Design Manager

Mello; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Paid holidays

Health insurance

Performance bonuses

Commission

Job summary

Mello is a premium custom merchandise company for modern brands. We handle the whole thing: creative strategy, design, product development, production, and fulfillment. Our clients span food, beverage, hospitality, lifestyle, and consumer brands.

As Design Manager, you’ll lead in-house and freelance designers, set the creative direction for each sprint, and ensure every deliverable bears Mello’s high-quality signature before production.

Qualifications

• 4–5+ years in graphic design, brand design, or apparel/merchandise design
• 2+ years leading designers, directing freelancers, or running creative projects
• A strong portfolio showing brand work and physical product (apparel, accessories, packaging, or merchandise)
• A sharp eye for detail. You catch the things other people miss.
• Organized and calm with several projects, deadlines, and feedback rounds going at once
• Comfortable presenting work and explaining the reasoning behind it
• Fluent in Adobe Creative Suite; Figma and AI design tools are a plus
• Bonus: knowledge of decoration methods (screen print, embroidery), apparel manufacturing, garment construction, or tech packs

Responsibilities

• Lead the creative side of Design Sprints: direction, concepts, product mix, and final presentation
• Manage and assign work to our in-house designers and a rotating group of 8–10 freelance designers
• Keep sprints on schedule: plan workloads, track deadlines, and clear blockers
• Be the final quality check. Review every deliverable before it reaches a client or goes to production
• Give designers clear, direct feedback that raises the level of their work
• Build and maintain our design standards: templates, presentation formats, mockup quality, and file prep
• Work with Creative Operations, Sales, Product Development, and Pre-Production so designs are on-brand, feasible, and on budget
• Improve how sprints run so we can take on more without losing quality

Skills

Design leadership

Portfolio development

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma & AI tools

Project management

Presentation skills

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

AI design tools

Job description

Mello is a premium custom merchandise company for modern brands. We handle the whole thing: creative strategy, design, product development, production, and fulfillment. Our clients are food, beverage, hospitality, lifestyle, and consumer brands, including some you already know.

The role

Design Sprints are how our clients start with us. In a sprint we turn a brand into a merchandise collection: concepts, product direction, artwork, and mockups ready for production. Demand for sprints is growing faster than we can run them.

As Design Manager, you'll lead the designers who do this work and own the quality of everything they produce. You'll set the creative direction for each sprint, keep the team on track, and make sure every deliverable is work we're proud to put Mello's name on.

What you'll do

• Lead the creative side of Design Sprints: direction, concepts, product mix, and final presentation
• Manage and assign work to our in-house designers and a rotating group of 8–10 freelance designers
• Keep sprints on schedule: plan workloads, track deadlines, and clear blockers
• Be the final quality check. You review every deliverable before it reaches a client or goes to production.
• Give designers clear, direct feedback that raises the level of their work
• Build and maintain our design standards: templates, presentation formats, mockup quality, and file prep
• Work with Creative Operations, Sales, Product Development, and Pre-Production so designs are on-brand, feasible, and on budget
• Improve how sprints run so we can take on more without losing quality

What we're looking for

• 4–5+ years in graphic design, brand design, or apparel/merchandise design
• 2+ years leading designers, directing freelancers, or running creative projects
• A strong portfolio showing brand work and physical product (apparel, accessories, packaging, or merchandise)
• A sharp eye for detail. You catch the things other people miss.
• Organized and calm with several projects, deadlines, and feedback rounds going at once
• Comfortable presenting work and explaining the reasoning behind it
• Fluent in Adobe Creative Suite; Figma and AI design tools are a plus
• Bonus: knowledge of decoration methods (screen print, embroidery), apparel manufacturing, garment construction, or tech packs

Why Mello

• Work across a wide range of brands and product categories, from tees to fully custom cut-and-sew
• Real ownership. You'll shape how design works here as we grow.
• A small team that moves fast, with a factory down the hall where you can see your work get made
• Benefits: PTO, paid holidays, health insurance, and more
• $85,000-$95,000
• Performance bonuses and commission