Senior Designer / Merchandiser – Kids Licensed Apparel

We are partnering with a long-standing and rapidly growing children’s apparel company seeking a Senior Designer / Merchandiser to help lead and evolve its licensed kids business across sets, separates, and outerwear categories.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a highly creative, entrepreneurial environment and has a strong pulse on trends, color, innovation, and the future direction of the kids apparel space. The company has experienced significant growth over the past several years and is continuing to invest heavily in design, merchandising, and product innovation.

The ideal candidate combines strong design instincts with merchandising sensibility and understands how to create trend-right, commercially successful licensed product for boys and girls ages 2–14.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and merchandising direction across licensed kids apparel categories including sets, separates, and outerwear

• Identify key trends, seasonal opportunities, color direction, and newness within the market

• Develop trend-right product concepts that balance creativity, innovation, and commercial appeal

• Partner closely with sales, production, and overseas teams throughout the product lifecycle

• Work hands-on within CAD and support artwork execution alongside freelance graphic artists and design assistants

• Review and refine graphics, strike offs, color approvals, and product details to ensure elevated execution

• Help drive category growth by identifying opportunities for new product direction and innovation

• Maintain strong awareness of market trends, retail landscape, and competitive brands across fast fashion and licensed apparel

• Collaborate within a transparent, highly creative, and non-corporate team environment

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience within kids apparel design and/or merchandising

• Strong licensed character experience required

• Background working with licensed product across boys and girls categories preferred

• Strong understanding of trend, color, graphics, and fashion direction

• CAD proficiency required

• Ability to balance creative vision with merchandising and commercial strategy

• Experience working with overseas teams and cross-functional partners

• Strong portfolio showcasing licensed product, graphics, and trend-forward design work

• Entrepreneurial mindset with excitement around helping build and evolve a growing business

Additional Details

• Flexible working structure with preference for candidates who enjoy in-person collaboration

• Candidates outside of NYC may be considered if able to travel into the office periodically

• Interview process includes video interviews, in-person meetings, portfolio review, and potentially a paid freelance project

• Collaborative and highly creative environment with a lean NYC-based design and sales team