Senior Visual Communication Designer

BAT is evolving at pace into a global multi-category business. Our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by Building a Smokeless World. 
To achieve our ambition, we are looking for colleagues who are ready to join us on this journey! Tomorrow can’t wait, let’s shape it together!

British American Tobacco UK has an exciting opportunity for a SENIOR VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGNER in London or Southampton

What are the key objectives and expectations from this role?  

The Senior Visual Communication Designer owns the graphic design and visual communication direction for strategic New Categories packaging projects and cross-category initiatives. The role translates brand ambition, category strategy and consumer insight into distinctive, coherent visual systems—using information architecture, typography, colour, imagery and iconography to help consumers recognise, understand, navigate and select products.

Reporting to the Packaging Experience Lead, the role leads visual communication workstreams from exploration through to delivery. It sets design direction, defines scalable visual systems and makes decisions within agreed project parameters, ensuring hierarchy, proposition differentiation, device–consumable compatibility and essential information are resolved consistently across packs, formats, portfolios and connected touchpoints.

Applying graphic design and systems thinking, the role simplifies interaction and removes friction across the consumer journey. It champions clarity, coherence, consistency and craft across packaging, product and connected digital interfaces.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Visual communication direction

• Lead graphic design and visual communication workstreams for strategic packaging projects and cross-category initiatives, from exploration through to delivery.
• Translate brand ambition, category strategy and consumer insight into clear design direction, principles and scalable visual systems.
• Define information architecture, hierarchy, typography, colour, imagery and iconography across packs, formats and portfolios.

Clarity and interaction

• Identify and resolve communication barriers, including ambiguity, inconsistency, visual noise and cognitive load.
• Simplify how consumers recognise, understand, navigate and select products, including proposition differentiation and device–consumable compatibility.
• Integrate graphics, packaging structure and interaction cues across physical and digital touchpoints.

Design ownership and delivery

• Set design direction, make decisions within agreed parameters and maintain momentum through ambiguity.
• Develop master creative artwork and refine prototypes with suppliers to test, validate and progress design solutions.
• Own the quality and coherence of outputs, safeguarding design intent from development through to implementation.
• Balance consumer, brand, commercial, technical and regulatory requirements to deliver distinctive and feasible solutions.

Influence and capability

• Partner with Design, Brand, Category, Insights, R&D and Operations to align visual communication with the wider product experience.
• Influence stakeholders through clear rationale, evidence and visual storytelling; challenge fragmented approaches and build alignment.
• Raise creative standards through strong judgement, practical direction and constructive critique of junior designers and external partners.

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE

ESSENTIAL

Graphic design expertise

• Strong professional experience in graphic design, visual communication or packaging design within a consumer-focused environment.
• Advanced capability in information hierarchy, typography, colour, imagery, iconography, layout and brand expression.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating distinctive visual thinking, refined craft and effective application across packaging and connected touchpoints.

Systems and interaction thinking

• Proven ability to translate consumer insight and complex information into simple, intuitive visual communication.
• Strong understanding of cognitive load, visual cues and affordances.
• Ability to connect visual communication with packaging structure, product interaction and digital interfaces.

Design leadership and stakeholder influence

• Proven experience independently leading defined design projects within agreed strategic parameters.
• Strong stakeholder influence and presentation skills, with the confidence to constructively challenge established approaches.
• Proactive and accountable, with the confidence to navigate ambiguity and collaborate across disciplines.

Delivery and technical understanding

• Proven experience delivering packaging design through artwork, production and implementation.
• Working knowledge of print and production processes, with experience collaborating with technical teams and suppliers on prototypes.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and delivery constraints effectively.

#LI-Hybrid

What we offer you?

• We offer a market leading annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility)
• Our range of benefits varies by country and includes diverse health plans, initiatives for work-life balance, transportation support, and a flexible holiday plan with additional incentives.
• Your journey with us isn't limited by boundaries; it's propelled by your aspirations. Join us at BAT and become a part of an environment that thrives on internal advancement, where your career progression isn't just a statement – it's a reality we're eager to build together. Seize the opportunity and own your development; your next chapter starts here.
• You'll have access to online learning platforms and personalized growth programs to nurture your leadership skills.
• We prioritise continuous improvement within a transformative environment, preparing for ongoing changes.

WHY JOIN BAT?
We’re one of the few companies named as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute – certified in offering excellent employee conditions.

At BAT, we champion collaboration, inclusion, and partnership as the bedrock of our values. We wish to foster an environment where every individual can thrive, irrespective of factors such as gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, skills, experience, education, socio-economic and professional background, as well as diverse perspectives and thinking styles. We recognise that our strength lies in embracing talent from all walks of life, empowering us to develop our culture of inclusivity and better achieve our business objectives.

We view career breaks not as obstacles but as opportunities and encourage everyone, without hesitation, to apply. Through our Global Returners program, we provide support to professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce after an extended absence, be it for family care, parental leave, national service, sabbatical, or starting their own venture.
Come bring your difference and see what is possible for you at BAT. Learn more about our culture and our award winning employee experience here.

We take pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any reasonable adjustments or accommodations to be made during the recruitment process to support you performing at your best, please inform the recruitment partner who will be in touch should your profile be selected for the role you applied for. We are wholeheartedly committed to optimising your prospects of success by making suitable arrangements so that you may showcase your full potential.