Direct Edge Media · 2 months ago
Structural Design Manager / Creative Director – Temporary POS Retail Displays and packaging
Anaheim,CA,US
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$75K/yr - $100K/yr
7+ years expDirect Edge Media is seeking a hands-on Structural Design Manager / Creative Director to lead their structural design department. This role combines creative direction, process development, and technical mentorship to produce high-quality, cost-efficient display solutions that align with client needs and manufacturing realities.
LogisticsPrintingWarehousing
Responsibilities
Provide daily guidance, mentorship, and feedback to structural designers to elevate design quality and efficiency
Establish clear workflows, checkpoints, and communication standards between design, production, and client teams
Foster a collaborative environment that balances creativity with practical execution
Oversee structural concepting and creative design for corrugate, semi-permanent, and temporary displays across retail and beverage categories
Translate client-provided renders or creative visuals into structurally sound and cost-effective display solutions
Ensure designs are not only visually compelling but also value engineered for best price, assembly time, and transport
Lead design reviews — pushing for innovation while maintaining structural integrity and manufacturability
Partner with the design and account teams to interpret client briefs and translate them into executable 3D solutions
Audit current design workflows and identify opportunities for streamlining (templates, shared libraries, SOPs, etc.)
Develop best practices for dieline creation, layout efficiency, material usage, and sample production
Implement tools or systems (e.g., Airtable, project trackers, file naming conventions) that enhance visibility and consistency
Collaborate with production and account managers to ensure designs align with manufacturing capabilities and client standards
Develop ID tags on all designs and white samples to help speed up design to market
Work closely with account managers, creative, prepress, and production teams to ensure seamless project handoffs
Support quoting, sampling, and production readiness — ensuring structural files are accurate and complete
Partner with leadership on strategic initiatives that elevate the department’s creative and operational standards
Qualification
Required
7+ years of experience in structural or 3D display design, with at least 3 years in a leadership or mentorship role
Expertise in ArtiosCAD, Illustrator, and 3D visualization software (e.g., KeyShot, SketchUp, or Rhino)
Strong understanding of corrugate, folding carton, foam core, and mixed-material display design
Proven ability to balance creativity, cost-efficiency, and speed-to-market
Skilled at analyzing client renders and developing structurally feasible designs that bring the creative concept to life
Excellent communication and leadership skills; able to inspire and motivate a creative technical team
Have a solid understanding of large format printing, offset printing, CAD cutting and traditional die cutting processes
Benefits
Benefits
Company
Direct Edge Media
Direct Edge Media (est. 2001) is a technology driven and progressive full-service print communications powerhouse to many highly recognizable brands.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Jim Hudgens
Chief Technology Officer
Company data provided by crunchbase