Sr Designer, Girl's Footwear

About Us

American Exchange Group is an industry leader in fashion accessory products and brand management. By facilitating distribution to major retailers internationally for their globally recognized brands, custom private label brands, and exclusive licensed brands—including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, fashion accessories, home, and beauty—American Exchange Group raises the bar by disrupting the status quo with value and quality, while staying at the forefront of trends.

Joining American Exchange Group means being part of a dynamic and diverse team where your contributions drive real impact—and where there’s always room to grow. If you're looking to be part of a company that blends heritage with hustle, we’re excited to meet you.

Visit our website at  www.axnygroup.com

Job Title:  Sr Designer, Girls Footwear

Location:  Onsite 5 days a week at our NYC HQ

Senior Designer, Girls Footwear

Summary

American Exchange Group is seeking a creative, trend-driven, and highly experienced Senior Footwear Designer to lead the design and development of Girls footwear across licensed brands and private label programs for the off-price market. The ideal candidate will bring a strong design point of view, an understanding of the girls' footwear market, and the ability to translate emerging trends into commercially successful product at the right price points.

The Senior Designer will take ownership of seasonal design initiatives, work closely with the Design Director, and collaborate with Merchandising, Sales, Product Development, and overseas vendors to develop compelling footwear collections from concept through production.

Responsibilities

- Lead the design and development of seasonal Girls footwear collections across multiple brands and classifications.

- Research fashion, footwear, color, material, and market trends to identify new opportunities and develop trend-right product.

- Translate trend research and customer direction into innovative, commercially viable, and brand-appropriate designs.

- Bring a strong creative voice and vision while collaborating with the Design Director and broader design team.

- Create detailed CADs, colorways, artwork, and technical drawings using Illustrator and Photoshop.

- Lead seasonal trend presentations and prepare design presentations for leadership and customers using Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.

- Oversee sample check-in, review development samples, and work with cross-functional teams to resolve any issues.

- Prepare and maintain detailed tech packs, including specifications, technical information, and sample/prototype comments.

- Manage development packages and provide clear design direction to overseas factories and vendors.

- Source materials, manage design libraries, and oversee sample development.

- Review samples and ensure all revisions and modifications are accurately reflected in tech packs.

- Partner with Product Development, Merchandising, and Sales to ensure designs meet customer expectations, cost targets, and deadlines.

- Manage multiple projects and seasonal timelines while maintaining a high level of organization and attention to detail.

- Take ownership of projects and provide guidance and support to junior members of the design team as needed.

Qualifications

- 7+ years of footwear design experience, preferably within Girls or children's footwear.

- Degree in Footwear Design, Industrial Design, Accessories Design, or a related field.

- Strong portfolio demonstrating commercial footwear design, trend research, and product development.

- Highly skilled in Photoshop and Illustrator; experience with Adobe InDesign preferred.

- Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, and manufacturing processes.

- Ability to research market trends and translate them into commercially successful product.

- Experience creating CADs, tech packs, specifications, and production-ready development packages.

- Strong presentation skills and experience presenting design concepts to leadership and customers.

- Knowledge of Microsoft Office.

- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and process-driven with excellent follow-through.

- Self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize workload, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with overseas teams, clients, and factories.

- High energy, strong creative vision, and a passion for footwear and the overall business.

- Demonstrated flexibility and willingness to take ownership and adapt to changing business needs.

What We Offer

- Comprehensive Health & Wellness Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance

- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match

- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays

- Half Day Fridays with shortened hours during both Summer and Winter seasons

- Health Savings Account (HSA)

- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

- Tax-free commuter benefits

- Exclusive employee merchandise discounts

Salary: The anticipated base salary is $100k-$120k  annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, internal equity, and location.

This position description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with this position. While this description is intended to accurately reflect the position's activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. The compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, market data, and business needs.