Role Overview
The Assistant to the Design Director is responsible for making sure ideas move smoothly from design concept to delivery. This role sits at the center of design, sampling, merchandising, production, and trading, ensuring all SOPs are followed, timelines are respected, and collections are submitted on time.
You will manage calendars, track stock, follow up with teams, and support fittings and special projects like Creator Drops, so that every launch feels organized, controlled, and on schedule.
Key Responsibilities
1. SOP & Timeline Management
- Ensure all teams (design, sampling, merchandising, production, trading) follow the company SOPs and critical paths for every collection.
- Based on handover dates, calculate and define exact submission deadlines for:
- Strike-offs
- Lab dips
- FOBs / costing
- Track and follow up with merchandisers and relevant teams to ensure:
- Collections are submitted on time
- Strike-offs, lab dips, and FOBs are delivered and approved on schedule
- Proactively flag any risks or delays and propose solutions to the Design Director.
2. Collection & Product Scheduling
- Maintain a master calendar for all running product lines, including:
- Chiffon plains and prints
- Jersey plains and prints
- Any additional active product categories
- Coordinate with design, merchandising, and production to ensure each product/collection is placed into a clear timeline (development, approvals, production, and launch).
- Regularly update and share this calendar with the Design Director and key stakeholders.
3. Stock Monitoring & Restock Planning
- Continuously review stock lists in the trading system to monitor inventory levels.
- Identify SKUs that are reaching low-stock thresholds and prepare restock recommendations.
- Coordinate with merchandising and production to initiate reorders once quantities hit agreed levels.
- Help plan restocks in a timely manner so key items are not out of stock during peak periods.
4. Sampling & Fittings
- Follow up with the sampling team to ensure all samples are created and delivered on time.
- Organize fittings for new products and collections, prepare fitting schedules, and ensure all samples are present and properly labeled.
- Support the Design Director during fittings by:
- Taking notes on fit, adjustments, and comments
- Communicating feedback clearly to the sampling and production teams
- Tracking follow-up samples and corrections.
5. Creator Drop Project Coordination
- Act as the project coordinator for Creator Drop collections.
- Align all internal teams (design, sampling, production, marketing, content, merchandising) with the Creator Drop timeline and deliverables.
- Track progress against the project plan and follow up with each team to ensure tasks are completed on time.
- Report regularly to the Design Director on Creator Drop status, risks, and next steps.
6. Reporting & Communication
- Prepare weekly or bi-weekly status reports for the Design Director covering:
- Timeline overview (on-track vs delayed items)
- Stock alerts and restock requests
- Sampling and fitting status
- Creator Drop progress
- Communicate clearly and professionally across departments, always reflecting the Design Director’s priorities and directives.
Skills & Qualifications
Must-Have:
- Experience in fashion, textiles, merchandising, product development, or a similar coordination role.
- Strong understanding of basic product development terms (e.g. strike-offs, lab dips, sampling, FOB).
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills; able to manage multiple calendars and projects at once.
- Strong follow-up skills – persistent, detail-oriented, and reliable.
- Comfortable working with spreadsheets and stock/trading systems.
- Strong communication skills in English (written and verbal).
Nice-to-Have:
- Experience in modest fashion, hijab, or apparel brands.
- Previous experience working with cross-functional teams (design, production, marketing).
- Familiarity with project management or planning tools (Excel, Sheets, Notion, Asana, etc.).
Personal Qualities:
- Highly organized and structured.
- Proactive problem-solver – doesn’t wait to be told when something is late.
- Calm under pressure and able to work with tight timelines.
- Team player, respectful but assertive in follow-ups.
- Strong sense of responsibility and ownership.
