Win it. Strong idea. Compelling pitch. Executable solution. Great brand experience.

About the Role
We’re looking for a Concept Designer who can turn a brief, opportunity or blank page into a compelling, original idea that makes a client say: “I want this. They understand my brand. I trust Grapevine to bring it to life.” Your main focus will be Pitch: large-scale, concept-led experiential work like major centre courts, mall activations, Expo stands and launches, in the league of Clicks Beauty Playground and Takealot House of Beauty. Pitch isn’t defined by budget or footprint, but by the need for an original idea and real strategic thinking.
This is an ideas-first role, but the ideas need to work in the real world. You’ll combine conceptual thinking, consumer insight, visual storytelling and spatial design with a practical understanding of print and production. You’ll work closely with Sales, the Design Studio and Operations, and direct our specialist production partners, to create work that is compelling, original, strategic and executable.

Why Pitch Matters
Pitch is how Grapevine creates future growth: winning high-value opportunities and being seen as market leaders. Internally, it’s two words: Win it. Every concept protects the opportunity, the big idea, client confidence, the consumer experience, executability, budget and GP, and our reputation.

What You’ll Do
Concept & Pitch Development
•  Turn client briefs into strong, distinctive creative concepts.
•  Research brands, audiences, retail environments and relevant trends.
•  Develop the big idea, concept rationale, moodboards and creative direction.
•  Build consumer journeys that turn spaces into engaging brand experiences.
•  Create compelling pitch decks that clearly sell the thinking, not just the visuals.
•  Produce mock-ups, layouts, sketches and 3D/spatial visualisations.
•  Develop ideas with budget, GP, timelines, venue restrictions and production realities in mind from the first sketch.
•  Present and defend creative thinking in internal reviews and, where required, to clients.    

Design & Production
•  Develop winning concepts into clear, executable design direction.
•  Set up accurate artwork for retail and large-format print.
•  Understand scale, bleed, resolution, colour, cutter guides, dielines and print-ready file preparation.
•  Work accurately with dimensions, floorplans, technical specifications and brand guidelines.
•  Quality-check work and maintain clean, organised files for studio and production handover.
•  Work with specialist production partners, fabricators and Operations so Grapevine can direct and control the experience from idea to install.

Who We’re Looking For
•  You are conceptually strong and can generate more than a visually attractive design.
•  You can explain why an idea works and how it answers the brief.
•  You understand consumer journeys and how people interact with physical spaces.
•  You know how to build a persuasive pitch presentation.
•  You have a strong eye for layout, typography, composition and premium design.
•  You understand how creative work moves from concept through to print and production.
•  You can work quickly, take feedback constructively and refine ideas without losing the core concept.
•  You balance creative ambition with practical execution. To you, high-impact and executable are not opposites.
•  You want to win. You think like a growth partner and know a winning idea must also be profitable.
•  You keep up with retail, beauty, lifestyle, technology and global experiential-design trends.

Essential Skills
•  Strong Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign skills.
•  Good understanding of print production and print-ready artwork.
•  Experience with a 3D/spatial design tool such as SketchUp, Blender or similar.
•  Strong presentation-design and visual storytelling skills.
•  Approximately 3–5 years’ relevant design experience. Portfolio strength and conceptual ability matter more to us than years alone.
A strong advantage: Experience in retail, experiential, exhibition, beauty, cosmetics or brand activation design.

What Success Looks Like
You’ll create ideas that help us win it, while making sure what we sell can be confidently produced, delivered and profitable.
Every concept should be: Compelling. Original. Strategic. Executable. High-impact. Profitable. Growth-driving.
WINNING IDEA  →  COMPELLING PITCH  →  EXECUTABLE SOLUTION  →  GREAT BRAND EXPERIENCE

Your portfolio is important. We want to see more than polished final artwork. Show us how you think, and how you win.
Where possible, include projects that demonstrate:
•  The brief or challenge
•  Your initial thinking and concept development
•  The big idea and rationale
•  Consumer journey or spatial thinking
•  Pitch presentation or visualisation
•  Final execution
Please make it clear what you personally conceptualised and designed, and tell us if the work was pitched, won and ultimately produced.