Senior Design Director

About the role

We are seeking a senior design leader to own the creative and commercial direction of our seasonal, holiday, and home décor product lines for the US and Canada markets. This is a dual-mandate role. First and foremost, you set the trend direction, lead buyer-facing presentations, and carry the design relationship with our major retail clients — you are the design voice in the room with the buyer. On top of that, you lead our China-side design studio and crafts team in Dongguan, turning that direction into production-ready, commercially viable product. You will work as a senior peer to our VP of Design and Trends, giving the company genuine depth and continuity in design leadership rather than reliance on any single person.

What You'll Do

• Trend, Client & Buyer Direction (primary focus)
• Own the seasonal and year-round trend direction for US and Canada mass-retail — read the market early and translate emerging trends into commercial, on-price assortments.
• Lead client and buyer-facing presentations: be the design voice in line reviews, seasonal presentations, and at trade shows.
• Build and own relationships with key retail buyers and merchandising teams — understand each account's aesthetic, price tier, and what wins on their shelf.
• Direct the creative vision across seasonal (Christmas, Halloween, Easter) and year-round home & garden lines.
• Partner with merchandising and sourcing to convert client briefs and retail trends into compelling, sell-through-driven product assortments.
• Drive original product development — from trend research and concept through to production-ready specifications.
• China Studio & Execution Lead
• Lead and develop the in-house Dongguan design studio and crafts team — industrial designers, graphic artists, sculptors, and crafts specialists.
• Oversee crafts-team operations: sample development, material experimentation, and rapid prototyping.
• Collaborate with Product Managers and sourcing to ensure designs are optimized for manufacturing (resin, ceramics, metal, fabric, wood, glass, PVC, electronics/lighting).
• Build and maintain the product showroom as a “Category Gallery” experience for international client presentations and POG room setups.
• Manage the company's design IP portfolio — ensure all products are original or properly licensed, with no direct market copying.
• Evaluate and integrate new materials, finishes, and manufacturing techniques to keep the product line competitive.

What You Bring

• Core
• Core
• Core
• Core
• Plus
• Plus
• Plus
• Plus
• Preferred / Good Add-On
• Familiar with the Mexico market.
• Background in or exposure to outdoor/garden products, animatronics, or lighted décor.
• Experience building out off-season / non-holiday product lines (home, garden, everyday décor).
• Knowledge of compliance and quality standards for US/EU consumer products (CPSIA, EN71, etc.).
• Experience with 12–18 month product development cycles typical of seasonal retail.
• Existing network within the Dongguan / Pearl River Delta manufacturing ecosystem.