Urban Outfitters Senior Designer

Urban Outfitters • Philadelphia, PA

124d

About The Position

The UO Senior Designer is a creative leader responsible for translating seasonal concepts into compelling, trend-right product that embodies the Urban Outfitters brand. With a strong point of view on design, raw materials, and fabric evolution, this role balances creativity with business acumen to deliver innovative, high-quality assortments that meet margin goals and align with customer needs. As a brand ambassador and mentor, the Senior Designer partners closely with cross-functional teams—including Buying, Product Development, and Print + Color—to drive seasonal vision, identify white space opportunities, and respond to business trends in real time. They lead by example, providing clear direction, constructive feedback, and development opportunities for their team while fostering a collaborative, positive, and solutions-oriented environment. The Senior Designer demonstrates ownership of the full design process—from concept, sketching, and fabric development through fittings, finalization, and seasonal presentations—while ensuring timelines are met and processes are continually optimized. With deep knowledge of trends, strong technical skills, and the ability to anticipate change, this role plays a pivotal part in shaping the UO aesthetic and driving the brand forward.

Requirements

• Minimum 7+ years of management experience in design.
• Strong hand and digital sketching ability.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with AI prompting and generating for creative/presentation purposes (e.g., MidJourney, PromeAI, ChatGPT).
• Knowledge of Treadstone and BOM maintenance.
• Ability to independently conduct set-ups and fittings.
• Strong communication and analytical skills for effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Highly organized, with the ability to anticipate change and problem-solve.
• Deep understanding of fabric development, raw material trends, and assortment road mapping.
• Strong knowledge of relevant fashion trends, customer behavior, and brand vision.
• Ability to balance creativity with business acumen, margin parameters, and process efficiencies.
• Demonstrated leadership skills: mentoring, feedback, coaching, and team development.

Responsibilities

• Partner with PD/R&D to execute raw materials vision in alignment with cost matrix.
• Collaborate with Print + Color team to ensure balanced, integrated prints and patterns across silhouettes.
• Oversee and execute presentation materials for seasonal benchmark meetings (Sketch Review, Finalization, Print + Color Day, fits, weekly design meetings).
• Drive execution of individual styles and overall brand collections, ensuring balance, quality, and margin alignment.
• Analyze weekly Velo metrics to understand business performance and inform design decisions.
• Align with Buying partners on white space opportunities and real-time business reactions.
• Approve and provide feedback on all aspects of sample development prior to finalization.
• Independently conduct set-ups and fittings.
• Manage design calendar effectively, anticipating and resolving challenges in a timely manner.
• Lead, mentor, and coach Associate and Assistant Designers; set goals and provide in-the-moment feedback.
• Foster a collaborative, creative, and positive team environment while promoting the UO brand values.
• Collaborate daily with cross-functional partners (Buying, Product Development, Print + Color, Production).
• Maintain strong communication and presentation skills for effective cross-functional alignment.
• Visualize and oversee the total design process, identifying and implementing process improvements.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• PTO
• Generous employee discounts
• Retirement savings

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees