Summerhall Distillery - Graphic Designer & Creative Lead
Location: Summerhall, Edinburgh
Salary: £28,000-£30,000
Hours: Full-time (part-time / freelance considered for the right candidate)
Home of Pickering's Gin and The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky, Summerhall Distillery is Edinburgh's original craft distillery - hand-built by our founders inside the old kennels of the Royal (Dick) Vet School, right in the middle of the Summerhall arts complex. We're known for doing things a bit differently: unusual botanicals, gin-filled Christmas baubles, immersive Fringe events, and a visitor experience that mixes serious craft with genuine playfulness.
We're looking for a Graphic Designer & Creative Lead to be the creative voice behind our brand - someone who can design beautiful, distinctive visuals across packaging and shoot and create compelling content for campaigns, promotional activity, and social media channels, turning distillery life, new releases, tours, and events into content people actually want to engage with.
This is a versatile, hands-on position ideal for someone who is passionate about both design craftsmanship and creative content development. Someone who wants to help shape the visual identity of much-loved independent Scottish brands.
You'll be:
- Designing packaging, labels, POS material, merchandise, and print collateral across both our own, and third-party, brands.
- Creating content across social channels, website and other media touchpoints
- Photographing and filming at the distillery, events and production.
- Working closely with the founders and wider team on campaigns, launches, and brand building
- Keeping our brand consistent and distinctive across every touchpoint
You'll bring:
- A strong portfolio spanning both graphic design and digital content
- Confidence with Adobe Creative Suite (or equivalent) and social scheduling/analytics tools
- Great photography and basic video/editing skills
- A genuine interest in drinks, hospitality, or independent brands
- The initiative to manage your own workload in a small, fast-moving team
Sound like you? We'd love to hear from you.
To apply: Send your CV and portfolio (or links to your work) to [email protected] with "Graphic Designer & Creative Lead" in the subject line. Closing date: 04/09/26
Full Job Specification
About Summerhall Distillery
Founded in 2013 by Matt Gammell and Marcus Pickering, Summerhall Distillery was the first dedicated gin distillery to open in Edinburgh in over 150 years. Built by hand inside the former veterinary kennels of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the distillery sits at the heart of the Summerhall arts complex - alongside The Royal Dick pub, galleries, theatre spaces, and a rotating cast of independent tenants.
Our flagship product, Pickering's Gin, began life as a 1947 recipe from India and has since grown into a range that experiments with unusual botanicals (yes, including brussels sprouts), and has built a much-loved consumer base to date which we want to focus on the continued expansion on over the coming years. We also produce The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky, predominantly an export brand. The distillery runs daily tours, tastings, and cocktail masterclasses, and takes on a second life every August as a Fringe venue.
Alongside our brands, we have a co-packing and bottling division, Edinburgh Bottlers & Co-Pack, that helps aspiring brand owners to take their ideas and create incredible products in multiple spirits categories. A rewarding, fast paced and highly varied part of our business.
We're a small, close-knit, independent business - creative, innovative, and proud of doing things our own way.
Role Purpose
To own the visual identity and media footprint of Summerhall Distillery, creating design work and content that reflects the brand's craft, character, and sense of humour, and that drives engagement, footfall, and sales across our online and in-person channels.
Key Responsibilities
Graphic Design
- Design labels, packaging, and artwork for core range, limited-edition and third-party releases
- Produce point-of-sale materials, signage, and merchandise designs for the distillery, shop, and Royal Dick pub
- Create print and digital materials to support tours, events, and trade activity.
- Maintain and evolve brand guidelines across all applications
- Support the wider team with ad hoc design needs (menus, invitations, packaging inserts, gift sets)
Content Management
- Create compelling content for campaigns, promotional activity, and social media channel
- Shoot and edit photo and video content on-site, at events, and during production
- Write engaging, on-brand copy for posts, captions, and campaigns
- Monitor and respond to engagement and report on performance across our social media channels
- Keep across social trends and adapt content formats accordingly
- Coordinate social coverage for key moments: new releases, tours, events, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Brand & Campaign Support
- Collaborate with founders and the events/tours team on marketing campaigns and product launches
- Support wider marketing activity, including email newsletters and website content, where relevant
- Help maintain a consistent, distinctive visual identity across the business
Person Specification
Essential
- Proven experience in graphic design, with a strong portfolio
- Proficiency in design software (e.g. Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or equivalent)
- Confident photography and videography skills, including phone-based content creation
- Excellent written communication and copywriting skills
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple projects and deadlines independently
- A genuine interest in food, drink, hospitality, or independent brands
Desirable
- Experience managing social media accounts for a brand or business
- Experience in the drinks, hospitality, or events industry
- Video editing skills (e.g. Premiere Pro, CapCut, or similar)
- Experience with social scheduling and analytics tools (e.g. Later, Meta Business Suite)
- Basic knowledge of packaging or print production requirements
- Familiarity with Edinburgh's arts, food, and drink scene
What We Offer
- Staff discount on Pickering's Gin, The Broody Hen Whisky, and merchandise
- A creative, informal working environment in one of Edinburgh's most distinctive venues
- The chance to shape the visual identity of a growing, independent drinks brand
- Company pension scheme
- 26 days of annual leave + company shut down over the Christmas period
Job Types: Permanent, Full-time
Pay: £28,000.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Bereavement leave
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Sick pay
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Edinburgh EH9 1PL: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Graphic design: 3 years (required)
Work Location: In person
