Head of Print Design Studio

Location :

2 Lascelles Road, Meadowbrook, Edenvale Hours :

08 : 00 - 17 : 00 weekdays. Reporting to :

Department Head

About SMD Technologies Are you ready to join the fastest growing developer of brands in South Africa? With hundreds of consumer brands from Volkano, Sony, Rocka, Eiger and more, SMD Technologies is home to huge audio and incredible staff.

We have a young and vibey office space, with heaps of staff spoils and the best coffee in SA, all designed to make you want to love working here.

About the Role : We’re looking for a hands-on, results-driven leader to head up our packaging, creative and studio team. This is not a role for someone who wants to coast — we want someone who leads by example, takes ownership, holds high standards, and isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in to keep projects moving.

You’ll manage a high-volume, fast-paced studio responsible for packaging, POS, catalogues, retail design and print across a wide range of products and brands. You’ll be expected to keep the work flowing smoothly, manage a diverse team of designers, ensure best-in-class creative output, and represent the company confidently in meetings, pitches, and partner collaborations.

If you know how to bring creative visions to life and keep a studio running like clockwork — this one’s for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the packaging and creative design pipeline, from briefing to delivery
• Lead, motivate and manage a team of designers, freelancers, and DTP artists
• Partner with the Traffic Manager to ensure workflows are structured, efficient, and always moving
• Represent the creative studio confidently in internal meetings, supplier presentations and external partner briefings
• Pitch creative ideas, packaging concepts and campaign rollouts that meet both strategic and commercial goals
• Set and uphold high standards for accuracy, layout, typography, packaging spec and brand consistency
• Drive productivity and accountability across the team — you’ll know when someone’s dragging their feet
• Deliver quick turnarounds without compromising quality
• Handle disciplinary issues professionally and firmly, including issuing written warnings when needed
• Ensure the studio is delivering at a pace that matches the commercial demand, every time
• Oversee design approvals, press checks, supplier queries and mock-ups
• Keep the team aligned with production deadlines, brand guidelines, and company objectives
• Manage team KPIs, and complete monthly reporting on tasks and work out of studio.
• Liaise with Product Development teams to ensure range execution is continuous and within keeping of brand guidelines.

Must-Have Skills and Experience

What Success Looks Like