Senior Designer, Leather Goods

OVERVIEW:
Marc Jacobs International, powered by the creative genius of Marc Jacobs, seeks a Senior designer, Leather Goods to join the Design team based in its New York City (SoHo) headquarters.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Design & Creative Development 

• Lead the design and development of handbags and small leather goods from initial concept through production.
• Create innovative silhouettes, seasonal concepts, hardware ideas, and product animations aligned with brand direction.
• Develop compelling inspiration boards, trend research, vintage references, and competitive market analysis.
• Translate seasonal direction into commercially relevant products with a strong understanding of color, materials, construction, and functionality.
• Produce detailed sketches, CADs, technical drawings, and comprehensive tech packs using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Review prototypes and development samples, providing detailed comments and design revisions throughout the product development process.
• Collaborate with Product Development and factory partners to resolve construction, engineering, and cost challenges while preserving design intent.

1. Collaboration & Communication 

• Support the Design Director in managing the day-to-day organization of the handbag design team.
• Help prioritize workload, balance seasonal projects, and ensure an even distribution of responsibilities across the team.
• Supervise and mentor up to two direct reports, providing guidance, constructive feedback, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Foster a collaborative, positive, and highly creative team environment while maintaining accountability for deadlines and deliverables.
• Monitor progress against seasonal calendars and proactively identify workflow challenges or resource needs.

1. Product Management & Quality Assurance 

• Manage product development across four seasonal collections simultaneously while maintaining accuracy, creativity, and speed.
• Ensure all design deliverables are completed according to seasonal milestones and critical calendar deadlines.
• Organize seasonal line architecture, product animations, color-ups, presentation materials, and design archives.
• Maintain Illustrator libraries, CAD files, technical packages, seasonal boards, and product documentation with exceptional attention to detail.

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Accessories Design, Industrial Design, or related field.
• 7–10 years of handbag or leather goods design experience within a luxury or contemporary fashion brand.
• Proven experience leading seasonal handbag collections from concept through production.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior designers, including up to two direct reports.
• Strong understanding of handbag construction, materials, hardware, leather, and manufacturing processes.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities across four seasonal calendars.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, highly creative, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong presentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Microsoft Excel.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and able to thrive in an environment where product is continually evolving through seasonal development.

SALARY & BENEFITS/WHAT WE OFFER: 
The compensation for this position ranges from $120-130k (annually). The rate of pay offered will be dependent upon candidate’s relevant skills and experie