Design Manager

The Design Manager, brings their brand portfolio to life by partnering end to end across the business to co-create brand strategies that drive long-term value. They influence and lead the development of customer-first, value-driven, coordinated ranges and products that set the business apart and deliver real value to its customers.

Main Accountabilities

Brand Management, Strategy, Insights & Customer

• Lead the strategic curation of own brand/s, developing a deep understanding of each brand’s commercial and customer role and setting guiding principles to inform product development
• Drive and influence the ongoing evolution of own brand strategies within your portfolio, grounded in trend analysis, customer insights and data-driven analytics
• Interpret insights, data and trade learnings to influence and co-create strategies that grow own brand ranges in line with business goals
• Continuously analyse range performance and trade data to extract key customer insights, identifying opportunities to refine the range and increase sales and conversion
• Apply a clear understanding of customer profiles to build cohesive ranges that meet customer needs and improve business performance
• Champion a deep understanding of the business strategy, customer, purpose and brand, and reflect these in how trends are interpreted

Trend Research & Forecasting

• Develop and communicate a commercially viable creative direction for a large-volume value retailer, researching and interpreting trends to define seasonal aesthetics, key shapes, colours and prints aligned to customer profiles
• Guide the team to translate the creative direction into detailed seasonal assortment plans, incorporating trade learnings, performance analysis and strategic alignment
• Translate the creative direction into clear briefs for the sourcing team and suppliers to enable seasonal execution

Design & Development

• Coach, develop and mentor a highly engaged team of designers, assistant designers, print designers and/or product developers
• Work within disciplined ways of working so that timelines are met, stakeholders are engaged appropriately and processes are efficient and cost effective
• Lead the team to design and develop ranges that meet commercial guidance set through option plans and target costings
• Foster a value engineering approach to consistently deliver optimal value at volume
• Guide well-informed product decisions, using supplier insights to balance trend, fit, fabric, colour and print against price targets and quality standards
• Lead the team on fabric consolidation and application across ranges to achieve functional, aesthetic and commercial outcomes
• Guide the team on applying raw materials into the range where relevant
• Bring comprehensive knowledge of garment construction
• Ensure all technical specifications meet company standards and technical requirements
• Prioritise and deliver a high-volume workload with attention to detail and within set timelines

Critical Path Management

• Manage the team’s workflow to deliver to critical path milestones
• Champion ways of working that enable small-batch workflows, create visibility with cross-functional partners and drive delivery to plan
• Drive delivery of all design milestones, including complete tech packs, so costing and sample development happen on time and accurately
• Drive end-to-end accountability and support the RACI for each milestone across the business

Experience & Qualifications

• Formal qualification in Design or Product Design
• Experienced Senior Designer with 10 years in a high-volume retail business, with a proven ability to design and manage a broad range of medium-complexity options
• Experience leading and mentoring designers at all levels to self-manage with a collaborative mindset
• Transferable design skills and the ability to adapt across product types
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders across a broad skill base
• Strong presentation, written and verbal communication skills, with high attention to detail

On Offer

• Up to $190,000 + super pending experience
• 2 days WFH
• Discounts across the business