Associate Design Director, Luggage

Raise Away

Associate Design Director leading innovative luggage design strategies for Away's core product lines. Managing a creative team and enhancing travel experiences through design.

Posted 6/2/2026full-timeNew York City • New York • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $150,000 - $160,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

You’ll execute and contribute to the design and innovation strategy for core luggage product lines, evolving existing platforms while identifying whitespace opportunities for future growth
You’ll manage the luggage design strategy in executing seasonal creative direction and long-term category goals, in close alignment with the VP and Senior Design leadership
You’ll translate consumer insights, travel behaviors, and market trends into scalable, production-ready design systems
You’ll champion elevated product concepts, new functionalities, and disruptive design thinking within the team to push forward product innovation
You’ll build, manage, and mentor a high-performing design team, providing tactical creative direction and cultivating a culture of technical excellence
You’ll deliver against a multi-year innovation roadmap through focused industrial design exploration, material R&D, construction innovation, and manufacturing collaboration
You’ll evaluate and implement new materials, finishes, and component systems that support performance, durability, sustainability, and brand differentiation
You’ll partner closely with Product Development and Engineering teams to bridge the gap between design intent, technical feasibility, and manufacturing execution
You’ll manage and continuously improve material libraries, innovation references, prototyping systems, and AI-assisted design workflows to support rapid concept iteration
You’ll identify and execute opportunities to improve weight optimization, repairability, and sustainability, enhancing the overall customer experience
You’ll manage the end-to-end luggage design process from concept development and CAD execution through prototyping, sampling, approvals, and commercialization
You’ll operationalize scalable workflows, documentation standards, and communication protocols that improve clarity and speed-to-market across Design, PD, and overseas manufacturing partners
You’ll collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Brand, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to ensure design integrity and category health throughout production
You’ll participate in global travel and supplier engagement to drive innovation, sourcing, manufacturing alignment, and competitive research

Requirements

What you’ll need

You have at least 7 years of industrial design experience (luggage, technical soft goods, or hard goods) with a proven track record of supervising/mentoring design talent and supporting successful product launches
You possess an advanced understanding of complex product construction, material R&D, and manufacturing processes, with an interest or experience in leveraging emerging technologies (like AI tools) to optimize team workflows
You’re highly proficient in Fusion 360, KeyShot, and Adobe Creative Suite, with the ability to guide and upskill direct reports in these tools
You’re exceptional sketching and 3D visualization skills, with the ability to clearly translate complex design concepts to cross-functional partners and present project directions to senior leadership
You have a strong ability to balance creative ambition with commercial viability and engineering constraints, ensuring your team’s outputs align with category health and business metrics
You have direct experience working closely with overseas factories and suppliers, ensuring design intent and quality standards are maintained from prototyping through production
You are genuinely motivated by mentoring designers and transforming the travel experience through thoughtful, functional, and innovative design
You can to travel domestically and internationally (up to 20%) to collaborate with global manufacturing partners and attend industry events
You’re comfortable working in a design studio setting, which includes extended periods of stationary work at a computer and hands-on interaction with physical prototypes, material samples, and luggage hardware
You’re creative and innovative; you love to build great new things that are fresh and unique while staying on brand
You’re agile, and motivated by a fast-paced and ever changing environment

Benefits

Comp & perks

Take care of yourself and your family through our health insurance offerings
Invest in your future by participating in our 401(k) (with a company match!)
Find balance through our many paid time off programs (vacation, wellbeing, holidays, summer Fridays, and compassion leave - just to name a few!)
Build your travel uniform through discount codes, product stipends, and giveaways
Give back through company-sponsored volunteer and charitable opportunities

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Hard Skills & Tools

industrial designproduct constructionmaterial R&Dmanufacturing processesweight optimizationrepairabilitysustainability3D visualizationsketchingdesign systems

Soft Skills

mentoringcreative directioncollaborationcommunicationleadershipinnovationproblem-solvingcommercial viabilitytechnical excellenceagility