Farah Grainger

At Fresh, I directed workload planning across a team of 7 designers during the highest-pressure launch periods, managing department budgets and design timelines while protecting the integrity of the creative vision. A big part of that came down to translation: taking a brief, quickly understanding what was actually needed, asking the right questions up front, and turning that into a clear, actionable plan. That clarity kept teams aligned, moving faster, and avoiding the costly rework that comes from misread briefs — even when external vendor support had to be brought in to cover capacity gaps.

At Fresh, I went beyond day-to-day status meetings and approvals to build the process infrastructure that changed how the team operated long-term. A key part of that was developing RACI charts so every team member — across design, marketing, regulatory, and production — had a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities within each project. When people know exactly where they fit, collaboration replaces guesswork, silos break down, and work moves through review and approval faster and with fewer surprises.

Managed end-to-end packaging artwork across two distinct prestige brands — from 2D design direction and artwork mechanicals through final production readiness. That meant ensuring accurate dimensioning, typography, color evaluations, and technical specs at every stage, while partnering with Global Marketing, Package Development, R&D, and Legal to confirm that copy, regulatory information, and translations were accurately reflected on primary and secondary packaging. The work required equal parts technical precision and cross-functional coordination — keeping creative intent intact while making sure every file that went to production was compliant, accurate, and on time.

Partnered with the Director of Packaging on BOM and spec management, transit testing, and assembly instructions for AERIN’s global product launches — the unglamorous detail work that determines whether a beautiful concept actually survives shipping, customs, and shelf placement intact.

Operational rigor has paid off throughout my career. Early on at Avon, I led a vendor consolidation initiative within a $10M packaging procurement portfolio, using spending analysis and strategic sourcing to generate $400K in savings. It’s the same instinct I still bring to every team I join: look for where structure is missing, and fix it.