Director, Branding – McKesson Brands

McKesson•Richmond, VA

About The Position

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve – we care. What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow’s health today, we want to hear from you. McKesson Medical-Surgical, based in Richmond, VA, is seeking a Director, Branding to join our McKesson Brands team. This dynamic and experienced leader will oversee our Artwork and Packaging team, with both domestic and global talent. This role is critical to driving brand consistency, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across our medical-surgical product portfolio. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in packaging development, FDA regulations, and workflow optimization, along with a passion for mentoring creative talent and challenging the status quo. Candidates in or near Richmond, VA are highly preferred due to onsite meetings and collaboration required. Candidates across the state of VA and in the Washington DC area can also be considered.

Requirements

Degree or equivalent experience.
Typically requires 12+ years of professional experience and 4+ years of management experience.
Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, Packaging Engineering, Marketing, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
8+ years of experience in packaging design and development, preferably in healthcare or regulated industries.
Proven track record of leading creative teams and managing complex packaging projects under tight timelines.
Strong understanding of FDA and regulatory requirements for medical-surgical packaging and working knowledge of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.
Experience with artwork management systems (e.g., Opal) and familiarity with AI tools for design concepting and packaging renderings.
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
Proficient with Mac operating systems; knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud.
Experience with pre-press, printing, packaging, and working from design through final production.
Attention to detail and passion for branding and design.
Knowledge of color theory and packaging copywriting and content writing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Team Development Lead and inspire a team of graphic designers and packaging specialists to deliver high-impact, compliant packaging solutions.
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Champion professional development and recognition initiatives within the team.
Packaging & Artwork Execution Oversee the end-to-end artwork lifecycle, ensuring accuracy, brand alignment, and timely delivery for priority launches.
Review and approve all artwork files and packaging production samples.
Collaborate with suppliers and product information specialists to streamline processes and reduce revisions and rollbacks.
Develop and maintain brand style guides for key McKesson Brands such as Argent, CareStock, Confiderm, Consult, Lumeon, Prevent, and Thera.
Regulatory & Quality Compliance Ensure all packaging meets FDA and other regulatory standards, including IFUs and product manuals.
Maintain knowledge of federal, state, and local requirements that impact packaging content.
Partner with QA, legal teams, and suppliers to manage claims and artwork content.
Communicate packaging expectations to suppliers.
Process Optimization & Innovation Document and refine artwork workflows to improve speed, minimize rework, and reduce bottlenecks.
Leverage AI and new technologies to accelerate packaging development and concepting.
Lead initiatives to modernize packaging design and align with evolving customer and regulatory expectations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with Product Development, Sourcing, Business Process, QA, Regulatory, Legal, and Brand Management teams to align packaging strategies with business goals.
Support commercialization efforts through timely product photography and marketing collateral development.
Review and approve product images and related content.