Manager, Design - Textiles/Softlines

Compensation:
There is assistance available for relocation.
Directs soft-line product development by providing leadership and experience to the design engineering team. Manages product development by working with and maintaining schedules, budgets and product cost estimates. Ensures that products meet requirements set by Marketing, Manufacturing, Design Engineering, Sourcing and Purchasing.



Primary responsibilities:



Product Concepts and Ideas - Participates with Marketing and Sales in the refinement of product concepts and ideas by getting their views of market realities such as the color, form and retail cost of different products in different markets.
New Product Focus - Facilitates negotiations aimed at reaching compromise between the advocates of creative ideas for product design and the need to satisfy practical requirements such as those dictated by standards, retailer's needs, manufacturing feasibility, financial constraints, performance requirements, and the placement of brand name and warnings.
Leads Design Team -Guides the design engineering team in sorting out various creative product ideas and concepts which are aimed at the same goal by getting them to examine the pros and cons of those ideas and by focusing their efforts on the required parameters such as cost, size, weight, look and function.
Product Safety, Standards and Reliability - Ensure that all products have been tested and evaluated for reliability by his/her team, that they meet all codes and standards, and that all safety concerns and issues have been reviewed and approved by the Director of Product Safety and Compliance.
Patents - Ensures that the patents process is carried out fully.
New Technologies - Participates in the process of finding and sourcing or purchasing the technologies needed to develop products and improve manufacturing processes. Fully understands the design considerations, supplier capabilities, industry infrastructure, and the underlying economics of new technologies.
Manufacturing Design - Significantly contributes to the determination of manufacturing design requirements by analyses of such factors as location of plant (i.e. China vs USA), sales projections, and foreign retailer needs.
Involvement in Production - Works closely with, and supports manufacturing by direct involvement in the initial stages of production of new products or the redesigned elements of existing products. Provides engineering change orders based on material supply changes that occur.
Human Resources Development - Evaluates Design Engineering staff, including new members, and provides mentoring, training and coaching where indicated.
REQUIREMENTS
Travel Percentage: 0%
Prefer B.S. Degree in Engineering, Textiles or equivalent education/experience.
A minimum of 5 to 7 years management experience in a manufacturing environment.
A minimum of 5 years design experience in both consumer products and manufacturing in textiles and plastics.
Excellent management, analytical, problem-solving, negotiation and decision-making skills.
Ability to travel internationally for a 2-3 week period at least 3 - 4 times per year
Previous international business travel.
Experience using/developing Gantt charts.
Strong analytical skills - ability to read and interpret product specifications and drawings.
Detail oriented with strong written communication, problem solving, and organizational skills
Knowledge of various domestic and foreign manufacturing disciplines
Self-motivated and able to work in a team environment.
Advanced level of PC skills: MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Project