Senior Production Designer - Packaging

Packaging Production & Execution

The Senior Production Designer extends approved packaging designs across multiple package sizes, formats, substrates, and structures. They apply established brand architecture consistently across SKUs while preserving approved creative intent and escalate situations that require new design direction.

• Support company-owned, retailer-specific, customer-specific, private-label, seasonal and promotional packaging programs.
• Prepare, manage, and maintain accurate print-ready production files for manufacturing, including live and outlined release files when required.
• Manage controlled versioning and SKU proliferation with consistent naming conventions, organized folder structure and strong file discipline.

Proofing, Accuracy & Risk Management

The ideal candidate reviews production artwork, vendor proofs, prepress files, prototypes, first-run samples, and production samples for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with approved artwork. They confirm that vendor corrections and requested revisions have been completed accurately before final release.

• Identify and communicate potential downstream impacts of packaging changes, including production, inventory, versioning, and compliance considerations.
• Approve items within established structured review and escalate unresolved production, regulatory, brand, or quality concerns to the appropriate internal owner.

Print Production & Technical Preflight Support

The Senior Production Designer supports packaging produced through various printing processes such as offset, flexographic, gravure, digital, and screen-printing. They preflight production files for image resolution, color space, spot colors, bleeds, trim and safe areas, fonts, embedded or linked assets, transparency, overprints, trapping, separations, and other technical print requirements.

• Apply working knowledge of spot colors and ink systems, print specifications, coatings, varnishes, foils, embossing, debossing, and other specialty production requirements.
• Verify barcode size, placement, quiet zones, contrast, and scannability in accordance with approved specifications.
• Review dielines and structural packaging files for correct use, artwork placement, production tolerances, and technical accuracy.

Retail, Regulatory & Sustainability Requirements

The ideal candidate applies approved retail, regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements to packaging artwork, including country of origin, required disclosures, markings, warnings, claims, product descriptors, and age or safety statements when required.

• Implement approved translations and manage bilingual or multilingual packaging versions while maintaining hierarchy, legibility, required warnings, and accurate version control.
• Support retailer-specific and customer-specific labeling, barcode, and packaging requirements.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Communication

The Senior Production Designer communicates clearly and concisely with domestic and overseas vendors and suppliers, including partners who are non-English speakers. They provide unambiguous production instructions, annotated PDFs, visual markups and correction summaries. They partner closely with internal design, marketing, sourcing, quality, operations, and manufacturing teams to move work efficiently through review and approval.

• Participate in production discussions, clarify open questions, document decisions and follow through on outstanding action items.

Workflow, File Management & Continuous Improvement

The Senior Production Designer maintains accurate project status, production documentation, approvals, and communications within the company’s project management and artwork review systems. They maintain organized working files and approved final artwork within shared file systems and digital asset management platforms. They contribute to and maintain production standards, templates, checklists, file specifications, and documented best practices. They identify opportunities to improve production efficiency, accuracy, consistency, and communication across high-volume workflows.

Senior Production Leadership

The Senior Production Designer serves as a production subject-matter expert and a dependable resource for packaging, print, file preparation, and proofing questions. They provide practical production guidance to designers and cross-functional partners while maintaining established brand and technical standards. They help identify recurring risks, recommend solutions, and reinforce consistent production practices across the team.

Travel Requirement

This position requires occasional travel up to 15%, which may include international travel. A valid passport, or the ability to obtain one, is required.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in production design, with significant packaging experience.
• Demonstrated success extending designs across multiple SKUs and packaging structures.
• Strong understanding of full cycle commercial print processes and production workflows.
• Exceptional attention to detail, commitment to accuracy, and ability to identify inconsistencies before release.
• Proven experience reviewing and approving production files and first-run samples.
• Experience working with global or overseas manufacturing partners and providing clear production instructions.
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize competing deadlines, and remain focused and effective in a high-volume environment.
• Advance proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Acrobat Pro is required.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign is preferred.
• Experience with project management and artwork review platforms is required.
• Experience with Monday.com is preferred.

Note

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee and are not be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, abilities, and skills required of personnel so classified. Equal Opportunity Employer Dixon Ticonderoga Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.