Product Designer - National Accounts

DD Traders•Leawood, KS

About The Position

The Product Designer is responsible for concepting, designing, and developing innovative, brand-aligned products across multiple gift, home décor, and seasonal categories. This role transforms creative ideas into commercially successful product collections that align with both brand strategy and market trends. The Product Designer partners closely with internal teams—including Product Development, Brand Creative, and National Accounts—as well as external vendors and licensed artists to bring collections to life from concept through production. This position balances creativity with practical execution, ensuring that designs meet cost, quality, and timeline objectives while maintaining brand integrity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Fine Arts, or related field required.
3–5 years of product design or product development experience in the gift, lifestyle, or home décor industry.
Strong understanding of materials, manufacturing methods, and overseas production processes.
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and Microsoft Office.
Experience designing for both in-house brands and National Account custom programs.
Excellent communication, organization, and time management skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
Portfolio demonstrating product design capability, concept development, and market awareness required.
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (up to 15%) for vendor collaboration, trend research, and trade shows.
Willingness to occasionally work outside normal business hours based on project or business needs.

Responsibilities

Creative Development & Product Design: Design and develop innovative product concepts and collections aligned with the company’s brand vision and consumer trends.
Partner with the Creative Director and Product Development Manager to translate strategic direction into cohesive product assortments.
Execute original artwork, pattern, color, and form development for new products.
Design for multiple categories including gift, home décor, and seasonal assortments using both in-house and licensed artwork.
Collaborate with licensed artists, ensuring design execution aligns with brand aesthetics and market expectations.
Create sketches, renderings, and design specifications that clearly communicate creative intent and production details.
National Accounts & Custom Product Design: Partner with the National Accounts Sales team to design custom product collections tailored to specific retail partners.
Adapt existing designs or develop new concepts that meet retailer price points, packaging requirements, and brand guidelines.
Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure custom designs meet approval, cost, and production timelines.
Provide visual mockups, line sheets, and presentation materials for National Account meetings.
Product Development & Execution: Manage the product design process from concept through sample approval, ensuring deliverables meet cost and quality targets.
Prepare and communicate detailed product specifications and design intent to sourcing and manufacturing partners.
Review product samples, evaluate materials, finishes, and color execution to ensure fidelity to original design.
Partner with vendors to identify and troubleshoot manufacturing or production issues.
Adhere to seasonal timelines, maintaining accuracy across project documentation, digital assets, and product systems.
Trend Research & Market Awareness: Research materials, finishes, and trend directions relevant to the home décor and gift markets.
Conduct competitive market analysis and trend tracking to inform seasonal product strategies.
Curate inspiration boards, material samples, and color direction to support internal creative planning.
Maintain awareness of design innovation, sustainability practices, and emerging technologies.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Product Managers, Brand Creative, and Sales to ensure design alignment across categories and channels.
Partner with Supply Chain, Sourcing, and Quality Assurance teams to ensure manufacturability and cost efficiency.
Communicate effectively across departments and with global vendor partners to achieve creative and operational excellence.
Participate in cross-functional meetings to review progress, resolve issues, and ensure alignment on timelines and deliverables.
Process Management & Efficiency: Maintain organized digital files, artwork libraries, and design archives for reference and reapplication.
Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance workflow and efficiency within the studio.
Contribute to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices that improve design accuracy and communication.
Additional Duties: Participate in corporate events, seasonal reviews, and brand initiatives.
Travel domestically and internationally for vendor collaboration, trend research, and production follow-up.