Senior Packaging Designer - Grit & Pearl

About the role

We're looking for a Senior Packaging Designer who doesn't just create beautiful work - but brings ideas to life from concept to shelf.

At Grit & Pearl, we "roll up our sleeves." We are a new breed of design partner built on deep production expertise, strategic thinking, and a commitment to making brands work in the real world - not just in presentations. This role is for a designer who thrives in that space: where creativity meets execution, and ideas translate into impact at scale.

You'll play a key role in shaping distinctive, ownable packaging systems for global FMCG brands - while navigating the realities of adaptation, portfolio rollout, and production with confidence.

This is a hybrid role based in Japan with requirement to work onsite in Tokyo.

What You'll Do

• Create strategically grounded, commercially effective packaging design across multiple brands and markets
• Translate creative briefs into ownable, scalable design systems that work from concept through to shelf
• Partner closely with Account and Strategy teams to ensure creative aligns with business and brand objectives
• Collaborate across Trident functions to bridge design, adaptation, and production seamlessly
• Contribute to brand audits, renovation projects, and innovation pipelines
• Develop and refine design solutions through iterative thinking and feedback loops
• Take ownership of projects from concept through artwork and production readiness
• Play an active role in quality control, ensuring design integrity is maintained through execution
• Present work with clarity and conviction - articulating both creative and strategic rationale
• Support and mentor junior designers, contributing to a culture of making, learning, and craft excellence

What You Bring

• Strong grounding in branding and packaging design within FMCG/CPG environments
• A portfolio that demonstrates both creative excellence and real-world application (design-to-shelf thinking)
• Ability to balance creativity with practicality - understanding constraints without compromising ideas
• Confidence in storytelling and design rationale, both visually and verbally
• A hands-on, proactive mindset - comfortable getting into the detail, not just the concept
• Collaborative spirit, with the ability to work across cross-functional and global teams
• Solid understanding of production processes, artwork, and packaging realities
• Bilingual in both English and Japanese language

Tools & Approach

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
• Strong attention to detail and craft in execution
• Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining consistency and quality

You'll be part of a connected global team, working alongside

• Design leadership and regional teams
• Cross-functional Trident specialists (from adaptation, production, CGI, rollout)
• Global FMCG clients and stakeholders

Who You Are

• You believe great design doesn't stop at the idea.
• You care about how it's made, how it scales, and how it performs on shelf.
• You're as comfortable crafting concepts as you are making them real.