DESIGN DIRECTOR - Uniforms - Dallas, TX

As our Design Director, you'll provide high-level expertise in design of all garments for Waitressville and Dallaswear Uniforms. You will work closely with and report directly to the CEO and CFO. You'll drive functional excellence within Technical Development of all designs and will be a key member of the company leadership team. You will ensure manufacturability of 
designs and the ability to meet price points, margin requirements and merchandising need. Additionally in this role, you will work closely with overseas factories to ensure efficiency and quality.


Responsibilities

Lead product design for all new uniform lines across all brands including:

• Technical drawings/flats for all new products

• Construction details

• Create Patterns (Gerber) for new and existing designs

• Fabric sourcing

• Material & size run approval

• Product quotes & selling price

• Develop new products that are in line with marketing strategies/initiatives and sales goals.

• Work with Product Life Cycle process to maintain all quality and consistency standards across all product ranges.

• Meet with Product Development team members on a consistent and timely basis to ensure that problems or concerns are promptly resolved and projects 
move forward.

• Based on a design concept, produce detailed technical packages for overseas vendors and our dedicated plants, with clear and accurate descriptions of construction, detailed sketches and/or a sample and specific measurements and graded specifications.

• Approve specifications and pre-production samples for bulk production.

• Recommend corrective changes to the garments, ensuring that all shipments of garments will meet specifications.

• Create and monitor calendars to ensure timelines of deliverables

• Execute product development activities from initial design concept to T.O.P. approval and drive issue resolution

• Send approvals on size sets, PrePros and T.O.P. samples

• Work closely with CEO and CFO to plan seasonal costing strategies to meet company goals

• Consistently identify opportunities to increase productivity and efficiency within the division

• Stay up to date on all uniform, dancewear, fashion and global dance trends that will inspire the best possible collections

• Analyze and stay up to date on competitor collections including products, price, etc.


Requirements

• Bachelor degree in an apparel related field necessary 

• A Expert level grasp of KNIT fabrics and sewing techniques

• 8+ years experience in product development and the apparel industry

• Ability to work in collaborative team environment and communicate cross-functionally with all levels of the organization

• Attention to detail

• Enjoy being proactive and ahead of the game to ensure deadlines are met.

• Self-motivated with a strong sense of urgency

• String interpersonal skills for building working relationships within teams

• Strong time management and organizational skill to establish priorities and meet specific deadlines

• Ability to proactively trouble shoot and problem solve

• Ability to strategize and drive results

• Advanced Mac (Apple) computer skills and proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, PLM software and Excel

• Proficiency in Gerber or other patternmaking software highly preferred

• Eager to stay up to date with technology systems and welcomes the chance to learn something new.

• Interpret and apply your knowledge and love of design, fabrics, sewing and trims to garment construction

• Ability to travel internationally 3-4 times a year

• Ability to travel in the U.S. 5-6 times a year


Compensation

Waitressville/ Dallaswear Uniforms offers competitive compensation commiserative to applicant's qualifications and experience. Waitressville 
also offers paid vacations, paid holidays, health benefits as well as 401k and profit sharing to full-time salaried employees. Most of all, we are a healthy, positive, fantastic place to work!


Sorry, no relocation assistance will be provided.