responsibilities while still deeply connected to craft and creation.

Core Responsibilities

Brand-Aware Design Systems & Execution

• Develop and refine brand-aligned design systems that support consistency and creative impact across channels.
• Translate brand guidelines into scalable frameworks, toolkits, and templates for use by the broader creative team.
• Lead day‑to‑day design execution for key projects, ensuring outputs meet creative expectations, brand standards, and production‑ready requirements.
• Provide guidance and feedback to Designers and Senior Designers; support quality control across visual deliverables.
• Collaborate with Associate Design Directors and Creative Directors to evolve visual approaches, design processes, and creative methodologies.

Presentation & Stakeholder Communication

• Present design work and visual rationale with confidence to internal teams and client stakeholders.
• Lead internal reviews for assigned workstreams, offering clear, actionable feedback rooted in design principles and strategic objectives.
• Work collaboratively across Account, Strategy, Production, and Creative to ensure alignment on objectives, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support strong communication channels between creative and client teams, reinforcing clarity of vision and consistent expectations.

Strategic Design Thinking

• Transform insights, briefs, and brand positioning into breakthrough design concepts that drive connection and engagement.
• Contribute to ideation sessions, bringing fresh visual thinking while staying connected to audience, brand, and business goals.
• Partner with Strategy and Creative leadership to ensure design thinking is integrated early in concept development.
• Encourage a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and problem‑solving within the design team.

Visual Craft & Attention to Detail

• Set a high bar for design craft, acting as a go‑to expert in typography, layout, composition, motion, and visual storytelling.
• Maintain hands‑on involvement in high‑impact deliverables that require elevated design precision.
• Ensure files and deliverables are production‑ready, accurate, and optimized for digital, print, and experiential outputs.
• Stay immersed in design innovation, AI tools, production techniques, and industry trends to introduce new thinking to the team.

Experience & Skills

• 5–7 years of professional design experience in digital, social, brand, and/or experiential design.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, design excellence, and multi‑channel versatility.
• Proven ability to take ownership of design execution with precision, creativity, and strategic alignment.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign); familiarity with motion or AI‑driven tools is an asset.
• Strong communicator with experience presenting creative to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring or guiding junior designers, with an interest in growing leadership skills.
• Post‑secondary degree or diploma in Graphic, Communication, Packaging, or related design field preferred.

Perks & Benefits That Set Us Apart

We don’t just talk about balance, growth, and culture, we build for it:

• Work‑Life Flexibility: Hybrid setup, up to 28 paid days off, winter holiday shutdowns, and dog‑friendly office vibes.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Health, dental, and vision plans, plus Salt Bucks to spend on what matters to you—wellness, RRSPs, or extra time off.
• Growth‑Driven Culture: Dedicated Salt Days, top‑tier learning access, and formal leadership development.
• Celebration‑First Mentality: Legendary team trips, seasonal socials, and Salt Swag that reps your squad.
• Real Rewards: Referral and new business bonuses, exclusive lifestyle perks, and personalized wellness options.
• Culture of Belonging: DEI programs, active ERGs, and a workplace where every voice counts.

What We Stand For

• Salt of the Earth: We lead with humility, honesty, and heart—always.
• Do What’s Right: No shortcuts. We choose integrity over ease, every time.
• Earn Your Salt: We roll up our sleeves, chase results, and celebrate the journey.
• Make Things Better: We’re solution‑seekers, always pushing for smarter ways forward.
• Seek Different Perspectives: Diversity fuels our thinking. Inclusion drives our impact.

The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $100,000–$125,000. Individual compensation within this range is determined based on job‑related factors such as experience, skills, level of responsibility, internal equity, and business needs. This range represents the expected base salary for this role and does not include other elements of SALT’s total rewards program.

Salt XC is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting and retaining the most qualified employees regardless of race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability.