Soft Goods Product Designer

NOTE:

This job positing is for a soft goods designer, not intended for a UX/UI designer

We are Fit + Fresh. We are for every woman who seeks more balance in her life. We get it. Some days you eat leafy greens and rock it at the gym. Other days you can’t resist a decadent donut and live in yoga pants. We know because we design all of our products by women, for women. We know firsthand that the key to living your best life is creating a colorful balance and we’re here with a line of accessories to help you do just that.

In this high visibility role, you will contribute to all aspects of design and development for a portfolio of products from concept to creation. This role will drive the creative strategy for developing compelling and commercially successful products at almost every major retailer nationwide. The primary product line today is lunch bags, lunch accessories (ice packs, lunch containers, hydration) and coolers but in the next two years, major plans are in place to expand the product line into new categories!

You are a product designer obsessed with the latest trends in prints and fashion. You are willing to go above and beyond to communicate and inspire ideas at all phases of development from proactively identifying white space, to early trends and final product launch with both internal and external partners.

You will be critical to setting the creative bar for excellence and pushing the brand forward. You will lead conceptual and stylistic direction to continue expanding on the latest brand strategy with new product lines/collections. You are constantly looking at product lines from a bird’s eye view to tell cohesive stories, combining big picture thinking with attention to detail.

You must be adaptable and able to change priorities on the fly with a positive attitude, switching focus from long term R&D to fast paced customer driven turnarounds without missing a beat.

Note:

This is an in-office position based in Providence, RI. We’re a fun bunch of men and women who do our best work when we’re bouncing ideas off of each other, reviewing samples, and brainstorming new products so we’re looking for someone who is excited to be in office (most of the time) in our awesome downtown Providence space.

• Develop a variety of new bag silhouettes and lunch accessories with innovative features every year
  - Categories include but are not limited to: lunch bags, diaper bags, travel bags, coolers, etc.
• Create/source 5-6 new print collections per year for mass, discounter, and specialty channels
• Push boundaries of product design within the category and have the ability to persuade team members on the strength of the idea
• Take on multiple projects at once taking them from concept to completion with ever changing priorities.
• Identify opportunities for growth across channels by working with Marketing team to brainstorm white space.
• Swiftly execute renderings and development of new product and surface design as needed for tight timeline customer-based projects while keeping brand standard
• Proactively problem solve issues with materials, construction, etc. to maintain momentum in development.
• Promote a highly collaborative environment by influencing a culture of creative thinking and innovation.
• Work collaboratively with all team members, taking art and product feedback.
• Work closely with Sales, Marketing, and Project Managers to gather diverse perspectives and expertise across all projects.
• Work closely with Marketing to develop initial design briefs for new product design initiatives.
• Constantly engage with Project Managers to discuss pricing strategies and make sure R&D is competitive in US and China.
• Think beyond your area of work, and considering how your designs impact the larger team, organization, and company.

• 3-5 years product design/development experience required;
  Preference will be given to mass market design experience
• Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Industrial Design, Fashion Design or Textile Design.
• Rock solid product design skills, preferably in soft goods;
  Portfolio will be required
• Proficient skills with Illustrator and Photoshop. 3D Modelling Skills are preferred but not required (Solid Works).
• Experience with various types of art files and creating repeat patterns and tech files are crucial. Experience with fashion licenses is a plus.
• Strategic problem-solving skills and the ability to think about bigger company goals as well as upfront design details
• Strong verbal and visual presentation skills that communicate to Sales and Marketing the intention, consumer, inspiration, and key functions behind each product
• Ability to quickly evaluate timelines, trend, and specific customer needs for turnover
• Superior design instincts and aesthetic sensibility
• Keeps up with the latest category and fashion trends
• Highly autonomous- can take little direction and run with it
• Extremely organized, goal-oriented professional who loves to take on new challenges.