Senior Designer - Echo Print (Maternity Leave Coverage) (New York City Metropolitan Area)

COMPANY: Echo Design, Inc.

Echo Design, a fourth-generation American company, is a New York City based industry leader in the design, marketing, and distribution of fashion and home accessories in North America and globally. The company was founded in 1923, on the wedding day of its founders. What began with just a scarf has grown to include multiple brands in multiple categories. Building upon core strengths in print, pattern and color, Echo continues to evolve, always focused on respect for the consumer, each other, and on our global trading and manufacturing partners. After 100 years, Echo remains a dynamic and innovative company.

TITLE: SENIOR DESIGNER – ECHO PRINT (MATERNITY LEAVE COVERAGE)

SALARY RANGE: $2,000 - $2,500 per week

REPORTS TO: CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ECHO

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Senior Designer - Echo Print, is a senior individual contributor who will temporarily provide hands-on creative and operational coverage for the Echo New York printed neckwear business during a maternity leave. This role is responsible for creating our seasonal scarf collection as well as working on our beach line. The Ideal candidate will take our seasonal concepts and translate these into compelling printed product.

Working closely with the Creative Director, the designer will create distinctive scarf and repeat patterns through drawing, painting, archival research, and digital design. The right candidate combines exceptional taste and artistry with the technical fluency, organization, and follow-through required to manage multiple developments, communicate directly with suppliers, and keep the seasonal calendar moving.

PRINCIPAL RELATIONSHIPS:

Reports to the Creative Director, Echo, and partners closely with the Echo Design team, Part-Time Designer, Merchandising, Product Development, and overseas mills, factories, and vendor partners.

TRAVEL :

Occasional travel may be required for market research, product development, or other business needs. In office attendance is expected at least 3 times per week in NY office.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Creative Direction & Original Artwork

• Partner with the Creative Director to interpret seasonal direction and develop the Echo New York printed neckwear line.
• Research relevant market, art, fashion, color, and cultural trends and translate insights into compelling product ideas.
• Develop concepts, sketches, and original artwork using exceptional drawing and hand-painting skills.
• Use Echo archive resources and purchased artwork as starting points to create fresh scarf layouts, placement prints, and repeat patterns for neckwear and beach/resort products.
• Create seasonal color palettes, colorways, and recolors that support the collection's intended mood and commercial needs.

Design Execution & Presentation

• Create and maintain production-ready artwork, CADs, design boards, line sheets, and other visual tools needed to communicate the collection.
• Prepare clear, polished decks and boards for sketch, prototype, and milestone reviews.
• Balance creative quality with assortment needs, price considerations, calendar requirements, and feedback from cross-functional partners.
• Support showroom setup and other seasonal presentation needs.

Technical Development & Supplier Partnership

• Build accurate print tech packs and prepare print-ready files for mills and factories, including indexed artwork and production specifications as required.
• Track prototypes and review strike-offs, protos, and sales samples; provide timely, actionable design and color comments to suppliers.
• Manage day-to-day communication with factories and vendor partners, resolving questions promptly and maintaining momentum from initial prototype request through production approval.
• Partner with Product Development on construction, feasibility, costing, and pricing while protecting the creative intent of the design.

Workflow, Collaboration & Coverage Continuity

• Quickly absorb active projects, priorities, standards, and approval workflows to ensure seamless coverage during the leave period.
• Maintain organized files, accurate status tracking, and clear handoffs across Design, Merchandising, Product Development, and external partners.
• Provide day-to-day creative direction and constructive feedback to the part-time print designer, as well as freelancers and our in-house artwork team, as needed, while keeping ownership and deadlines clear.
• Surface risks early, recommend solutions, and independently drive assigned work to completion in a fast-paced seasonal environment.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Bachelor's degree in Textile Design, Surface Design, Fine Arts, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
• 8-10+ years of experience in textile print, scarf, accessories, or closely related fashion design, with a portfolio demonstrating senior-level work.
• Exceptional hand drawing, painting, pattern design, composition, and color skills; strong taste level and visual judgment are essential.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, including repeat development, color separation/indexing, recoloring, and preparation of print-ready production files.
• Demonstrated experience creating tech packs and working directly with mills, factories, and overseas vendors from concept through production approval.
• Strong understanding of textile printing, strike-off review, sample evaluation, and the technical requirements of scarves and placement prints.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and step into work already in progress.
• Clear, responsive communicator and collaborative partner who can work effectively across functions and levels of the organization.
• Genuine passion for art, fashion, accessories, and beautifully executed product.

SHORT-TERM ASSIGNMENT GOALS

• Complete a focused onboarding and handoff before the leave begins, gaining command of active styles, milestones, supplier status, and near-term decisions.
• Maintain continuity of the Echo New York printed neckwear line with no avoidable disruption to the seasonal design and development calendar.
• Deliver original artwork, colorways, CADs, review materials, and tech packs at the expected creative and technical standard.
• Keep strike-offs, prototypes, and sales samples moving through review and approval with timely, specific feedback to suppliers.
• Build trusted working relationships with the Creative Director, Design, Merchandising, Product Development, and key vendor partners.
• Maintain organized project records and provide a clear, efficient transition back to the returning Senior Designer at the end of the assignment.

WHY THIS ROLE

This is an opportunity for an accomplished print designer to make an immediate impact within a brand known for print, pattern, and color. The assignment offers meaningful creative ownership across the full product lifecycle, close partnership with Echo's creative and cross-functional teams, and the chance to help carry an important seasonal business forward with confidence and continuity.