Design Manager (Burleigh Heads)

Princess Polly is the global fashion brand at the forefront of trend-driven, lower impact and accessible apparel. Established as an online force in the Australian retail scene in 2010, Princess Polly quickly became the clothing brand found in every influencer haul, viral TikTok, Instagram OOTD and celeb street looks. Now, one of the fastest-growing online women's fashion brands in the USA, Princess Polly has been delivering the best online shopping experience to customers worldwide for over 10 years.

As a part of A.K.A Brands; we are a global player with offices located in Los Angeles and Australia’s Gold Coast. With big plans ahead, we're always on the hunt for new talent to join our global team.

We are growing our team based at our Burleigh Heads office and are looking for talented individuals to join the Princess Polly team. Think you can help us in our journey of becoming the best online shopping destination like...ever? If you're a motivated team player that's obsessed with all-things fashion and pop culture, we'd love to hear from you.

Are you ready to lead and inspire a dynamic design team at the heart of one of Australia’s most vibrant and growth brands? As our **Design Manager**, you’ll be guiding and mentoring a team of talented young designers to bring the Princess Polly vision to life. Here’s your chance to shape on-trend, commercially powerful styles that resonate with our customer while advancing sustainability goals and your creative flair.

Reporting to the Merchandising Director and collaborating with the Trend Director, you’ll lead the team in creating top-selling, on-trend seasonal styles that align with Princess Polly’s core values and the design critical path.

**Key responsibilities include**:

- Overseeing a weekly assortment of 10-15 styles per designer, maintaining strong alignment with the Buying Plan.
- Ensuring quality and financial success, including a 70% IMU and target return rate of <15% for in-house designs.
- Driving Earth Club initiatives, aiming for 40% of the design assortment to feature sustainable materials.
- Developing a robust team culture by mentoring, coaching, and attracting new design talent.
- Collaborating across teams (Buying, Production, Marketing, and Social Responsibility) to deliver cohesive and timely collections that embody our brand.

**Key Deliverables**:

- Lead weekly design presentations and ensure alignment with OTB and financial targets.
- Monitor critical path timelines to deliver collections with precision and mínimal rework.
- Engage in international trend-scouting and quarterly workshops to stay ahead of trends.
- Approve fabric, graphic, and design elements to maintain brand and quality consistency.
- Maintain a close partnership with the Production Team and QA for fit and quality control.

**What We’re Looking For**:

- Strong leadership abilities with a passion for nurturing young talent.
- Previous design experience is required. Strategic and detail-oriented mindset, with a knack for hitting key financial and quality metrics.
- Ability to identify trends
- Technical design skills with deep understanding of trends, fit, and materials.
- Collaborative spirit to work seamlessly with key stakeholders and suppliers.

We recognise that asking you to give 100% of yourself on a daily basis requires us to offer an amazing opportunity.

Competitive salary package.

Flexible working arrangements.

Access to a best in class parental leave and family planning program.

Exceptional employee discount program.

A stunning newly renovated office in beautiful Burleigh Heads;

Work as part of a team of dedicated individuals focused on doing their best each day.

Staff social activities.

Monthly birthday celebrations.

Aside from the amazing tangible benefits and perks, Princess Polly offers you the chance to make a daily impact on a global business.

Princess Polly is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) We're committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage applicants from all walks of life. Come join us, different makes us better.

**#PrincessPolly #PursueYourPassion #PrincessPollyCareers Apply on Kit Job: kitjobau.com/job/3qh8q2