Assistant Manager

Role: Assistant Manager - Product Design

Location: Corporate Office (Mumbai)

Reports to: Sr. Manager Design & Development

Team size: Individual Contributor role

About VIP:

Established in 1968, VIP is amongst the worlds leading manufacturers and retailers of luggage, backpacks and handbags. With a legacy built over the years, we take pride in launching market-leading brands, including our flagship brand 'VIP', which has become synonymous with the luggage category in India. Our brands reflect our commitment to understanding consumer preferences and driving quality and innovation that meets their expectations. Our operational success is attributed to our stellar brand portfolio, state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in India and Bangladesh, and a robust distribution network that ensures easy accessibility to our products.

Through our diverse portfolio of brands, we cater to a wide range of consumers with varying needs and preferences. Whether it's the stylish and youthful offerings of Skybags or the premium and sophisticated designs of Carlton, range of chic and fashionable handbags designed for the modern woman, the high-quality, and highly functional flagship brand of VIP Industries to durable and practical luggage solutions at an affordable price point by Aristocrat. We have a solution for every traveller be it everyday travel, business trips, or outdoor adventures.

VIP Industries Limited is an equal opportunity employer. We value talent and believe everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed. We value the diversity of our workforce and the unique perspectives that each one of us brings, and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination on the basis of nationality, race, colour, religion, caste, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status and allow for equal opportunities for all our team members.

Qualifications/ Experience:

• A minimum 2 years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
• Should have handled Luggage or similar product design projects, including industrial design, convert design ideas into reality by taking ownership of one's design.
• Should have worked on converting the design idea to commercialisation with technical / factory / vendors teams. Has demonstrated capability of influencing the outcome without diluting the design.
• Should be able to interact and collaborate within the organisation with peers and superiors
• Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles of brainstorming. Knowledge of Engineering drawings, technical knowhow, allied production processes will be an added advantage.
• Should have strong portfolio with an emphasis on sketching and modelling (physical and virtual)
• Candidate having experience from industries like Consumer Durables/Appliances/FMCG /healthcare/Automobiles would be preferable.
• Candidate should be a team player and liase with internal and external stakeholders

Professional (essential)

• Knowledge on international trends in design
• Consumer lifestyles
• Ergonomics and human interface design
• Plastic component understanding and design
• Strong visualisation skills combined with sketching and object drawing skills.
• Parametric and non-parametric modeling
• Understanding basic element of costings
• High objectivity in Design Execution
• New Material Development

Knowledge in

• Graphic design.
• Basics of design management
• Ideation techniques
• Methods and techniques in design research.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, and/or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
• Proficient with software like Rhinoceros, Keyshot, Blender, Adobe illustrator, Photoshop etc.
• Prepares preliminary drawings of proposed exhibit, including detailed construction, layout, material specifications, or special effects diagrams.
• Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches.
• Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform to specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.
• Coordinate the look and function of product lines. Confer with engineering, marketing, production, and/or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.
• Present designs and reports to Sr design Manager/ design head for approval, and discuss need for modification.
• Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
• Read relevant design publications, attend exhibitions and related shows to understand the changing trends and build back in to design work.
• Continuously keep tab on competition products, design styles, trends consumer influences to build back in highly competitive designs for the company.
• Research, understand and collaborate with factory teams on implementing new technology to enable cutting edge in Design output.
• Understand the principles of target costing and align with Design and it's feature value equations.