Associate Art Director

$100,524 - $165,851/Yr

Continental Mills - Tukwila, WA

Full-time - Mid Level

Hybrid - Tukwila, WA

51-100 employees

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers

About the position

The Associate Art Director at The Krusteaz Company is a hands-on design role focused on developing creative solutions for consumer-facing packaging, campaign assets, and corporate communications. This position requires a strategic thinker with a consumer-first mindset, who will lead design initiatives within a collaborative team environment, ensuring high-quality outcomes that align with business objectives and brand standards.

Responsibilities

• Translate business objectives and consumer insights into high-performing design outcomes for complex packaging and brand initiatives.
• Work collaboratively and interactively with designers, freelancers, and agency partners.
• Invite diverse inputs and expertise to inform human-centered, data-driven solutions.
• Be a champion for the consumer and the brand to drive creative work.
• Present to stakeholders and leaders with confidence, articulating a clear design rationale and a point-of-view (POV) to influence decision-making.
• Develop engaging materials that work across print and digital mediums and channels.
• Manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.
• Develop/direct the approach, treatments, talent, and styling for photo shoots.
• Work with studios and stylists to create on-brand, mouth-watering food visuals.
• Create 3-D renders, evaluate color proofs, and attend press checks when needed.
• Ensure consistent application of brand and quality standards for every execution.
• Evolve brand books and style guidelines to ensure they are current and relevant.
• Lead creative projects with external design partners and vendors, providing strategic direction and effectively communicating feedback to guide successful iterations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Graphic Design Degree/Certification or equivalent experience/training.
• Minimum 8 years of experience working in a design role within a creative team, demonstrating increased responsibility and leadership over time.
• Minimum 2 years of experience working on CPG or food & beverage brands.
• In-depth understanding of branding and design systems and packaging best practices.
• A portfolio of previous work that demonstrates expertise in packaging design, image styling/direction, digital campaigns, brand systems, and leveraging consumer insights.
• Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite and experience with the Microsoft 365 platform, particularly Teams, Outlook, and PPT.
• Skilled in color correction, compositing images, and manipulation of digital imagery.
• Knowledgeable about print methods, substrates, and optimizing files for various outputs.

Nice-to-haves

• Motion graphics
• Brand architecture
• Product naming
• Digital design
• Illustration
• Copywriting
• Presentation design
• Environmental design

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(K) matching
• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 10 paid holidays
• 1 paid personal holiday
• Company provided life insurance and disability insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Healthcare saving account
• Voluntary accident insurance
• Voluntary critical illness insurance
• Tuition reimbursement