Design Director

Design Director – Mexico City Design Office

Position Summary

The Design Director oversees the entire
Mexico City Design Office
, leading a high-performing team responsible for licensed sports product execution across multiple leagues and 150+ team identities. This role focuses on
strategic 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 & Oversight

• Provide 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 Development

• Build and scale a
  high-volume design team
  capable 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 members
• Establish feedback loops between Mexico City and New York offices, creating consistent channels for input, recognition, and improvement.

Process & PLM Optimization

• Serve as the
  executive 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 Assurance

• Oversee compliance across all leagues and licensors, ensuring every product meets strict
  licensing 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 Collaboration

• Act 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 Management

• Serve 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.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Product Design, Fashion Design, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years
  of design experience in apparel, accessories, or consumer products, with at least
  8+ years in a leadership role
  overseeing more than 20 employees.
• Proven track record of managing
  large-scale licensed product rollouts
  across multiple categories or leagues.
• Strong expertise in
  PLM 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.