Associate Design Director

Overview

ROLE: ASSOCIATE DESIGN DIRECTOR
TEAM: CREATIVE, SALT XC
LOCATION: TORONTO (HYBRID)

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Salt is a North American marketing agency that creates connected experiences through creative, digital & media innovation.

Our mission is to “Earnthe World’s Attention” and Salt is built to find, develop, execute, and amplify the ideas that are worthy of our clients’ audiences. We’ve structured our agency to do what’s right for our clients – to connect different perspectives, to work across mediums, and to focus on delivering meaningful, effective results. We’re committed to living up to the values in our name.

“Salt of The Earth” means we value collaborative, humble, hard-working people here. We’re looking for people who are as smart as they are kind because we believe the right talent and the right culture help us do what’s right for our clients.

As an Associate Design Director at SALT XC, you are a creative leader who blends hands-on design craft with strategic vision and team leadership. You’ll help shape the design direction of projects, guide creative teams, and ensure every output meets the highest standards of design excellence and brand integrity.

You’re deeply rooted in design craft but think beyond the canvas — connecting creative ideas to brand strategy and business goals. You’ll drive concept development, mentor designers, and confidently present work to clients and stakeholders, ensuring the creative vision is clear, consistent, and compelling across every channel.

• Brand-Aware Design Systems & Execution
• Lead the development of brand-aligned design systems that reinforce consistency, clarity, and creative impact across digital, print, and experiential mediums.
• Translate brand strategies and guidelines into scalable creative systems that empower teams to deliver at a high standard.
• Oversee the execution of design work across multiple projects — ensuring outputs maintain brand integrity and creative excellence.
• Provide mentorship, direction, and quality oversight for Designers and Senior Designers within the team.
• Collaborate closely with Creative Directors and cross-functional partners to evolve design frameworks and creative methodologies.
• Presentation & Stakeholder Communication
• Confidently present design work, creative concepts, and visual strategy to clients and senior stakeholders.
• Lead internal creative reviews with clarity, constructive feedback, and an emphasis on raising creative standards.
• Collaborate across teams — including Strategy, Production, and Accounts — to ensure design alignment with business objectives and project timelines.
• Champion strong communication between creative and client teams to ensure a shared understanding of goals, process, and vision.
• Strategic Design Thinking
• Translate strategic insights and brand positioning into creative design concepts that drive engagement and differentiation.
• Lead ideation and concepting sessions to push creative boundaries while ensuring alignment with client and brand objectives.
• Partner with Strategy and Creative Directors to bring a design lens to brand challenges and experience development.
• Foster a culture of creative problem-solving and curiosity within the design team.
• Visual Craft & Attention to Detail
• Maintain hands-on involvement in key design work, setting the standard for visual craft and creative execution.
• Ensure every output meets production standards, with precision in layout, color, typography, and materials.
• Oversee preparation of production-ready files and final deliverables with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and polish.
• Stay current on design innovations, AI-driven tools, and industry trends to evolve the team’s capabilities and creative approach.

• 7+ years of professional design experience in social, digital, and brand design (experiential and shopper marketing a plus).
• Proven ability to balance leadership responsibilities with hands-on creative execution.
• Strong portfolio showcasing conceptual depth, design excellence, and versatility across mediums.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign); familiarity with AI-driven design tools an…