Footwear Design Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About Us

American Exchange Group is an industry leader in fashion accessory products and brand management. By facilitating distribution to major retailers internationally for their globally recognized brands, custom private label brands, and exclusive licensed brands-including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, fashion accessories, home, and beauty-American Exchange Group raises the bar by disrupting the status quo with value and quality, while staying at the forefront of trends.

Joining American Exchange Group means being part of a dynamic and diverse team where your contributions drive real impact-and where there's always room to grow. If you're looking to be part of a company that blends heritage with hustle, we're excited to meet you.

Visit our website at www.axnygroup.com

Job Title: Associate Designer - Slippers

Location: 5 days onsite at our NYC HQ

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Design Director throughout the product development lifecycle, including market research, trend analysis, mood board creation, footwear design, and construction development.
• Design innovative, trend-right, and commercially viable footwear collections that support seasonal business objectives.
• Develop technical footwear designs and communicate construction specifications, materials, and pattern layouts to overseas factories and development partners.
• Create detailed technical sketches using Adobe Illustrator and develop comprehensive tech packs for production.
• Review and maintain specification sheets, line sheets, product development logs, design boards, and design archives to ensure accuracy and organization.
• Request, receive, track, evaluate, and approve development samples and materials from factories.
• Manage the sample development process, including Salesman Samples (SMS), fit samples, and development milestones.
• Communicate fit, construction, quality, and material feedback to vendors and cross-functional internal teams.
• Organize, maintain, and manage all development samples throughout the design office.
• Create and maintain seasonal product catalogs and presentation materials throughout the development cycle.
• Prepare compelling presentation decks for internal reviews and seasonal line presentations.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product Development, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production & Sales teams to ensure product integrity from concept to commercialization.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accessories Design, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, or a related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of professional footwear design experience.
• Hosiery experience a plus
• Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, manufacturing processes, and product development.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong creative, conceptual, and visual design abilities with an eye for trend, color, materials, and construction.
• Ability to develop cohesive product lines while balancing creativity with commercial objectives.
• Detail-oriented with a collaborative mindset and strong follow-through from concept through production.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Half Day Fridays with shortened hours during both Summer and Winter seasons
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• Exclusive employee merchandise discounts

Salary: The anticipated base salary is $75k - $85k annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, internal equity, and location.

This position description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with this position. While this description is intended to accurately reflect the position's activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. The compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, market data, and business needs.