Design Director, Textiles Kids – West Elm – West Elm – Brooklyn, NY

The Design Director will lead textiles categories for West Elm Kids. This is a remarkable opportunity to define the look and feel of an emerging business within the West Elm brands and bring a visionary point of view to West Elm’s kids textiles assortment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reporting to the Vice President of Textiles Design, the Design Director will manage the following Kids textiles categories: Bedding, Blankets, Plush, Soft Décor, Bath, and Apparel. They will translate seasonal concepts and market trends into design solutions that meet the business needs of this rapidly growing segment.

• Articulate a clear and elevated point of view for West Elm kids textiles assortment
• Oversee design and development from initial concept to final product approval
• Ensure that design team successfully translates seasonal direction into viable product.
• Present and sell seasonal design direction to merchandising team and executives, identify key business driving ideas and items.
• Identify big business ideas to be develop and ensure Designers have clear understanding of the product line.
• Ensure that all final design details and pre-production samples are approved by Designers (with Product Development). Resolve escalated issues.
• Drive innovation in these categories with regards to color, pattern and construction.
• Regularly shop competitors to keep abreast of trends. Travel Europe/Asia to identify emerging themes and new inspirations with Design Directors & VP.
• Achieve operational excellence in product development:

• Partner with merchants to ensure needs/briefs are clear, meaningful, and support seasonal big ideas.
• Manage product development to the brand calendar and achieve key milestone dates.
• Utilize multiple internal and external data sources to inform the early stages of our design brief and product development process.

Qualifications:

• Proven track record of a strong ability to conceptualize design across multiple product categories
• Deep understanding of Kids market, competitive landscape and design trends
• Minimum 7-10 years product design experience. Minimum 4-year college degree or equivalent experience.
• 5 years management experience. Must have ability to provide feedback, participate in the annual and ongoing performance management process, etc.
• Aesthetic Visionary, People Development & Management, Presentation Skills, Business Orientation.

Benefits:

Once you are here, you can look forward to a wide variety of benefits designed to help you grow, personally and professionally, to keep you healthy, to prepare you for the unexpected, to care for your family and to build a secure future. Depending on your position and your location, here’s a look at what you might be eligible for:

• A generous discount on all Williams Sonoma Inc. brands through multiple shopping channels
• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities
• Paid vacations, holidays and other time-off programs
• Health benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance; health and dependent care tax-free spending accounts; medical, family and bereavement leave; same-sex domestic partner benefits; short- and long-term disability programs; life and travel insurance; an employee assistance program
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health
• In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University
• Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities
• Location specific sample sales
• A business casual work environment
• San Francisco based bike share program
• Time off to volunteer
• Matching donations to qualifying nonprofit organizations
• Company-sponsored community involvement
• Various discounts on local businesses

WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or “sponsor” an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

FOR SF ONLY:

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, or other applicable state or local laws and ordinances.