WHAT IS THE JOB?The Vice President of Design, Ann Mashburn leads design & product development for the Ann Mashburn brand, working closely with Mrs. Mashburn & reporting to the EVP of Design & Product. This person brings the brand's vision to life. The individual will be accountable for the product from concept to production to performance. We are looking for a proven leader with an ownership mindset and a willingness to roll up their sleeves.
WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES?Strategy & Brand Direction- Translate the brand's vision into a seasonal product strategy for Ann Mashburn, in partnership with the EVP of Design & Mrs. Mashburn, with the ultimate goal of growing the broader Mashburn brand and delivering on the company's financial ambitions
- Build strong collections that carry our point of view on how a woman could & should be dressing, grow the brand, & deliver on our financial goals
- Advocate for our dedication to quality, service, value and style in every piece that we make.
- Collaborate closely with Sid Mashburn design counterpart to keep the Mashburn aesthetic consistent across men's & women's & share best practices
- Partner with Merchandising & Planning online architecture thru category mix, SKU counts, pricing and good/better/best framework so the assortment is balanced, appealing and easy to shop
Design, Development & Lifecycle- Partner with EVP of Design and Mrs. Mashburn on seasonal inspiration and concept direction
- Create designs, sketches, prototypes, & consistently bring new & innovative ideas to the line
- Own the process from market research, concept building, raw material selection to final approval, protecting design integrity & quality at every step
- Manage the Product Development Calendar & hold the team accountable at every milestone
- Partner with Technical Design on fit & quality & give clear direction in fittings to ensure our standards endure from Design through production to customer usage
- Develop product directly with our factory partners, from first prototype through production handoff
Leadership- Lead by serving: mentor, inspire, & develop a team of Design Associates, & build a high-performance team that stays
- Create a culture of creativity, collaboration, & excellence in execution
- Keep communication clear & partnerships strong with internal Cross Functional Partners & vendors
- Demonstrate sound & candid judgment that builds trust with the Founders & the Leadership Team
Business & Financial- Disciplined professional & fiscal management, including oversight of the Sid Mashburn design budget, headcount, product development logistics and sample costs
- Partner with Production & Raw Materials on costing & factory negotiation, that begins with quality & enhances margins
WHAT ARE THE SKILLS?The ideal candidate possesses the following:- A track record of success as a creative leader at a high-growth consumer brand, preferably in retail, apparel & accessories including leading a design team & developing product directly with factories.
- Must have experience in designing multiple categories - Collection base assortment
- An instinct for what people want to wear - anticipating where style is headed rather than following the crowd
- An excellent sense of style & color, & the ability to conceptualize a collection that feels unmistakably Ann Mashburn
- Strong understanding of garment construction, fabric construction, finish, & behavior, as well as patternmaking
- Exceptional presentation & story telling skills - able to present to large internal & external audiences
- Strong business acumen: comfort with line plans, cost sheets, margin math, & selling reports.
- Relentless curiosity about market opportunities & the technical side of product development across all categories
- Motivated by a supply-side design mindset
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), PLM systems, & Microsoft Office, including working fluency in Excel.
- Skilled in sketching by hand or digital
- A tireless work ethic & a passion for excellence, and an ability to thrive in a fast-paced deadline driven environment
- A strong portfolio of work is required
*This role is onsite in Atlanta. GA 5 days per week and salary will be based on experience and overall fit. 
