Senior Creative Director

Senior Creative Director

Dossier/ZGM | Vancouver, BC | Full-Time | Senior Leadership

Role Overview

Dossier/ZGM is seeking a Senior Creative Director to lead the creative helm of a legacy design studio with over three decades of iconic brand creation. This is a rare opportunity to shape the next chapter of a firm that has built brands like Mike's Hard Lemonade and consistently delivered transformative work for established CPG, food & beverage, wellness, and corporate clients.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines creative vision with strategic rigor, someone who can guide complex branding projects from strategy through execution while leading multidisciplinary teams and upholding Dossier's reputation for creating enduring brands that drive meaningful business success.

You'll direct the full creative process across brand identity, naming, packaging, and experience design, and mentor emerging creative leaders. You'll work closely with our strategy and account leads to ensure creative work is grounded in business objectives and market realities, while building strong working relationships with senior client stakeholders.

This role requires proven CPG or brand transformation experience, strong production knowledge, and the presence to lead complex stakeholder conversations. You should be equally comfortable in strategy sessions and design reviews, with a track record of launching successful brands and products.

Based in Vancouver, BC. Hybrid working model supported.

What You'll Do

Creative Leadership

• Lead creative direction on major rebrands, product launches, and portfolio transformations
• Drive the creative process from strategy and naming through brand identity, packaging, and experience design
• Ensure creative work balances brand ambition, consumer insight, and commercial viability
• Partner with strategy and account leads to translate business objectives into compelling creative solutions
• Present and defend creative vision to senior executives, founders, and investor groups

Strategic Design Thinking

• Apply systems-thinking to brand and product architecture, growing existing platforms and envisioning future portfolios
• Guide brand positioning that differentiates in category while supporting commercial goals
• Advise on package form factor development and optimal manufacturing approaches
• Integrate product claims and messaging structures into cohesive design systems
• Stay attuned to consumer and design trends, applying insights strategically

Project & Process Leadership

• Oversee complex, multiphase projects including category creation, brand architecture, and new product development
• Guide teams through stage-gate processes and product launch timelines
• Maintain strong understanding of production processes, technical execution, and manufacturing realities
• Ensure projects meet quality, timeline, and budget expectations while supporting sales and marketing needs

Team Development

• Lead and align design and production teams with clarity and discernment
• Mentor senior designers and emerging creative leaders
• Foster a collaborative, high-standards creative culture
• Build team capabilities in human-centered design and innovation methodologies

Studio Leadership

• Represent Dossier's creative vision externally through thought leadership and industry engagement
• Contribute to studio growth and evolution of creative practices
• Collaborate with senior leadership on studio direction and key decisions

Must-Haves

• Senior Experience: 12+ years in creative leadership at an agency or design studio
• CPG/Brand Expertise: Deep experience in CPG (food, beverage, wellness) with proven brand creation, refresh, and line extension work
• Track Record: Proven success launching brands and products
• Creative Range: Expertise across brand identity, naming, packaging, and brand communications
• Strategic Positioning: Strong ability to diagnose business challenges and articulate clear creative vision that aligns with client objectives
• Production & Technical Fluency: Solid understanding of package form factors, manufacturing options, printing techniques, and production processes
• Process Knowledge: Understanding of product stage-gate development and launch processes
• Team Leadership: Proven ability to lead and inspire multidisciplinary creative teams
• Client Presence: Confidence presenting to C-suite executives and ownership teams,
• Systems Thinking: Ability to see how individual projects fit within broader brand architecture and portfolio strategy

Nice-to- Haves

• Specialization working on
  
  wine or premium beverage branding, including portfolio tiering, estate positioning, and technical label execution
• Knowledge in Canadian Wine Market
• Background in both agency and client-side roles
• Exposure to venture-backed or high-growth brands
• Familiarity with design systems and scalable brand architecture
• Experience in entrepreneurial or boutique agency environments
• Sales & Marketing Acumen: Strong awareness of go-to-market requirements and execution needs

Why Join Dossier/ZGM

• Take the creative helm of a studio with 30+ years of category-defining work and proven business impact
• Lead transformative projects for ambitious brands across CPG, food & beverage, wellness, hospitality, and private capital
• Shape the next chapter of a firm that has built iconic, enduring brands like Mike's Hard Lemonade
• Collaborate with founders, established brands, and private capital partners who value strategic creativity
• Hybrid working model with senior leadership autonomy and direct influence on studio evolution