Associate Director / Director – Programmes & Projects

Associate Director / Director – Programmes & Projects

About Hong Kong Design Centre

Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) was founded in 2001 as a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in establishing Hong Kong as centre of design excellence in Asia. We are on a public mission to promote wider and strategic use of design and design thinking to foster innovation, create business value and improve societal well-being.

We now have an exciting opportunity for a high caliber candidate to join our dynamic team. Please visit our website www.hkdesigncentre.org for information of HKDC.

 

Role Overview

The Associate Director / Director of Programmes & Projects is a strategic leadership role within HKDC, responsible for both the development and successful delivery of impactful programmes and initiatives that strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international design and innovation hub. This role plays a vital part in nurturing future design unicorns, building a sustainable creative ecosystem, and fostering long-term relationships with local and global stakeholders.

As a member of the Executive Management Team, the Associate Director / Director leads the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programmes that empower local design talent, create global connections, and elevate Hong Kong’s creative reputation. The role requires a leader with strong execution capabilities, deep industry insight, and a passion for advancing the fashion and design community through meaningful partnerships, high-impact initiatives, and future-forward thinking.

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Industry Advancement: Advise on fashion programme strategy, shape the fashion programmes to align with industry needs and policy priorities, ultimately position Hong Kong as the region's leading hub for fashion innovation and entrepreneurship.
2. Talent Development, Coaching & Global Exposure: Design and execute comprehensive programmes to champion fashion talent and facilitate their market entry to global, connecting designers with global platforms and key industry stakeholders to ensure their commercial growth and international visibility.
3. Fashion Asia Programme & Fashion Projects Development and Execution: Lead the full lifecycle of HKDC’s signature fashion programmes and events, from strategy and development through to execution, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery that achieves targeted impact while remaining agile to industry trends and designer needs.
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management: Cultivate and manage key relationships across local and international fashion networks, including designers, industry leaders, and fashion institutions, to bridge talent with global opportunities, enhance Hong Kong’s international presence, and represent HKDC in high-level forums to drive partnerships and visibility.
5. Cross-Disciplinary Leadership & Team Management: Lead and integrate fashion with multi-disciplinary projects spanning business, culture and technology, while managing and developing a collaborative team through strategic performance oversight and resource allocation to maximize impact and alignment with programme goals.
6. Governance, Compliance & Operational Excellence: Ensure financial integrity and compliance across all fashion programmes and events, lead funding proposals, uphold rigorous reporting standards, and manage strategic assignments to align with HKDC’s governance and long-term priorities.

 

Essential Skills & Qualifications

1. A university graduate with a minimum of 16 years’ relevant experience, ideally in fashion, design, creative industries, or large-scale programme leadership for Director post.
2. Candidate with less experience (min. of 14 years’ relevant experience) will be considered as Associate Director.
3. Proven expertise in developing and delivering high-impact fashion programmes, with an active network among fashion week organisers, fashion associations, and industry stakeholders in Hong Kong and Asia.
4. Deep industry insight into the fashion global and regional fashion ecosystem, with a demonstrated ability to connect Hong Kong and Asian fashion designers to international markets and opportunities.
5. Direct experience working with Hong Kong and Asian’s fashion associations, fashion week organisers, showrooms and retailers, institutes and related stakeholders.
6. A demonstrated record of success in supporting fashion design entrepreneurs through business coaching, mentoring, incubation/acceleration programmes, and facilitating international exposure.
7. Excellent leadership and team management skills, with experience leading cross-functional teams and driving performance, collaboration, and professional growth.
8. Solid experience in managing complex, cross-disciplinary projects spanning fashion, design, and creative culture.
9. Proven ability to write and secure government funding proposals, and manage related compliance and reporting.
10. Exceptional stakeholder engagement, communication, and relationship management skills.
11. A strong commitment to professionalism, ethics, and corporate governance.

 

Preferred (but not Essential) Skills

1. Experience in retail strategy or managing pop-up/showcase spaces that provide commercial exposure to emerging designers is an advantage.

 

More information about Hong Kong Design Centre:

https://www.hkdesigncentre.org/

 

Interested parties are invited to apply by sending your resume with full details of education, work experience, current & expected salary, contact telephone number and earliest available date to the Human Resources Office, Hong Kong Design Centre, 4/F, DX design hub, 280 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon or email to: hr@hkdesigncentre.org on or before 28 January 2026. HKDC reserves the right not to make appointment for the post(s) advertised. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. All information received will be kept in strict confidence for six months and data will only be used for recruitment purpose.