Dana-co has an opportunity for a Director of Design and Merchandising who is an expert in bra design and construction. This leader will oversee the development and launch of innovative intimate apparel. responsible for the entire product lifecycle of multiple brands, from ideation and strategy to execution and go-to-market. This role requires a blend of creative vision, technical understanding, and business acumen to ensure products delight customers and achieve business goals.

This leader is the driving force behind our brands’ aesthetics and creative direction, leading a talented merchandising, design, and product development professionals ensuring that our intimate apparel collections are trend-forward, innovative, and aligned with the brands’ character.

This position works in-office 4 days during the week and reports to the President/CEO.

Responsibilities:

Design Leadership:

1. Set the Creative Vision: Define and communicate the overall creative vision and aesthetics for our intimate apparel collections. Stay ahead of industry trends, identify opportunities for innovation, and set the tone for each season.
2. Fabrications and Details: Focus on identifying innovation around quality fabrications, details, fits, and other design elements, including color and print. Collaborate with sourcing and textile teams to bring the vision to life.
3. Technical Expertise: Expertise in technical design principles for bras with a deep understanding of design principles and techniques to ensure best-in-class fit.

Team Management:

1. Team Development: Manage and develop the intimate apparel teams involved in merchandising, design, technical design, and product development. Nurture creativity at all levels while ensuring cohesive and strategic product development. Identify staffing needs and recruit talent who align with the company’s core values.
2. Collaboration: Build strong relationships with other departments.

Business Alignment:

1. Balancing Creativity and Objectives: Review the collection as a whole, balancing creative and business objectives. Designs with a thorough understanding of margin expectations to ensure company goals are met.
2. Market Understanding: Understand the target customer and competitive landscape within the luxury intimate apparel space. Develops long and short-term strategic product plans for the team and constructs processes to support business strategies. Stays abreast of current market and trade trends
3. Budgets: Manage product and department budgets and ensure on-time and on-budget delivery.
4. Strategy: Develop and implement strategies to maximize product adoption, customer engagement, and revenue growth. Track and analyze product performance metrics and identify areas for improvement. Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure product competitiveness.

Concept/Design Presentations

1. Excels at presenting the collections, building storytelling and compelling internal and external presentations.
2. Responsible for coordinating collective efforts for successful meeting preparation

Communication/Documentation

1. Responsible for up-to-date documentation related to all design work in progress within a timely manner across all systems and tools
2. Communicate product vision, strategy, and roadmap effectively to internal and external audiences.

Prototyping/Fitting

1. Communicates aesthetic direction and fit intent
2. Responsible for directly managed styles as well as for their team and the larger department as needed

Material Development/Design/Color

1. Oversees Merchandising and Product Development to lead on fabric, print, trim, silhouette, outfitting, and fit across multiple seasons and all stages of the development cycle

Qualifications:

• 15 years of experience in Bras/Intimates design with demonstrated success; Bachelor's degree in Product Development or Design, preferred
• 5 years of senior-level management experience building and leading powerful teams
• Expertise in bra design construction in average figure; full busted and full figure a plus, and in shapewear design.
• Experienced eye for design and elevated taste level suitable for the brands.
• Strong understanding of the product development and manufacturing lifecycle from concept to launch.
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage workload, and meet deadlines.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong knowledge of sewing techniques, pattern making, fitting, grading, and costing
• Skilled in Adobe Creative Suite including Illustrator and Photoshop. Highly capable in Lectra.
• Ability to travel occasionally