Design Director

Design Director – Mexico City Design OfficePosition SummaryThe Design Director oversees the entireMexico City Design Office, leading a high-performing team responsible for licensed sports product execution across multiple leagues and 150+ team identities. This role focuses onstrategic leadership, organizational oversight, and design operations at scale, ensuring the team delivers accurate, compliant, and high-quality design assets that meet business, licensing, and brand requirements. The Design Director partners with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to shape design strategy, optimize processes, and drive the long-term growth of the design function.Key Responsibilities:Strategic Leadership & OversightProvide overall leadership for the Mexico City Design Office, setting vision, priorities, and standards for the design team.Partner with executive leadership to align design strategy with broader company objectives, licensing requirements, and business growth plans.Oversee multiple Design Managers and Senior Designers, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and project ownership across the team.Represent the Mexico City design organization in senior leadership discussions, providing updates on progress, challenges, and resource needs.Organizational DevelopmentBuild and scale ahigh-volume design teamcapable of executing licensed sports product rollouts across all major leagues.Define talent development strategies, including recruiting, training, succession planning, and mentorship for Managers, Seniors, and emerging designers.Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable culture that balances creativity with operational excellence.Conduct annual and mid-year performance reviews, ensuring structured, constructive, and transparent evaluation of all team membersEstablish feedback loops between Mexico City and New York offices, creating consistent channels for input, recognition, and improvement.Process & PLM OptimizationServe as theexecutive sponsor of PLM system adoption, driving continuous improvement in workflows, approvals, and data integrity.Partner with Design Managers to enforce process consistency, ensuring scalable and efficient workflows across multiple capsules and deadlines.Evaluate and implement tools, platforms, and systems that improve design efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.Champion a culture of operational discipline, reducing errors, minimizing rework, and increasing speed-to-market.Compliance & Quality AssuranceOversee compliance across all leagues and licensors, ensuring every product meets strictlicensing and brand standards.Partner with senior stakeholders and licensing representatives to address escalations and resolve high-level approval challenges.Implement checkpoints and governance structures to maintain quality, accuracy, and compliance across all design outputs.Cross-Functional & Global CollaborationAct as the primary liaison between the Mexico City design organization and cross-functional teams in New York and other offices.Partner with Product Development, Licensing, Merchandising, and Production to align priorities and ensure seamless execution.Contribute to long-term business planning, assortment strategies, and market expansion initiatives by providing design insights and operational perspectives.Serve as a global thought leader, influencing best practices across multiple offices and business units.Team Leadership & People ManagementServe as a trusted leader and resource for the Mexico City team, with the ability to troubleshoot personal and interpersonal issues that may impact performance.Champion a culture of feedback, ensuring Managers and Senior Designers are equipped to give and receive constructive input regularly.Demonstrate both data-driven decision-making (left brain) and empathetic, creative problem-solving (right brain) to support team growth and well-being.QualificationsBachelor's degree in Product Design, Fashion Design, or related field; advanced degree preferred.12+ yearsof design experience in apparel, accessories, or consumer products, with at least8+ years in a leadership roleoverseeing more than 20 employees.Proven track record of managinglarge-scale licensed product rolloutsacross multiple categories or leagues.Strong expertise inPLM systems, design operations, and approval workflows.Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire diverse design teams across multiple levels and geographies.Exceptional communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence executive decision-making.Skilled in conflict resolution, employee coaching, and supporting both professional and personal growth within teams.Exceptional English speaking and writing required.Advanced level of Illustrator knowledge is required.