Senior Art Direction Manager - Packaging

WHO ARE WE?

We are the VMS Co-Op, a group of fast growing companies in the Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS) space. The VMS Co-Op includes OLLY, SmartyPants and future acquisitions to come! This position's home company is OLLY.​

THE ROLE: SENIOR ART DIRECTION MANAGER - PACKAGING ​

The Senior Manager, Packaging Design is responsible for leading the development and execution of packaging design initiatives across innovation, renovation, and core business projects.​

Working within OLLY's established packaging vision and design systems, this role translates strategic direction into compelling packaging solutions that deliver against consumer, brand, and business objectives. The Senior Manager owns packaging projects from concept through final production, ensuring creative excellence, technical accuracy, and executional quality throughout the development process.​

This role serves as a key creative partner across cross-functional teams while maintaining accountability for preserving creative intent from initial concept through final shelf execution.​

This role reports to the Design Director, Packaging.​

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: ​

- Design and develop packaging concepts across innovation, renovation, and core business initiatives​

- Create and evolve packaging systems including typography, color, iconography, illustration, and graphic assets​

- Translate brand strategy and consumer insights into compelling packaging solutions ​

- Develop multiple creative approaches and bring fresh thinking to design challenges​

- Partner closely with the Design Director to execute against the broader packaging vision​

- Present work and creative rationale to cross-functional stakeholders​

- Collaborate with Brand, Product Development, Regulatory, Packaging Engineering, Commercial, and Operations teams throughout development​

- Ensure a high level of craft, consistency, and design excellence across all work​

- Contribute to the ongoing evolution of OLLY's packaging expression and consumer experience​

- Support successful execution through partnership with Production and Packaging teams​

- Manage external creative partners and freelancers as needed​

- Participate in broader Creative team initiatives as needed​

​ THE CANDIDATE: You’re a Packaging Designer with Heart, Hustle, and Seriously Good Taste.​ ​

You know how to bring a brand to life in 3D — not just on a screen, but on a shelf, in a shopper’s hand, and in a fast-moving world. You’re proactive, resourceful, and relationship-driven, with a knack for collaborating across teams and turning feedback into your creative fuel. You believe that no task is too small, no idea too precious, and no problem unsolvable.​

You thrive in the details, enjoy solving complex design challenges, and take pride in seeing projects through from initial concept to final production.You're comfortable navigating feedback, collaborating across disciplines, and balancing creative ambition with real-world constraints.​

If you're looking for a role where your voice is heard, your impact is real, and no two days are the same — we’d love to meet you.​

CAPABILITIES + SKILLS REQUIRED ​

- A strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in packaging design across concept development, execution, and production​

- 7-10 years of experience in packaging design, brand design, or consumer products​

- Expertise in typography, color, composition, visual hierarchy, and packaging systems​

- Strong understanding of packaging production, print processes, proofing, mechanical development, and manufacturing requirements​

- Ability to independently manage packaging projects from concept through final production​

- Strong understanding of packaging production processes and how design decisions impact execution​

- Ability to communicate design rationale clearly and effectively to cross-functional partners​

- Strong collaboration skills and comfort working with internal and external partners (eg. Brand, Product, Op