Associate Designer

Ross Stores, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 68,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Employee stock purchase plan

Wellness benefits

Donation matching

Job summary

Ross Stores, Inc. is seeking an Associate Designer to support the development of seasonal Men’s apparel and private-label brands.

You’ll create design specs, mood boards, and technical packs while collaborating with Designers, Merchandising, and Vendors to drive commercial outcomes. You will participate in trend research, build line reviews, and ensure alignment with brand positioning, customer needs, and fabrication requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design or related field preferred.
• 1–3 years apparel design or product development experience.
• Experience with third-party vendors and overseas factories preferred.
• Apparel industry experience required.
• Portfolio required.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; PLM experience preferred.
• Strong technical sketching and product specification skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong verbal and written communication with external vendors.
• MS Office proficiency.
• Experience leveraging AI design tools for research and ideation.

Responsibilities

• Deliver accurate, timely product development support throughout the design lifecycle.
• Demonstrate ownership for assigned styles, projects, and milestones.
• Contribute creative, customer-relevant design ideas to support business objectives.
• Build strong relationships with internal partners and external vendors.
• Balance creativity with cost, value, quality, and on-time execution.
• Coordinate development with cross-functional teams to align with line plans.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Problem solving

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

PLM systems

Microsoft Office

AI design tools

Job description

Our values start with our people, join a team that values you!

Bring your talents to Ross, our leading off-price retail chain with over 2,200 stores, and a strong track record of success and growth. Our focus has always been bringing our customers a constant stream of high-quality brands and on-trend merchandise at extraordinary savings. All while providing a fun and exciting treasure hunt experience.

As Part Of Our Team, You Will Experience

• Success. Our winning team pursues excellence while learning and evolving
• Career growth. We develop industry leading talent because Ross grows when our people grow
• Teamwork. We work together to solve the hard problems and find the right solution
• Our commitment to Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, and our community. We celebrate the backgrounds, identities, and ideas of those who work and shop with us because our differences make us stronger. We strive to be a positive force in our community.

Our Corporate headquarters are in Dublin, CA, we have 3 buying offices in key markets in New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston, and 8 distribution centers nationwide. With 2023 revenues of $20.4 billion, we are a Fortune 500 company who is committed to providing an inclusive work environment with continuous learning opportunities and development for our teams.

About This Opportunity...

The successful Associate Designer will:

• Deliver accurate, timely product development support throughout the design lifecycle.
• Demonstrate ownership and accountability for assigned styles, projects, and milestones.
• Contribute creative, customer-relevant design ideas that support business objectives and private-label brand development.
• Build strong relationships with internal partners and external vendors.
• Balance creativity with cost, value, quality, commercial viability, and on-time execution.

What You Will Do And What You Will Learn...

Design & Product Development

• Support the development and execution of seasonal Men’s apparel collections, private-label brands, and collaborative product initiatives.
• Contribute to seasonal concepts, color palettes, fabrications, prints, washes, and silhouettes that align with brand positioning, customer needs, and commercial objectives.
• Create and maintain technical sketches, design specifications, and tech packs using Adobe Illustrator and PLM systems.
• Assist with fabric, trim, color, wash, and construction development in partnership with Designers and cross-functional teams.
• Participate in fit sessions and product reviews, documenting revisions and ensuring accurate execution of design changes.
• Develop mood boards, concept presentations, line reviews, and seasonal storytelling materials; clearly communicate design thinking to Design leadership and cross-functional partners.
• Conduct ongoing trend, market, competitive, and consumer research to identify emerging shifts and translate insights into actionable product opportunities.
• Participate in regular competitive shopping, market visits, trade shows, and vendor research to identify new product, materials, innovation, and relevant market direction.
• Support the development and evolution of Men’s private-label brand identities, helping maintain consistency of customer positioning, product aesthetic, and seasonal storytelling.
• Develop a strong understanding of the Ross Men’s customer and translate customer needs, cultural influences, and market trends into compelling, commercially relevant product.
• Explore and leverage emerging AI and digital design tools to accelerate research, ideation, visualization, and product development.

Vendor & Sample Management

• Serve as the day-to-day Design contact for assigned vendors and product categories.
• Communicate design intent, product details, fit comments, and development updates clearly to vendors and factories.
• Coordinate and track samples, lab dips, approvals, and development submissions to ensure adherence to deadlines.
• Maintain sample libraries, design archives, market research, and development records.
• Own assigned styles through the development process from initial concept and sketch through sample approval, escalating issues as needed to protect design intent, quality, and timing.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate with Merchandising, Technical Design, Production, and Sourcing teams to align product development with line plans, costing objectives, customer needs, and key milestones.
• Support seasonal calendars, adoption meetings, line reviews, and other cross-functional checkpoints.
• Ensure accurate and timely updates within PLM systems and internal tracking tools.

What You Need To Be Successful...

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design or a related field preferred.
• 1-3 years of apparel design or product development experience, including internships.
• Experience working with third-party vendors and overseas factories preferred.
• Apparel industry experience required.
• Portfolio required.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; PLM experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of garment construction, fit, fabrics, trims, and apparel manufacturing processes.
• Strong technical sketching and product specification skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, particularly when partnering with external vendors.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience leveraging AI and emerging digital design tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Vizcom) for research, ideation, concept development, and design visualization.
• Strong fashion awareness and product instinct, with the ability to interpret trend, market, and customer insights into commercially relevant apparel.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, problem-solving ability, and sound judgment.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and receptive to feedback.

Perks And Benefits Of Joining Our Team...

Our Associates are at the heart of everything we do and we're proud to offer a range of benefits that reflect how much we value their contributions. Here's a peek into what you can expect as an eligible Ross Associate:

• A broad range of affordable health insurance options & personal medical plan concierge 401(k) with employer match and Life insurance
• Ample PTO including accrued vacation, paid holidays, diversity day, summer Fridays and the ability to purchase additional vacation.
• Employee stock purchase plan*
• Access to health and wellness benefits such as BetterHelp and Headspace
• Charitable donations matched by Ross Stores Foundation
• And more....
• benefits vary by level and position and are subject to change

DISCLAIMER

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at management’s discretion.

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company’s overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.

The base pay range for this role $67,600.00 to $76,000.00. The base pay range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location.