Design Director, Lucky Brand Footwear & Handbags (Hybrid)

General Summary:
The Design Director, will work under the direction of the VP/GM Licensed Brands, to develop and direct industry leading creative solutions for concepts and categories. Create a highly relevant, desirable and clear brand image, from sell in to sellout. Lead and manage the internal creative team to achieve world class results.Location: This role is hybrid working out of our Camuto Group offices located at 1407 Broadway, NYC.
Reports to: VP/GM Licensed Brands
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Conducts total market research to understand macro and micro trends, including runway, editorial and social media.

• Review blogs, magazines, online channels, forecasting reporting. Review global trends and translate to footwear that is appropriate for the brand.

• Attends footwear and material shows locally and internationally to stay on top of and identify future key items and emerging trends.

• Works with customers/buyers/merchants to inform of trends and understand needs at retail to apply to lines

• Leads the Design team for one or more brands of Footwear or Accessories

• Develop concepts and creative strategies that fulfill objectives of category, concept and market trends

• Collaborate with Product Design team to ensure holistic storytelling

• Collaborate with cross-functional team members to ensure consumer and brand focus

• Lead the execution of creative strategies to ensure end to end creative excellence

• Review and approve production stages of creative execution

• Maximize results within given budget and time frames

• Leads the creation of annual and long-term Creative Direction strategies

• Present and communicate creative solutions with clarity, effectively selling in ideas to variety of stakeholders

• Identify opportunities of improvement and change, and initiate own proposals/projects

• Seek out new design resources that can deliver world class results

• Owns or works with Creative Director on development calendar

• Efficiently communicate with overseas teams throughout development process

Required Skills:

• Strong visual and verbal skills with the ability to create impactful/exciting visuals

• Passion for the brand and its mission

• Innovative and collaborative leader and coach

• Strong problem solving and influencing skills

• Ability to inspire, think creatively and strategically as well as to act tactically

• Knowledge and use of Macintosh computer design software/systems (Photoshop, Illustrator)

• Traditional hands on footwear development skills (material specs and tech packs) required

• Strong experience in concept creation, color strategy, traditional and technical footwear expertise, last development, leather and non-leather materials and product execution

• Previous experience managing and mentoring designers required

Experience:

• 8+ years design experience in Industry or Design on managerial level

• 3-5 years footwear experience

• 3 years people management experience

• Proven experience with the entire design process (project scope and time planning, design steps, production/execution of design solution, pre-press processes)

• Proficient knowledge in development process and working knowledge of PLM systems

Education:

• Bachelor degree (B.A) from four-year college or university in a relevant Design subject or equivalent combination of education and experience.

The estimated pay range for this position is $143k to $220k. The successful candidate's actual salary offer will take into account a wide range of job-related factors including skill sets, years and nature of relevant experience, training, pay rates of associates in similar positions, the candidate's location, and other organizational needs. The estimated pay range has been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential. This range does not include benefits such as health insurance, paid or unpaid time off work, and retirement.
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Why Choose A Career with Designer Brands?
Empowering associates and building strong teams poised to disrupt the retail and footwear landscape through positive change is at the core of who we are at Designer Brands.

• Invested in helping our associates learn, develop, achieve and grow into strong leaders
• Shared commitment to creating a culture fueled by engagement, excitement, optimism and fun
• Dedicated to giving back and community involvement

About Designer Brands:
Designer Brands Inc. is one of North America's largest designers, producers and retailers of footwear and accessories.

• Designer Brands Inc. operates a portfolio of retail concepts in nearly 1,000 locations under the DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Shoe Warehouse brands and operates leased locations in the U.S through its Affiliated Business Group.
• Designer Brands designs and produces footwear and accessories through Camuto Group, a leading manufacturer selling in more than 5,400 doors worldwide.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
We learned of a fake job offer scam where individuals are using a company's name and branding to create emails and websites designed to trick individuals into providing personal information because they think they are applying for a job directly with the company. To combat this, companies are listing their legitimate hiring sites and communication methods. Our valid email addresses end in @dswinc.com, @designerbrands.com and @camutogroup.com. Two examples of non-legitimate email addresses are ones that end in @designerbrands.info or @designerbrands.work (do not respond to interview requests or other messages from these). If you are not certain about a communication or an information request, a good practice is to independently look-up a contact for the company (do not use the contact method listed in the request) to verify that you are contacting the right person and not being deceived. If you want to verify a Designer Brands' related hiring request, please send a message to TalentAcquisition@hr.designerbrands.com. Please know we are working to do what we can to stop these scams.