Company Description

SPANX isn’t your average company… we revolutionized an industry with just $5,000 in savings and zero outside funding. Our founder, Sara Blakely, was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world. We are in the fashion and retail industry but we don’t obsess trends, rules or traditional ways of doing things. Rather, we invent solutions and hold several patents. We are focused on reinventing wardrobe basics that have earned cult-followings from customers around the world, earning Spanx shout-outs from the world’s most famous women. We are a high-growth, digital company with an iconic brand that earned its reputation for over 20 years by delivering amazing products, and staying true to our greater mission of supporting and elevating women. We don’t believe “pain is beauty” and we don’t believe “business is war.” We run our business with kindness, empathy, intuition, creativity, integrity… and fun. We don’t believe you have to act serious to be taken seriously. We dream big, think forward and give back. We challenge the status quo, aim high and celebrate our “oops” moments. We test and learn and we aren’t afraid of failure. We think like entrepreneurs in everything we do and we look for people who are self-starters, kind, creative and out-of-the box-thinkers. If this sounds like you, join us! And help us make the world a better place... one butt at a time. 

Job Description

About this role

The Sr. Innovation Designer is charged with driving innovation across all categories of SPANX through research, scouting, forecasting, and conceptualizing, using the latest in raw materials, textiles, and product innovation. This highly interactive development position requires a broad understanding of materials & product expertise and the ability to align that knowledge with brand DNA. Candidates must possess the capability to interpret and utilize a diverse landscape of innovative, dynamic, and high-quality materials to influence vision and build product that supports brand position and direction. Responsibilities include extensive research and scouting to stay abreast of product and material innovation for use in SPANX product lines. They must use academic and industry knowledge, supplier networks, publications, and research to develop applicable technologies that fill white space in the market to benefit the SPANX brand through enhanced performance, sustainability, and intellectual property.

You’ll love it because you will

DESIGN

• Allocates research and development time to define what could be the next BIG IDEA or CATEGORY for the brand
• Continuously solves consumer problems in the most innovative ways
• Incorporates new raw materials into innovative concepts in all categories
• Builds product in innovative ways
• Continuously research new material opportunities and technologies in and outside the apparel and textiles industries based on business trends and competitive landscape
• Work with Sr. Director of Innovation to create flexible and dynamic framework for innovation cycle to introduce newness and seize short term opportunities in addition to our "regular or longer term" innovation projects
• Create yearly base plan (80% of total innovation) to deliver against 5-year vision and create a flexible framework of "on-going" innovation to bring market incremental new products (20%) with an accelerated timeline
• Incorporate Marketing principles in new product /category design at an early stage in order to create "Stories" behind new concepts
• Builds dynamic presentations to pitch innovation concepts to Executive Leadership in a compelling way

INTERNAL IDEATION

• Lead and participate in company- wide brainstorming sessions for white space identification and concept/proposition development.

Qualifications

We require…

• Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design or related major
• 7+ years of related experience in apparel product development, performance apparel is a plus
• Strong eye for design and elevated taste level suitable for the brand. Ability to identify white space in the market
• Strong leadership skills with capability to influence your peers and organization
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage workload and meet deadlines. Takes initiative in getting things accomplished by eliminating roadblocks and executing with sense of urgency
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to prioritize and re-prioritize based on changing business needs
• Ability to build collaborative and effective cross functional relationships
• Ability to think strategically and understand business initiatives
• Excellent graphic design skills. Highly skilled in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
• PC Skills – Trained in PLM, Outlook, Microsoft (Excel, Word, Power point)
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 15%-20%

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.