Womanswear Design Manager

Job Description

About the Company

We are working with multi-channel, high fashion apparel brand/retailer based in North London UK.

In early 2020 the business faced serious headwinds; a global pandemic meant a number of their wholesale/retail customers had to close their stores alongside material uncertainty from large / unstable customers. This left them no alternative to pivot their attention to their website and drive their target audience to there.

Since then they have grown annual revenue to £30m+ and has ambitious objectives to continue this growth to £100m over the next 3-5 years.

About the Role

Line Management including:

Managing a growing team of 4 designers, plus freelancers
Managing the work flow from Design -Technical design and Garment tech
Working closely with our Merchandising Manager and Senior Buyer to manage the number of options per drop to ensure that the target number of styles are landing on site in time and we are hitting sales revenue.
Undertaking performance reviews, and probation reviews for design team.

Manages the design process including:

Manages & oversees the critical path for multiple collections.
Managing priority of fit comments to be sent to factories based on delivery date/ deadlines for approvals.
Holds daily catch up meetings with the team – splits out the workload & priorities
Attend meetings with company stakeholders i.e management meeting feeds back to the team
Directs the team in terms of print placement / garment construction & specs
Develops the product for ranges across multi product areas keeping best sellers in mind.
Sources fabrics and trims with factories.
Manages and mentors the team, ensuring clear briefing on work and working with them to continually improve and produce the best output.
Allocate members of the team ranges to work on
Create sketch technical drawings and CADs.
Work out print placements and set up tech packs for factories.
Chase through new branding with factories.
Brief external print designers & graphic design team with brief for product.
Work with the head of marketing & garment tech to ensure samples are collated for internal meetings and photoshoots.
Advise on spec amendments and correct blocks for junior members of the team to use with our Garment Tech and Technical Design teams.
Meetings with the customer care team to give training on new product launching.
Delegate to the team on launch admin – training on product description/input into ait table.
Managing the systems used by the team Miro, air table, Adobe etc
Onboarding/offboarding

new starters and leavers – ensuring they are welcome in the team.

Manages the technical process, including:

Set up the critical path with new ranges and decide on blocks and fabrics for each style.
Maintain the critical path throughout the design process.
Chase through samples with the factories on a daily basis.
Allocate the factories per style working with the production team
Attend fit sessions and give suggestions on how to get to the best possible garment
Help send out fit comments where needed and meet deadlines.
Review & update blank block workbooks regularly for design to work from.
Keep abreast of customer feedback relating to fit and fabrication, etc.

General Office & Design Duties:

Keep the design workspace organised and delegating jobs to the team to ensure all fabrics/ samples are organised.
Review samples regularly to add to the Depop box.

We would love to respond to every application however due to the volume of applications we receive this isn't always possible. If you have not heard within 2 weeks of applying, please assume on this occasion that your application has not been shortlisted. We may retain your CV to contact you about future employment opportunities that are being managed by The Growth Foundation Talent.

The Growth Foundation Talent is deeply committed to building a diverse & inclusive workplace and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.