Head Design Manager, Textiles - Pottery Barn Kids & Teen

About the Team

The Pottery Barn Kids and Teen design team consists of highly creative, collaborative, and technical thinkers. As part of the team, you’ll bring your ideas to the discussion. Our role is to create both practical and innovative products with childhood in mind.

About the Role

As the Head Design Manager for Product Development, you will lead the development of all Textile products. You will oversee the full product development process from initial sample creation through final approval for 4 seasons per year. This role leads a team of Product Development Coordinators and Technical Designers, guiding them through the complete lifecycle of each product. The role serves as the primary point of communication with overseas teams and vendor partners, managing all product-related correspondence and tracking sample status through every round of development.

Additionally, the responsibilities include maintaining organized physical sample archives and ensuring timely movement of samples through each stage of review.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end product development for all Textile categories across four seasonal calendars, from initial concept and sample creation through final approval.

• Manage and mentor a team of Product Development Coordinators and Technical Designers, providing clear direction, workflow planning, and performance guidance.

• Oversee sample lifecycle management, ensuring all prototypes, fit samples, pre-production samples, and TOPs are reviewed, commented on, and progressed on schedule.

• Serve as the primary liaison with overseas teams, mills, factories, and vendor partners, maintaining consistent communication and ensuring accurate execution of design intent.

• Review and approve tech packs, specs, and construction details, partnering closely with Design to resolve issues quickly.

• Track development milestones, monitor timelines, and proactively address risks to ensure all styles meet deadlines for line reviews, costing, and production.

• Maintain organized physical and digital sample archives, ensuring easy retrieval and systematic storage of all development rounds.

• Ensure adherence to brand standards, size consistency, and quality requirements across all textile product categories.

• Support cross-functional meetings, including weekly development touch-bases, design sample reviews, and vendor check-ins.

• Drive process improvements in product development workflow, communication, and sample management to increase efficiency and reduce lead times.

Criteria

• Minimum 7 years product design experience, preferably soft goods for home and/or fashion.

• Experience developing products for a retail brand within the housewares industry.

• Ability to navigate four quarters across two growth product categories.

• Knowledge of textiles construction and materials (fabrics, printing, weaving, and silhouettes).

• Knowledge of textile construction and materials for a breadth of product types (bath textiles, throw pillows, bedding, baby accessories, pajamas, costumes, etc).

• Experience designing housewares products within a quarterly launch cadence.

• Proven record of managing a team within a retail brand.

• Ability to maintain brand standards for technical specs across multiple product categories.

• Project management experience to present designs and samples on time.

• Experience using Adobe Creative Cloud software for print, pattern, and presentations (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign).

• Collaborative and passionate about design, process, and team building.

• Ability to work with a broad range of internal and external personalities.

• Strong leadership skills with an openness to give and receive constructive feedback.

• Demonstrates flexibility and positivity to build a positive team culture.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills.

• Ability to solve complex problems with creative solutions.

• Highly motivated, collaborative, and detail oriented.

• Willingness to dive in and get things done; respectfully and resourcefully.

• This role requires being onsite in the San Francisco office

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