Director, Design - Fine & Sterling Jewelry

About Kendra Scott

We are a fashion-lifestyle brand of big dreams, colorful confidence, and inspired design. Founded on Family, Fashion and Philanthropy, we believe that our employees and customers are the heart and soul of our brand, and that giving back is the truest form of success. Fashion meets innovation in the design of our two state-of-the-art facilities based in the heart of Austin, Texas, and overflows into the design of our growing retail environment across the country.   

<span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Position Overview

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> The Director of Design, Fine & Demi-Fine Jewelry is a senior leadership role within the Design organization, responsible for defining and executing the creative vision, product strategy, and end-to-end design process for Fine and Demi-Fine categories.
<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> This exempt, full-time position reports to the Department Head of Design and plays a critical role in shaping brand-right, commercially successful assortments. The Director will lead and develop a high-performing design team, drive innovation, and ensure the seamless translation of creative vision into scalable, production-ready collections that align with business objectives.

<span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Key Responsibilities

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""> <span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Design Leadership & Strategy

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Define and drive the creative vision and long-term design strategy for Fine and Demi-Fine Jewelry in alignment with brand, customer, and business goals

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Serve as a strategic partner to Merchandising, Product Development, and Executive Leadership to shape assortment architecture and category growth

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Lead the end-to-end design process from concept through final production, ensuring design integrity, innovation, and commercial viability

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Champion a forward-thinking, trend-informed, and customer-centric design approach

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""> <span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Team Leadership & Development

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing design team, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous growth

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Establish clear roles, ownership, and development pathways for team members, with a strong focus on succession planning

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Set and uphold high standards for design excellence, craftsmanship, and innovation

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Provide ongoing coaching and feedback to elevate both individual and team performance

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""> <span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Creative Execution & Process Excellence

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Oversee the translation of creative direction into compelling concepts, including sketches, renderings, CAD models, and finished assortments

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Ensure design intent is maintained throughout prototyping, engineering, and production phases

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Establish and implement best-in-class design processes, workflows, and standards to drive efficiency, consistency, and scalability

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Lead continuous improvement initiatives across tools, technologies, and design methodologies

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""> <span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Cross-Functional Leadership

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Represent Design as a senior leader in all cross-functional forums, influencing decisions that impact product, timeline, and business outcomes

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Partner closely with Product Development, Sourcing, and Vendors to ensure feasibility, cost alignment, and production excellence

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Communicate clearly and proactively on project status, priorities, and risks to senior leadership and stakeholders

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Lead key milestone meetings and decision-making forums across the product lifecycle

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""> <span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Technical & Innovation Oversight

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Act as a subject matter expert in CAD design, model making, and emerging technologies within jewelry design

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Drive innovation in materials, construction techniques, and manufacturing processes to elevate product differentiation

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Oversee the use, maintenance, and advancement of design tools and technologies (e.g., CAD software, 3D printing)

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Identify and integrate new technologies and vendor capabilities to enhance design output and efficiency

<span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""> <span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Operational Excellence

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Oversee multiple complex projects simultaneously, ensuring timelines, quality standards, and deliverables are met

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Establish organization standards for all design files, documentation, and shared assets

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Ensure accurate and thorough design specifications are delivered for production and vendor execution

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Lead vendor engagement, including travel and collaboration, to ensure alignment on quality and execution

<span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"=""> Design Leadership Expectations

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Champion and evolve the Kendra Scott design aesthetic, ensuring consistency, innovation, and brand relevance

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Foster a highly collaborative environment across Design and cross-functional teams

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Encourage diverse creative perspectives to strengthen overall product offerings

• <span style="font-family:" times="" new="" roman",serif"=""><span style="font-family:" brandon="" grotesque="" medium",sans-serif"="">Balance creative excellence with speed-to-market in a fast-paced, high-growth environment