We are seeking a visionary and commercially driven Creative Director / Head Merchandiser to lead the creative strategy and design direction for our United States office. This role will be responsible for shaping trend-right, market-relevant apparel collections for global customers while aligning with manufacturing capabilities across sourcing and production hubs.

The ideal candidate combines strong fashion instincts, deep market understanding, customer-facing confidence, and the ability to convert ideas into scalable commercial products for international retail brands. Category focus is womenswear, menswear, kids-wear, activewear, denim, outerwear but experience in all categories is not required for consideration.

Key Responsibilities

A)       Creative Leadership

• Define and lead the seasonal creative vision, design language, color stories, fabric direction, silhouettes, and category innovation.
• Build commercially successful collections and assortments that are aligned to customer needs and emerging market trends.
• Ensure all designs reflect brand DNA, consumer preferences, and retailer expectations.
• Creative Presentation of product assortments to the US brands and retailer.

B)       Customer & Market Engagement

• Partner directly with buyers, retailers, and brands across United States
• Leverage our vertical manufacturing capabililties across global markets and present a strong understanding of design briefs and business needs.
• Present trend forecasts, seasonal concepts, mood boards, and product ranges to clients.
• Drive customer confidence through innovation, speed, and design excellence.
• Support business development by showcasing creative capabilities to prospective customers.

C)      Product Development & Execution

• Work closely with merchandising, sourcing, fabric, sampling, and production teams across global offices.
• Ensure designs are commercially viable, cost-effective, and production-ready.
• Oversee prototype development, fittings, revisions, and approvals.
• Balance aesthetics with margin targets, quality standards, and timelines.

Team Management

• Lead and mentor a team of designers, graphic artists, product developers, and freelancers spread across multiple locations through the globe
• Foster a culture of creativity, accountability, agility, and collaboration.
• Build succession pipeline and strengthen creative capability within the organization.

Trend & Innovation

• Continuously monitor fashion, retail, consumer, and competitor trends.
• Introduce new washes, embellishments, sustainable materials, techniques, and silhouettes.
• Champion digital design tools, AI-assisted ideation, and speed-to-market innovation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Merchandising, Fine Arts, or related field.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in apparel design / creative leadership.
• Prior experience, or at global retailer and US brands preferred. Experience with an export house, sourcing company, apparel manufacturer
• Strong understanding of US retail market, consumer trends, and private label business of big US retailers.
• Proven success working with major retailers / brands as design / merchandising senior executive.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating commercial creativity and range development.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Creative vision with commercial acumen
• Strong leadership and team development skills
• Trend forecasting expertise
• Customer presentation and influencing skills
• Strong Networking ability across the US industry
• Cross-cultural stakeholder management, Strong planning and execution discipline
• Familiarly in Adobe Creative Suite, PLM tools, CAD, AI design tools is added advantage

Preferred Experience

• Experience working with offshore manufacturing teams in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, or similar sourcing markets.
• Experience of working at senior positions at various US retailers and Brands,
• Exposure to categories such as womenswear, menswear, kids-wear, activewear, denim, outerwear.
• Sustainability-led product development experience is a plus.

Work Arrangement:

• Hybrid schedule: four (4) days in-office, one (1) day remote
• Staggered hours to support overseas design and production teams. Morning calls are conducted from home, in-office arrival is later in the day, depending on business needs.

Travel Requirements:

• Domestic travel as required (1-2 nights stays)
• Up to six (6) annual trips to the Far East, including India, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh. (Vendor Fairs up to two (2) times per year, based on account needs)

Compensation:

• Annual base salary: $200,000 – $225,000
• Performance Bonus:
• Guaranteed minimum bonus equivalent to one (1) month’s salary
• Opportunity to earn up to three (3) months’ salary, subject to performance and company discretion