Director, Design

The Kraft Heinz Company•Chicago, IL

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Kraft Heinz’s newly established Design function is shaping the next chapter of our iconic brands. By bringing together consumer-led visual systems, innovation, and distinctive brand experiences, we are creating new ways for our brands to connect, resonate, and grow. The Design team defines brand vision, builds powerful narratives, and, in close partnership with cross-functional partners, unites insights, strategy, creativity, and operational excellence to turn bold ideas into culturally relevant expressions that amplify our connection to consumers and culture. Reporting to the Chief Design Officer, the Design Director is a senior design leader responsible for setting the standard for design excellence, both strategic and operational, across critical brand touchpoints and channels. This role leads the creation, development, execution, and governance of compelling design systems and solutions, partnering closely with internal teams and external agencies to deliver world-class creative quality at scale. Operating seamlessly from strategy through execution, this leader inspires teams, influences senior stakeholders, and ensures design consistently elevates Kraft Heinz brands in ways that advance business objectives.

Requirements

Demonstrated success leading end-to-end design programs from strategy through execution
Proven creative leadership and people management experience
Proven ability to bridge technical functions, including R&D, with creative and marketing organizations
Exceptional strategic thinker and creative problem solver
Exceptional presentation, communication and storytelling skills
Resilience and agility in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines
Demonstrated ability to build trust and influence senior leaders, and lead through complexity
Prior people leadership experience preferred
Strong business acumen and organizational savvy
Bachelor’s degree in design; Master's preferred
15+ years of senior brand design and innovation experience

Responsibilities

Leading brand development and portfolio activation strategies across prioritized platforms and channels, including Retail, Food Service, and E-Commerce
Shaping design and brand strategies in alignment with business priorities, growth ambitions, and evolving market conditions
Translating business, consumer, and cultural insights into strong creative direction and compelling design solutions
Leading design from ideation through commercialization, leveraging the full breadth of design disciplines
Building scalable systems, workflows, and guardrails that enable speed, quality, and consistency across markets and channels
Ensuring flawless execution while driving timelines, managing dependencies, and addressing risks proactively
Leading cross-functional teams and external partners to align around shared creative and business goals
Influencing senior leaders and key stakeholders to build alignment, momentum, and decision clarity
Managing scopes of work, external partners, budgets, and internal design operations with strong business discipline
Driving continuous improvement across design operations and commercialization processes