Overview
Reports to: Head of Quality
Location: London/Hybrid
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Garment Technical Manager on Apparel, Footwear and Hardlines, to join our team to lead the technical team and deliver the technical product strategy, reporting into the Head of Quality. The successful candidate will have at least 10 years’ experience in technical retail roles with a proven talent for cultivating and guiding high-performing teams.
What you’ll be doing
- Managing and developing 4/5 Technologists and overseeing the wider Technical Teams.
- Delivering technical strategy for innovation in product quality, fit, and sustainability as well as reduction in faulty/ fit returns and improvement in customer satisfaction scores.
- Customer care liaison overseeing quality complaint resolution and day to day quality management sign offs in collaboration with Buying Managers.
- Ensuring a consistent fit through overseeing block sign offs, seasonal silhouette development, model management and fit marketing.
- Ensuring product and labelling compliance standards are maintained and developed in line with international regulation, ensuring no risk to product or business reputation.
- Horizon scanning for changes in product/ labelling legislation, presenting and delivering business cases for change.
- Pro-actively managing the team deadlines and performance trackers to ensure critical path is maintained within acceptable risk margins.
- Working across functions to deliver efficient QC processes in store and at the distribution centres.
- Delivering business updates on progress, risk and opportunities internally and externally. Signing off compliance of public facing technical copy.
- Supporting team and suppliers with complex corrective action plans and advanced certificate applications (PPE). The go to contact for QC escalations.
- Delivering technical training to Buying and Technical teams and maintaining process guides on the business platform.
- Developing systems and processes that facilitate product attributes, compliance and streamline workload.
We’d love to meet someone with
- At least 10 years’ experience within product Tech (garment, footwear or hardlines) with at least 2 years’ experience as a senior Technologist within a high street retailer.
- Strong Leadership skills with team development experience following a formal framework. Capable of coaching to facilitate a high performing, engaged, and happy team.
- Strong problem solving and project management skills capable of effecting change in collaboration with buying/ merchandising stakeholders.
- Strong business network enabling collaboration to inform compliance/ product development.
- Excellent knowledge of pattern-cutting, grading, garment construction and production processes. Capable of writing and delivering technical training.
- Proven track record of commercial risk-based decision making in a retail environment.
- Good knowledge of international product compliance requirements and experience in maintaining accuracy of technical supplier manuals.
- Ability to develop systems and data reports to streamline workload and maintain compliance
- Excellent influencing, negotiation, and communication skills.
What’s in it for you?
- A great working culture and supportive team.
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Management level holiday allowance.
- 50% staff discount & 25% for family and friends.
- Pension scheme with salary sacrifice available if desired.
- Hybrid working if desired.