Lead Visual Designer (Hybrid role)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Visual Designer

Company: Cansel

Location: Toronto, ON or Vancouver, BC (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing

Date Posted: 2026-06-05

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end execution of high-quality marketing assets across five distinct business units within Cansel Group, ensuring brand precision and production readiness.

• Provide direct mentorship and quality assurance for the Visual Designer, elevating the team's overall output and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

• Independently manage complex design projects from creative brief to final delivery across a multi-channel marketing landscape, including email, print, web, social, and video.

• Apply and maintain rigorous brand guidelines across a diverse portfolio, ensuring consistency and accuracy for Cansel Group, BuildingPoint Canada, Trinitec, and CSDS.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior production specialist with a strong mentorship component, acting as a critical quality gate and team enabler within the Cansel Group's marketing creative team. The emphasis on "production-ready" and "good enough the first time" highlights a focus on efficiency and execution alongside creative excellence.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for complex marketing projects, from initial creative brief interpretation to final, production-ready asset delivery across email campaigns, lead generation forms, trade show materials, e-commerce visuals, brochures, publications, internal communications, and vehicle fleet graphics.

• Meticulously apply and enforce brand guidelines with unwavering precision and consistency, particularly crucial for multi-brand outputs where accuracy is paramount.

• Implement and maintain robust production file organization and handoff standards, ensuring clean, well-structured asset libraries that are easily accessible and usable by the broader marketing team.

• Actively contribute to key improvement areas, including enhancing e-commerce product detail pages (PDPs), elevating social media visual quality, and ensuring consistent branch design across all touchpoints.

• Lead and mentor the Visual Designer by providing clear direction, constructive feedback, and day-to-day guidance, thereby raising the quality floor for the entire team without formal management authority.

• Serve as the primary quality assurance gate for the Visual Designer's output, reviewing and refining work before it escalates to the Creative Supervisor for final approval.

• Support the Visual Designer's professional development through regular collaboration, knowledge-sharing sessions, and skill-building initiatives.

• Assist in triaging and intelligently distributing incoming work requests in coordination with the Creative Supervisor, optimizing team capacity and workflow.

• Make independent, sound creative decisions within established brand direction, requiring minimal oversight at each stage of the design process.

• Collaborate closely with the internal creative team, escalating strategic or final approvals to the Creative Supervisor as needed.

• Actively participate in creative reviews and team check-ins, proactively raising any production challenges, capacity concerns, or potential bottlenecks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate a dual focus on high-level design production and team development. The emphasis on "owning" projects and making "independent creative decisions" suggests a need for a highly self-sufficient and proactive individual. The mention of specific improvement areas (PDPs, social media quality, branch consistency) indicates strategic priorities for the role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Post-secondary education in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a closely related field is a mandatory requirement.

Experience: A minimum of 5+ years of progressive experience in a graphic design, visual design, or equivalent production-focused role is essential.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, specifically: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Premiere Pro (or a comparable video editing platform).

• Proven ability to design and deliver high-quality visual assets across all key marketing channels, including email marketing, web design, social media platforms, print collateral, and video content.

• Demonstrated expertise in applying and consistently maintaining brand systems and guidelines across multiple, distinct brand identities simultaneously.

• Exceptional command of production-ready file discipline, including a deep understanding of bleed, color profiles, asset sizing, resolution requirements, and format optimization for various output mediums.

• Proven experience or a strong demonstrated willingness to mentor and guide junior designers, exhibiting patience, providing constructive feedback, and investing in others' professional growth.

• Excellent project management instincts, with the ability to independently manage one's own workflow, proactively flag potential issues or risks, and consistently meet deadlines.

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a breadth of design work across print, digital, social media, and email marketing outputs. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience working within B2B marketing environments, the technology sector, the construction industry, or in multi-brand/agency settings.

• Skills in motion design, basic animation, or social video production.

• Familiarity with project management tools such as Monday.com, Asana, or similar platforms.

• Proficiency with emerging AI design tools (e.g., Adobe Firefly, Canva AI) to enhance production efficiency and explore new creative avenues.

• Bilingual proficiency in English and French, which would be a significant asset given Cansel's national operational presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-Haves" are heavily weighted towards technical proficiency and production expertise. The "Nice-to-Haves" suggest areas where additional value can be brought, particularly in efficiency through AI tools and broader industry experience, indicating potential future growth directions for the role or team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A diverse collection of design projects demonstrating end-to-end ownership, from initial concept to final production-ready assets.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the design challenge, the strategic approach taken, and the specific solutions implemented for each business unit.

• Examples showcasing meticulous application of brand guidelines across multiple Cansel Group entities, highlighting consistency and accuracy.

• Demonstrations of file organization, naming conventions, and handoff procedures for various marketing channels (print, digital, social, email).

• Evidence of contributions to improving key areas such as e-commerce PDPs, social media visual quality, or branch design consistency. Process Documentation:

• Workflow designs and optimization strategies implemented for managing design projects from brief to delivery, emphasizing efficiency and quality control.

• Documentation of methods used for implementing and automating design processes where applicable, potentially including AI tool integration.

• Examples of how design performance and brand adherence are measured and analyzed post-delivery, linking to business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are framed around demonstrating practical execution, brand stewardship, and process efficiency, aligning with the "production-ready" and "own your work" ethos of the role. Emphasis is placed on tangible examples of process and outcome.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The estimated annual base salary for this position is between $65,000 and $72,000 CAD.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health and dental coverage.

• Retirement savings plan options.

• Paid time off, including vacation days and statutory holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development and training.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses.

Working Hours: The standard working hours for this full-time role are approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature of the role allows for flexibility in scheduling, with specific days in the office to be determined in coordination with the team and Creative Supervisor.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on market data for Lead Visual Designer roles in major Canadian urban centers like Toronto and Vancouver, considering the specified experience level and the hybrid work arrangement. Benefits are typical for full-time roles in Canadian companies of this size and industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cansel Group operates within the Geospatial and Construction Technology sectors, providing advanced solutions, software, and services. This industry context implies a need for designs that are often technical, data-driven, and aimed at professional B2B audiences, requiring clarity and precision.

Company Size: Cansel is a significant player in its field, supporting 5 distinct business units. This scale suggests a structured marketing department with established processes but also room for evolution and improvement, offering opportunities for a Lead Visual Designer to make a tangible impact.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, the company's multi-entity portfolio and established market presence indicate a mature organization with a history of growth and strategic development.

Team Structure:

• The Marketing Creative Team is likely composed of a Creative Supervisor, a Visual Designer, and this Lead Visual Designer role. This structure suggests a collaborative, hands-on team environment where individuals work closely together.

• The Lead Visual Designer reports directly to the Creative Supervisor, indicating a clear line of reporting and strategic direction.

• Cross-functional collaboration will be essential, working with marketing managers, product teams, and potentially sales representatives across the various Cansel Group business units to understand their creative needs. Methodology:

• Data analysis and insights are crucial in the geospatial and construction tech industries, so designs may need to visually represent complex data or technical information effectively.

• Workflow planning and optimization are key, especially given the need for high-volume, multi-brand production and the emphasis on efficiency in this role.

• Automation and efficiency practices are becoming increasingly important, as suggested by the "Nice-to-Have" preference for AI design tool proficiency.

Company Website: https://www.cansel.ca/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's industry and multi-brand structure are key considerations for a visual designer. The role's position within the creative team indicates a need for strong collaboration and the ability to work within established frameworks while also driving improvements.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a senior individual contributor, specifically a "Lead" position within the visual design function. It signifies a transition from pure execution to include mentorship and quality assurance responsibilities, acting as a force multiplier for the team's output and skill level.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Visual Designer reports to the Creative Supervisor, Cansel Group. This structure places the role in a position to influence creative quality and production workflows directly under the guidance of a supervisor, with a clear path for escalation and strategic alignment.

Operations Impact: The Lead Visual Designer's impact is primarily in ensuring the consistent, high-quality visual representation of Cansel Group's five business units across all marketing channels. This directly supports brand integrity, marketing campaign effectiveness, lead generation efforts, and overall customer perception, contributing indirectly but significantly to revenue generation by enhancing the professional image and market presence of the company.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Potential to deepen expertise in specific marketing channels (e.g., e-commerce PDP optimization, advanced social media creative) or to take on more complex, strategic design projects.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to expand mentorship responsibilities, potentially leading to formal management roles or taking on greater responsibility for creative direction within specific projects or business units. Further development in project management and team coordination.

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in areas like motion graphics, video production, or advanced brand system management as the company's needs evolve. Exposure to AI design tools offers a pathway to becoming a leader in design automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title implies a step up in responsibility beyond individual contribution, focusing on team enablement and quality control. Growth paths are likely to involve increased strategic input, leadership, and specialization within the creative domain.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a hybrid role, meaning employees will split their time between working remotely and working from one of Cansel's offices in Toronto, ON, or Burnaby, BC. This offers a balance between focused work at home and collaborative interaction in the office.

Office Location(s):

• Toronto, ON (Postal Code: L4B 2M9)

• Burnaby, BC (Postal Code: V5J 5H6)

Candidates are expected to be able to work from one of these hybrid locations.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is expected to foster collaboration among the creative team and with other marketing and business unit stakeholders, facilitating brainstorming and feedback sessions.

• Access to necessary design software and hardware will be provided to ensure efficient production. The team likely utilizes a standard suite of creative tools.

• Opportunities for regular team check-ins, creative reviews, and knowledge-sharing sessions are integral to the team's operational rhythm.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement provides some flexibility, allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration days and remote workdays, which can be coordinated with the Creative Supervisor to ensure team needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model necessitates strong communication and self-management skills. The office locations are key for candidates to consider regarding their commute and local Cansel office presence.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience against the role requirements.

• Technical/Creative Assessment: A potential exercise or portfolio review session focused on design execution, brand application, and problem-solving skills. This might involve critiquing existing designs or a small design challenge.

• Team/Manager Interview: An in-depth discussion with the Creative Supervisor and potentially other team members to evaluate your design approach, mentorship capabilities, project management skills, and cultural fit within the creative team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a higher-level marketing leader to discuss strategic alignment and overall contribution potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase End-to-End Ownership: Highlight projects where you managed the entire design process, from brief to final delivery. Detail your role and contributions clearly.

• Demonstrate Brand Stewardship: Include examples specifically showing how you applied and maintained brand guidelines across multiple brands or campaigns. Emphasize consistency and accuracy.

• Highlight Production Skills: Present examples that clearly demonstrate your proficiency in creating production-ready files for various outputs (print, digital, email, social). Explain your file organization and handoff practices.

• Illustrate Mentorship: If possible, include examples of how you've guided or mentored junior designers, or be prepared to discuss your approach to feedback and skill development.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics or specific outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs, especially for e-commerce PDPs or social media campaigns.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your process for approaching a new design brief, especially one involving multiple brand guidelines.

• Practice articulating your design decisions and the rationale behind them, focusing on how they meet business objectives and brand standards.

• Familiarize yourself with Cansel's current marketing materials across its business units to understand their visual landscape and identify potential areas for improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "production-ready," "brand accuracy," and "mentorship" will likely be key themes during the interview and portfolio review. Candidates should prepare to speak concretely about their process and impact in these areas.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Expert proficiency is mandatory, specifically:

  • Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, and illustrations.
  • Adobe InDesign: For layout and print design (brochures, publications, trade show materials).
  • Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Adobe Acrobat: For PDF creation, editing, and pre-press checks.

• Adobe Premiere Pro (or equivalent): For video editing, essential for social media video and potentially internal/external communications.

• AI Design Tools (Preferred): Adobe Firefly, Canva AI for enhanced production efficiency and exploring new creative avenues.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly listed as a primary tool for this role, understanding how design impacts metrics is crucial. Familiarity with web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand user behavior on web pages and e-commerce PDPs would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable for this design role, though understanding how marketing automation platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo) are used for email campaigns might provide context for email design requirements.

Project Management:

• Monday.com, Asana (or similar): Familiarity is preferred for task management, workflow tracking, and team collaboration on projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core requirement is deep proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite. The preference for AI tools and project management software indicates a forward-looking team that values efficiency and structured workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Accountability: A strong emphasis on taking responsibility for one's work, delivering high-quality results consistently, and holding oneself accountable to deadlines and brand standards. This is the "non-negotiable" core value.

• Craftsmanship & Precision: A deep respect for the art and science of design, with a commitment to meticulous execution, brand accuracy, and attention to detail in every asset produced.

• Collaboration & Support: A team-oriented approach where individuals work together, share knowledge, and actively support colleagues, particularly in mentoring and skill development.

• Efficiency & Effectiveness: A drive to produce work that is not only visually appealing and brand-accurate but also delivered in a timely and efficient manner, optimizing production processes.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset focused on identifying opportunities to enhance quality, streamline workflows, and elevate the overall creative output of the team.

Collaboration Style:

• Peer-to-Peer Mentorship: The Lead Visual Designer is expected to actively guide and uplift the Visual Designer, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

• Cross-Functional Teamwork: Working closely with other marketing team members and stakeholders across the five business units to understand requirements and deliver effective creative solutions.

• Feedback-Driven Improvement: An open culture for receiving and providing constructive feedback to refine designs and processes, aiming for the best possible outcome.

• Knowledge Sharing: A willingness to share best practices, tips, and insights related to design tools, techniques, and industry trends within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value accountability, quality craftsmanship, and a supportive team dynamic. The "non-negotiable" value of ownership is a critical aspect for candidates to understand and demonstrate.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Multi-Brand Management: Consistently maintaining brand integrity and distinct visual identities across five different business units requires strong organizational skills and a deep understanding of each brand's nuances.

• Production Volume & Speed: Balancing the need for high-quality, production-ready assets with potentially high demand and tight deadlines across multiple projects.

• Mentorship Without Formal Authority: Effectively guiding and influencing the Visual Designer's work and development without direct managerial power requires strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Adapting to Evolving Technologies: Staying current with new design tools, AI advancements, and evolving digital marketing trends to maintain efficiency and creativity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like motion graphics, UI/UX for e-commerce PDPs, or advanced video production.

• Industry Best Practices: Exposure to leading practices in B2B marketing design, particularly within the technology and construction sectors.

• Leadership & Mentorship Skills: Formalizing and expanding mentorship capabilities, potentially leading to more significant team leadership roles over time.

• Technology Adoption: Gaining practical experience and proficiency with AI-powered design tools and other emerging technologies that enhance creative workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for a self-starter who can manage complexity and interpersonal dynamics effectively. Growth opportunities are tied to both technical skill enhancement and leadership development within the creative function.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for taking a design brief from inception to final, production-ready output, especially when dealing with multiple brand guidelines." (Focus on workflow, quality control, and brand adherence.)

• "How would you mentor a junior designer to improve their production file discipline and ensure brand consistency?" (Prepare examples of constructive feedback and skill-building techniques.)

• "Imagine you're tasked with improving the visual quality of our social media assets. What steps would you take, and what metrics would you track?" (Demonstrate strategic thinking and data-informed design improvements.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What is your understanding of Cansel Group's business and its various entities? How would you approach designing for each?" (Showcase research into the company and its market.)

• "Our core value is 'You own your work.' How does this resonate with your professional philosophy, and how have you demonstrated this in past roles?" (Prepare specific examples of accountability and proactive problem-solving.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with non-design stakeholders to ensure creative alignment and project success?" (Discuss communication strategies and stakeholder management.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the objective, your role, the challenge, your creative solution, and the outcome.

• Emphasize Production Readiness: For relevant pieces, zoom in on file details, color profiles, bleed, and asset organization to showcase your technical mastery.

• Demonstrate Brand Fidelity: Use examples to show your ability to adapt to and consistently apply different brand guidelines.

• Quantify Impact: If design improvements led to measurable results (e.g., higher click-through rates, better engagement), highlight these with data.

• Showcase Mentorship Approach: Be ready to discuss how you've helped others grow, even if it's through informal guidance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating ownership, technical production skills, brand stewardship, and a proactive, collaborative approach to mentorship and problem-solving.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Visual Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Ultipro.

• Tailor your resume: Ensure your resume highlights your 5+ years of experience in visual design, expert proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, and any experience with multi-brand environments or mentorship. Use keywords from the job description such as "production-ready files," "brand guidelines," "Adobe Illustrator," "InDesign," "Photoshop," and "mentorship."

• Curate your portfolio: Select your strongest work that demonstrates end-to-end project ownership, meticulous brand application across different entities, and production-ready file examples for various channels (print, digital, social, email). Prepare to walk through 2-3 key projects that best showcase your skills and align with Cansel's needs.

• Prepare for interview questions: Practice articulating your design process, your approach to mentorship, and how you demonstrate ownership and accountability. Be ready to discuss your experience with B2B, technology, or construction industries if applicable.

• Research Cansel Group: Familiarize yourself with Cansel Group and its five business units (Cansel, BuildingPoint Canada, Trinitec, CSDS). Understand their market presence and review their current marketing materials to demonstrate your understanding and interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.