Design Director, Intimate Apparel (NYC Based)

Company Description

Overview
At SPANX, we believe in the whole person. We listen. We empower. We invent, innovate and iterate with one goal in mind: to make the world a better place... one butt at a time! You have an amazingly dynamic life and your career is one piece of the puzzle – we hope you will become a big piece of ours. 

Job Description

About the Role

The Director is a subject matter expert with the most responsibility and expertise on the intimate apparel design team. Excels at leading the team to design solution based and innovative, trend relevant products that are in-line with brand DNA.  Leads by sharing and collaborating on ideas within team and with cross-functional partners.

This role is based in Atlanta and reports into the Senior Director, Innovation and IA Design.

You’ll love it because you will

• Designing/Concepting
  • Leads the team to design and create new innovative concepts that deliver to specific consumer needs and helps support the sales goals of the company
  • Subject matter expert in intimates to ensure garments meet fit and build goals to drive best in class consumer experience
  • Translates ideas into commercial products that are on brand and trend relevant
  • Leads by sharing and collaborating on ideas
  • Excels at creating, building, and, communicating formats and templates
  • Ability to take designs into enterprise systems (PLM etc.)
  • Expertise in build, drape, and aesthetic, with a deep understanding of design principles and techniques
  • Must have strong aesthetic that will help inform branding and social media
• Business ‘Smarts’/ accountability
  • Develops long and short-term strategic product plans for the Design team and design processes in order to support business strategies while collaborating cross-functionally
  • Designs with a thorough understanding of margin expectations to ensure company goals are met.
  • Consumer insight focused
• Market/Trend research
  • Supports design leadership in creative vision of the season
  • Stays abreast of current market and trade trends
• Concept/Design Presentations
  • Excels at building storytelling and compelling presentations based on design leadership direction
  • Responsible for coordinating collective efforts for successful meeting preparation
• Communication/Documentation
  • You proactively build and share assets within meetings.
  • Responsible for up-to-date documentation related to all design work in progress within a timely manner across all systems and tools.
• Prototyping/fitting
  • Clearly communicates aesthetic direction and fit intent
  • Responsible for directly managed styles as well as for their team and the larger department as needed
• Material Development/Design/Color
  • Partners across Design and Raw Materials to collaborate and lead on fabric, print, trim, silhouette, outfitting, and fit across multiple seasons and all stages of the development cycle
  • Design into selected seasonal raw materials (fabric / wash / prints / color)  palette and help provide feedback as RM / Leadership make seasonal fabric decisions

Qualifications

We Require… 

• 10 years of experience in Intimates Design with demonstrated success 
• 5 years of experience building and leading powerful teams
• Highly skilled in Adobe Creative Suite including Illustrator and Photoshop.  Strong design card efficiency.  Highly capable in PLM systems.
• Strong eye for design and elevated taste level suitable for the brand.  Ability to identify white space in the market
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage workload and meet deadlines. 
• Excellent knowledge in product development, manufacturing processes, product concepting and craft
• Requires strong knowledge of sewing techniques, pattern making, fitting, grading and costing
• Expertise in shapewear design and build
• Expertise in bra design construction in average figure; full busted and full figure a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in Product Development or Design
• Ability to travel monthly

Problem solver - 

• Highly self-motivated and takes the initiative to support the team and companywide goals
• Proven ability to embrace new ideas and experiences, approaches challenges with innovation and creativity, and contributes to organizational change
• An analytical thinker that anticipates obstacles and plans accordingly to meet stakeholder needs
• Ability to balance competing priorities and work effectively in a dynamic environment

Driver – 

• Takes the initiative, is goal oriented and organized
• Excellent project managem