Director Design, Bar III - Full-time / Part-time

MER02654

Job Overview:

The Design Director is responsible for creating designs exclusively for Private Brands and develops trend strategies that support merchant objectives and Macy's. This position is responsible for setting the brand/label's seasonal fashion direction. Direct all aspects of design, development, selection and approval of materials, silhouettes, colors and patterns for the season. Direct and manage the entire Design Team for the area of responsibility. The Design Director must be able to develop and execute a strategic vision, with a progressive, customer centric-approach all while delivering on sales and profit objectives. This role requires the ability to leverage technical expertise to identify opportunities and develop an assortment. A fundamental requirement is to be able to build trust with their teams and key collaborators. Another key requirement is to demonstrate curiosity in a much broader and more complex business environment transcending our traditional competitive landscape in order to re-engage our customer. Perform other duties as assigned.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

The Design Director will be known as a trusted, collaborative and results-oriented leader, business partner and change agent who can lead through influence and who possesses professional maturity and industry credibility. The ideal candidate needs to be comfortable and effective leading through significant complexity. Candidates must be comfortable with quickly evaluating and sun-setting legacy approaches that no longer align to the strategy. The ideal candidate will be known for both vision and an equally strong orientation for speed.

The successful candidate will:

• Have ability to set and to deliver on a strategic category vision that aligns to the North Star Strategy and deliver financial targets.
• Make "company first" decisions.
• Build compelling core and curated assortments for both channels, with an appropriate balance of risk, testing of new ideas, and elevated offering.
• Size growth opportunities, edit for clarity, and ensure localization initiatives differentiate Macy's.
• Reduce complexity, act decisively, and model agility in leadership style.
• Have the temperament to lead and motivate the teams.
• Have solid understanding and focus on the digital experience and technology business drivers.
• Have a working knowledge of Private Brands - a strong advocate for exclusivity and Private Brand penetration.
• Enthusiasm, passion, and desire to gain product expertise.
• Have ability to set and to deliver on a strategic category vision that aligns to the North Star strategy.
• Communicate with candor and value open debate to ensure the best ideas come to life.

Essential Functions:

Assortment Vision, Strategy & Selection

• Lead the Design Team in development and execution of product designs to achieve overall product strategy and merchandise objectives.
• Set the brand seasonal fashion direction.
• Lead the Buy Meting coordination process, including visual set-up, props, lifestyle and design presentation.
• Buy Meeting and Pre-line presentation to the Buying Team – explain the design concepts and lifestyles of the brand.
• Coordinate line with Designers to ensure cohesive aesthetic integrity within the brands.
• Develop and execute product designs that achieve overall product strategy and merchandise objectives.
• Interpret seasonal fashion direction, assortment opportunities and merchandise trends for area of responsibility.
• Lead the research and development of seasonal trend.s
• Interpret seasonal fashion direction, assortment opportunities and merchandise trends for area of responsibility.
• Produce cohesive product presentations, including boards, tear sheets and samples to help sell concepts to merchants.
• Prepare line and presentation material for line previews and buy meetings including color boards, concept boards, print and story boards.
• Ensure designs meet merchant line plans, assortment strategies and overall creative direction.
• Shop the retail market seeking new merchandise/trend ideas.
• Shop the trend market seeking design inspiration (materials, fashion, color, trade shows) as needed.
• Travel to Europe/Asia to identify emerging themes and new inspirations and work with vendor partners.
• Interpret specific color palettes, patterns and prints for the season.
• Select and approves style, materials, trims and colors that fit into the program and style plans.
• Responsible for creating and distributing fabric development packages.
• Responsible for creating and distributing color cards & pattern development sheets.
• Develop flat mechanical sketches for design development packages and request development samples.
• Responsible for tracking and approving labs dips, fabric samples, strike-offs and other development materials.
• Compile design development packages and distribute to technical design and over for sampling.
• Review development samples.

In-season Forecasting

• Decide on in-season Design changes to make for the department and vendors based on sales, margin and turn forecast in partnership with Product Development and Buying Team.
• Participate in strategic meetings with recommended assortments (Key Resources, Design, Team Management).
• Modify the product line based on Product Development Team and customer input.
• Assist in identifying the key programs that comprise each classification.
• Adhere to the seasonal time and action calendar for area of responsibility.

Overseas/Domestic Vendors, Marketing, Product Integrity, & Technical Design

• Maintain an industry presence that allows for connections, new business opportunities and ideas at Macy's. Represent and support the Macy's brand while maintaining this presence and building relationships.
• Maintain relationships with technical designers, merchants and divisions to exchange ideas, leverage expertise and streamline the process.
• First point of contact with Vendor Community(Overseas/Domestic).
• Collaborate with Product Manager in set-up and presenting to customers at line reviews and buy meetings for area of responsibility.
• Communicate regularly with product management to gather input and share line development direction.
• Communicate on a daily basis with overseas offices to share line development direction.
• Select and approve materials, patterns and colors.
• Use CAD programs for style, color and pattern development.
• Attend fit sessions to review and approve counter samples for design silhouette.
• Regular, dependable attendance & punctuality.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Design or Fine Arts.
• Ideally, 6-8 years of industry experience.

Communication Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence.
• Able to develop, plan, present given category of business.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to prioritize and manage workload with multiple deadlines.

Other Skills:

• Understands competitive marketplace and pursues white space opportunities that align with North Star Strategy.
• Proven design expertise in a given category.
• Competitive shop and determine action necessary to address competitive challenges.
• Identify any product opportunities and provide suggestions.
• Strong color sense / print sense.
• Ability to view and differentiate the color spectrum.
• Proficiency in PC operation, MS office and Excel.
• Working knowledge of Illustrator, Photoshop, and PLM.

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

• Develop and coach Design Team
• Dynamic, transformational leadership, passionate about our work.
• Inspirational leader that has proven followership. Viewed in the organization as being a talent magnet where talent is developed and deployed throughout the enterprise.
• A builder of engaged and highly functional teams and partnerships.
• Comfortable with taking risks and celebrating risk taking regardless of outcome.
• Able to retain focus on vision and outcomes, letting others make decisions without the traditional hierarchical approval.
• Collaborative, consultative style with a strong ability to establish trust and build relationships across all levels and functions of the organization.
• Inspirational leader with the ability to identify, engage and motivate talent with a future-oriented mindset.
• Resilient, tenacious, high energy. Able to rapidly bounce back from adversity.

Work Hours:

• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on department and company needs.

This job description is not all inclusive. Macy's Inc. reserves the right to amend this job description at any time. Macy's Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.