The Company Store Design Director: Wholesale & Private Brand

Position Purpose:

Join The Company Store (TCS), an industry-leading bedding and bath retailer with 115 years of brand heritage and a reputation for quality, innovation, and customer focus. As a part of The Home Depot organization since 2018, TCS combines the entrepreneurial spirit of a growing specialty retailer with the scale, sourcing capabilities, and strategic partnerships of one of the world's largest home improvement companies. This unique environment provides the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, drive digital growth, and help shape the future of home textiles.

Lead the textiles product design function for wholesale and private brand portfolio at The Company Store (TCS) - an industry-leading bedding and bath retailer, operating under the Home Depot umbrella. The purpose and scope of the role includes:

• Leading product design for bedding, bath, and other home textile products for the textiles private brand and wholesale portfolio
• Bring industry-leading experience and expertise on home textile design and trends
• Build collaborative and trust-based working partnerships with merchant “clients” for private brand and wholesale business opportunities
• Balance client needs & direction with industry trends, and calibrate product design appropriately
• Build collaborative and trust-based working partnerships with internal TCS teams – including the broader Product Development and Merchandising
• Partner with internal TCS Product Development and Merchandising teams to calibrate and align product design with technical, production, cost guardrails

Key Responsibilities:

• 25% Research overall trends in industry. Consider factors influencing home fashions such as cost, selection of materials, production methods, new technology, safety, fashion trends and business strategy.
• 25% Develop an understanding for strong, balanced assortments in alignment with portfolio strategy. Provide trend direction in all categories.
• 20% Lead and participate with merchandising group in end to end product development, rooted in current trends
• 20% Collaborates and builds partnerships with senior leadership team, customers, and suppliers to generate big ideas, concepts, and product strategy to achieve business goals. Acts as consultant to the merchandising group and senior leadership team.
• 10% Responsible for appropriate selection, termination, performance appraisal, and professional development of assigned staff.

Direct Manager/Direct Reports:

• Position reports to General Manager, The Company Store
• Accountable for direct supervision of the work activities of others. In addition to personnel issues - including selection, termination, performance appraisal and professional development of subordinates.

Travel Requirements:

• Typically requires overnight travel 5% to 20% of the time.

Physical Requirements:

• Most of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position and there is frequent opportunity to move about. On rare occasions there may be a need to move or lift light articles.

Working Conditions:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be eighteen years of age or older.
• Must be legally permitted to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Design or related field preferred
• Knowledge of design-related computer software, including: Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, CAD, Indesign

Minimum Education:

• The knowledge, skills and abilities typically acquired through the completion of a bachelor's degree program or equivalent degree in a field of study related to the job.

Preferred Education:

• No additional education

Minimum Years of Work Experience:

• 10

Preferred Years of Work Experience:

• No additional years of experience

Minimum Leadership Experience:

• Managed direct reports/team

Preferred Leadership Experience:

• Experience in design leadership, people leadership, leading cross-functionally and influencing

Certifications:

• None

Competencies:

• Thorough understanding of home fashion market; strong merchandising skills; experience working with mass merchants.
• Excellent communication skills, including ability to present to large groups
• Strong negotiation skills; experience working with vendors
• Ability to research and apply market/trend information.
• Strong management and leadership skills