What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Design position at Sauder Family Companies?
Are you a visionary designer and leader with a love for creating beautiful, functional products that meet the needs of consumers? Do you thrive on turning ideas into reality and seeing your designs come to life in people's homes? As a Director of Design at Sauder, you will lead a world class design team that conceptualizes and develops new product offerings or enhancements that allow our consumers to live better lives. You will leverage your experience, market research, manufacturability, and costing knowledge to create designs that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. You will lead a team that champions projects from concept through implementation, collaborating with multiple stakeholders throughout the end-to-end process.
This role offers a hybrid arrangement, with an agreed-upon portion of work time spent at our office in Archbold, Ohio.
Key Responsibilities
Consumer and Market Expertise
Maintain an expert understanding of consumer behaviors and needs across product categories.
Stay current on competitor offerings, product design trends, and technologies/methods.
Use and identify external data to stay informed and relevant.
Communicate market trends and product directions internally and externally to align with strategy.
Design and Development
Develop original, market-aligned designs that drive innovation and support product strategy.
Represent Sauder's products with customers and stakeholders to build trust and credibility.
Deliver compelling presentations of concepts, new products, and enhancements to internal and external stakeholders.
Champion approved designs from concept to implementation, ensuring adherence to quality and strategy.
Manufacturing and Cost Alignment
Maintain familiarity with new and existing manufacturing processes, both domestic and international.
Work with the Sauder import team to develop expertise in international capabilities and foster strong relationships.
Collaborate with internal teams to set specifications and resolve manufacturing issues.
Leadership and Collaboration
Lead and coach a talented design team, delivering fresh, market relevant designs at the right time, value, and on budget.
Be a product advocate by serving as the point person for anything product related, the product development processes, optimizing protocols across disciplines and departments, and promoting inter-department communications.
Collaborate to develop and improve corporate product strategies and implementation plans
Visionary Role
Plan and execute long-term strategies that blend creativity, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
Serve as a visionary by conceptualizing and implementing strategies that position Sauder as a market leader in consumer trends.
Drive innovation by blending technical understanding with consumer insight to deliver exceptional products.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree with focus in Industrial Design or Furniture Design preferred or equivalent experience.
10 years providing design leadership
Strong leadership skills
Ability to think strategically and make sound decisions
Highly collaborative
Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship
PAY SUMMARY
The actual salary will be based on factors such as location, relevant experience, and skills.
