Designer

MacKenzie-Childs, LLC; Town of Aurora (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

MacKenzie-Childs, LLC in New York seeks a Product Designer who blends creativity with commercial insight to lead product development across Kitchen, Dining, and Entertaining. You will translate design briefs into prototypes and final products, conduct market research, and present concepts to cross-functional teams to drive brand relevance and market success.

This role requires independent planning, strong communication, and a proactive approach to refine processes, materials, and production

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and design innovative products based on design briefs, brand strategy, market research, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Design and develop products across Kitchen, Dining, and Entertaining categories, including artwork, prototypes, and all phases of product development.
• Create products reflecting signature patterns, textures, and design elements while balancing innovation, functionality, brand identity, and commercial viability.
• Develop product concepts using digital design tools and communicate ideas through hand sketches when appropriate.
• Prepare manufacturing development packages, product specifications, instructions, and other product development documentation.
• Partner with Product Development, Production, Quality, Vendors, and Agents to ensure design intent is executed throughout sampling, approval, and manufacturing.
• Independently plan, prioritize, and manage multiple projects while meeting timelines and milestones.
• Coordinate samples or working models; participate in factory sampling, product evaluations, and design critiques.
• Continuously expand knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, product construction, and production techniques.

Job description

DescriptionCompany Overview: MacKenzie-Childs is a leading home furnishings retail company known for its unique design, high-quality products and exceptional customer service. We specialize in offering a wide range of kitchen, entertaining, decor and furniture items that cater to various styles and preferences, ensuring our customers find exactly what they need to make their homes joyful and stylish.Position Summary:MacKenzie-Childs is seeking a Product Designer who brings together creative thinking, commercial awareness, and technical expertise to lead the of products across the Kitchen, Dining, and Entertaining categories.This role will apply creativity, design expertise, and product development capabilities to create products with strong brand relevance, commercial potential, and market appeal, while balancing brand aesthetics, consumer needs, and business objectives.We are looking for a designer who goes beyond creating products. This individual should be able to identify market opportunities and shape compelling design directions through market research, consumer insights, competitive analysis, forecasting, and data-informed design. They must also be able to clearly communicate design intent through persuasive presentations, influence team decisions, and help drive successful product outcomes.In addition to strong design skills, this role requires a high level of ownership, critical thinking, and problem-solving ability. The ideal candidate is confident in proposing new ideas, willing to challenge established approaches, able to plan and manage work independently, and proactive in driving initiatives. They should also continuously seek ways to improve product quality, design efficiency, and team impact through process optimization, AI, emerging technologies, and digital tools.At MacKenzie-Childs, we believe creativity and evidence-based design decisions are equally important. We are not looking for someone who simply completes assigned work. We are looking for a designer who continuously elevates the products we create, the team they work with, and the way the work gets done.Great design begins with creativity, is guided by insight, validated through evidence, and succeeds through collaboration, execution, and continuous improvement.Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities: (Additional duties may be assigned)Product Design & Development

• Conceptualize and design innovative products based on design briefs, brand strategy, market research, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Design and develop products across the Kitchen, Dining, and Entertaining categories, including artwork, prototypes, and all phases of the product development process.
• Create products that reflect the MacKenzie-Childs brand by thoughtfully incorporating signature patterns, textures, and design elements while balancing innovation, functionality, brand identity, and commercial viability.
• Develop product concepts using digital design tools and communicate ideas through hand sketches when appropriate.
• Prepare Manufacturing Development Packages (MDPs), Product Specifications, Product Instructions, and other product development documentation.
• Partner closely with Product Development, Production, Quality, Vendors, and Agents to ensure design intent is accurately executed throughout sampling, product approval, and manufacturing.
• Independently plan, prioritize, and manage multiple projects while meeting Design & Development timelines and key milestones.
• Coordinate samples or working models as needed, and participate in factory sampling, product evaluations, training sessions, and design critiques.
• Continuously expand knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, product construction, and production techniques, and apply that knowledge throughout the product development process.

Digital Product Development

• Create high-quality, photorealistic visual assets that support internal