Production Designer

Inked Brands is seeking a versatile Production Designer to join our team of designers and artists overseeing the wide range of beautiful products we create. Inked Brands works with niche brands to scale their businesses by analyzing and optimizing product assortment for both the e-commerce and wholesale sales channels. Our team is fun, creative, and willing to take smart risks. As a Production Designer, you will support our product team in many design functions, including but not limited to illustration, lettering, layout, packaging, production design, and spec sheets. You’ll need to thrive in a collaborative work environment for this IN-OFFICE role and manage multiple projects with ease. If you enjoy working both independently and in team settings, are organized, deadline-driven, and share a love for designing and creating unique products, you’ll be set for success!

WHAT YOU’LL DO -

• Design Production
  • Create production-ready designs for print, including notebooks, planners, calendars, catalogs, cups, pens, packaging and more forms.
  • Assist in the preparation of files for print, ensuring proper file setup, color correction, and resolution.
  • Maintain an understanding of product manufacturing processes and share design requirements with the design team for file execution and efficiency. 
  • Create templates to organize and make more efficient the graphic design workflow and day-to-day processes, including Breeze (project tracker) templates the Product Coordinators utilize to ensure all specs and vendor requirements are accurate.
  • Review and finalize designs to ensure brand consistency and quality.
  • Assist in mock creation, new product testing and sample runs.
  • Maintain, organize, and digitize manufacturer material catalogs (i.e., foil books, fabric swatches, etc.).
• Collaboration & Communication
  • Work closely with senior designers and product coordinators to execute creative concepts into finished production pieces.
  • Collaborate with vendors and printers to ensure designs meet specifications and are delivered on time and within budget.
  • Attend and contribute to project meetings, providing input on design feasibility, timeline, and potential solutions for production challenges.

• Brand Consistency & Quality Control
  • Ensure that all designs align with the company’s visual identity and brand guidelines.
  • Conduct regular quality control checks for design files to ensure accuracy and precision in production-ready assets.
• File Management
  • Organize and maintain design files, templates, and assets for easy access and future use on DropBox.
  • Ensure that file formats and resolution meet the requirements for various mediums.
• Project Management Support
  • Help manage multiple projects with varying deadlines, keeping production schedules on track.
  • Handle revisions and edits promptly, ensuring fast turnaround times for design requests.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE

• BA or BFA in Graphic Design, Visual Arts, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience as a Production Graphic Designer, Graphic Designer, or in a similar role with a strong portfolio of completed design projects.
• Solid understanding of print production processes.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat, etc.).
• Knowledgeable of working with production design reference sheets and adhering to vendor guidelines.
• Familiarity with pre-press processes and the ability to troubleshoot file preparation issues.
• Knowledge of typography, color theory, and layout principles.
• Experience with craft and stationery design is a plus.
• Previous packaging experience is a plus.
• Organizational Skills– Demonstrates strong planning skills, prioritizing and managing conflicting demands to meet deadlines with high quality projects; exhibits a high degree of independence managing projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, often changing environment.
• Communication– Superb interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills. Builds relationships and works collaboratively in a team environment. Seeks out and responds well to feedback and art direction and is results-oriented; flexible and able to be coached.
• Detail Orientation– Exhibits a high level of accuracy.
• Change Agility– Able to navigate successfully and positively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where change occurs rapidly; Flexible, observant and learns quickly.
• Judgment and Decision Making– Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one; looks beyond things accepted as “given” to suggest creative approaches.
• Cultural Fit– Embodies and inspires a positive attitude, in support of our unique culture founded on the principals of excellence, respect, accountability, integrity, enjoyment and diversity. Possesses the ability to work effectively in collaboration with multiple teams.