Lead Designer

Job Description

Job Description

Outdoor Cap has been servicing the needs of the headwear industry for 47 years and is one of the world’s largest companies focused on business-to-business sourcing and manufacturing headwear. With customers in retail, team sports, golf, promotional products and more, working at Outdoor Cap is an opportunity to be part of a growing business building amazing products for some of the world’s greatest brands and companies.

The Lead Designer is responsible for leading network specific projects, supporting other networks and collaborating with a team of designers that share the common goal of creating original, innovative designs using Adobe CC. Personal involvement is in every phase of the product design process, including brainstorming, concept development, design execution and critique. Utilizing customer knowledge and a full range of product design, identity design, branding, trending, and sourcing knowledge, this position concentrates on every aspect of the product, understanding that it is a three-dimensional object with many facets.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborates with leadership, other designers and cross-departmentally in the concept development process and leads network specific projects in design and customer knowledge.
• Executes design at an advanced level; applying brand identity, customer preferences, sales history, market benchmark and trend direction appropriately to meet the unique needs of the customer.
• Gives and solicits feedback from other designers to continually raise the bar for quality.
• Is objective and solution driven, collaborating with Designers and Directors to accommodate varying degrees of critique and revision.
• Stays informed of technique and fabric availability at all factories and brings innovative ideas for design and decoration to the team.
• Highly flexible and organized, managing time and changes to project priorities.
• Maintains awareness of new and continual changes to design requests, techniques, headwear styles and programs to ensure quality standards in all deliverables.
• Provides detailed specification for the factory e.g., fabrication, color, technique, shape, and references.
• Researches the retail market, compiles, and analyzes season relevant trending.
• Communicates verbal and written communications effectively and professionally in both face-to-face and group settings internally and externally.
• Attends daily sample review meetings and identifies opportunities for improvement.
• Attends planning meetings and engages team to clarify direction.
• Is service oriented : reacts immediately to requests that may require quick turnaround to meet a deadline or exceed expectations.
• Presents design collections for network customer accounts internally and externally, effectively communicating direction, design rationale and design details.
• Looks for opportunities to work quickly and efficiently, yielding both quality and results.
• Maintains a file management system for accuracy, consistency, and easy access.
• Ensures that designs comply with internal and external guidelines.
• Participates in skill development training in an effort to create value and maximize impact.
• Employs a project management system to manage assigned projects.
• Ability to attend trade shows and customer meetings as required.
• Protects Outdoor Cap and its property by securing artwork that is shared outside of the company.
• Guarantees all designs respect copyright laws and follow intellectual property guidelines.
• Demonstrates a robust knowledge of Outdoor Cap’s brands, products, and systems.
• Upholds Outdoor Cap's Mission-Vision-Values and Founder’s Pillars by acting with integrity; working together as a team; treating each other with respect.
• Works closely with sales, sourcing, and development teams to design and present “Merchandise Solutions” including custom point of purchase and PDQ displays, hangtags & trim.

Skills & Competencies

Education & Qualifications

Physical / Mental Requirements

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.