Design Manager - Textile products

Riau Andalan Pulp And Paper; Lara; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

RAPP Australia Pty Ltd is seeking a Design Manager to lead the development of textile-based products from brief to prototype, balancing user needs with construction and commercial requirements.

You will supervise a design team of four, coordinate with production, sales, marketing and leadership, and drive development of commercially viable textile solutions while balancing cost, resources and delivery timelines from the Lara office.

Qualifications

• A degree or diploma in product design, industrial design, fashion or textile design, or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing sewn products, soft goods or comparable manufactured products.
• Advanced computer literacy with CAD, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign; StyleCAD and/or Clo highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of new and existing textile products from brief to prototype.
• Manage the design process from brief to prototype delivery, coordinating pattern making, sample construction and refinement.
• Create and maintain product costings, bills of materials, CAD patterns and product reference documents.
• Lead and support the design team, providing clear direction and coordinating priorities across the business.
• Use project management tools to collaboratively manage projects, schedules and resource constraints.

Skills

Textile design

Textile product development

CAD

Staff leadership

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Diploma in Product/Industrial/Fashion/Textile Design

Tools

CAD

StyleCAD

CLO

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Microsoft Office

Job description

RAPP Australia Pty Ltd is a Geelong regional business specialising in the design and supply of equipment for medical, emergency and rescue services.

As a business, we welcome fresh perspectives and people who want to help shape its future, with workplace health and safety remaining our highest priority.

About the Role

We are seeking a Design Manager to lead the development of new and existing textile based products, bringing together user requirements, product functionality and technical expertise.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will lead a design team of four, including the Sample Maker, and collaborate across production, sales, marketing, innovation and business leadership to develop technically resolved, commercially viable textile products.

The role will oversee the complete design process from brief to prototype delivery, remaining directly involved in product development, pattern making and technical documentation. This requires the judgement to balance creative possibilities with construction requirements, cost, resources and delivery commitments.

Key Responsibilities:

Product design and development: Develop new and existing products, translating briefs into solutions that address functionality, construction and commercial requirements. Apply design expertise and practical problem-solving to challenges affecting prospective external and internal customers.

Design process management: Manage development from brief to prototype delivery, coordinating concepts, pattern making, sample construction and refinement.

Technical documentation and costings: Create and maintain product costings, bills of materials, CAD patterns and product reference documents.

Team leadership: Lead and support the design team, providing clear direction and coordinating priorities across the business.

Project and resource planning: Use project mangement tools (Zoho Project or an ERP) to collaboratively manage projects and workloads, communicate capacity and constraints, and agree and maintain realistic schedules with stakeholders.

Commercial support: contribute design and technical expertise to customer meetings, trade shows, tenders, sales and marketing activity as required.

About You:

A degree or diploma in product design, industrial design, fashion or textile design, or equivalent experience. Applicants with transferable design and manufacturing expertise from other sectors are also encouraged to apply.

Demonstrated experience developing sewn products, soft goods or comparable manufactured products.

Advanced general computer literacy, proficiency in CAD, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Microsoft Office, with StyleCAD and/or Clo experience being highly regarded.

Experience preparing and maintaining product costings, bills of materials and technical documentation.

Enthusiasm to introduce AI-powered tools to streamline processes and pioneer automation into design work flows.

Strong attention to detail, and clear, concise interpersonal communication.

Genreal workplace requirements: working from the office in Lara, able to lift weights of at least 10 kg, able to sit for long periods of time, able to stretch, twist, bend, squat, walk, stand for consistent periods of time.