Senior Garment Technologist

Debenhams Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Company pension

Share schemes

Private medical cover

Life assurance

Discount across brands

Wellbeing package

Learning and progression

Season ticket loan

Job summary

Debenhams Group, London-based Coast brand, is seeking a Senior Garment Technologist to drive fit improvements and collaborate with suppliers, QA and the buying team. You will support the technical team to ensure high-quality, compliant products across multiple brands.

You will lead fit sessions, guide technical development, and maintain strict quality standards while balancing cost, speed, and production realities. This is a London-based, on-site role.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in a senior garment technologist role.
• Degree-level qualification in fashion/tech.
• Experience with fit sessions and supplier management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and own fit sessions in-house and at source.
• Provide technical guidance to designers, buyers and suppliers.
• Communicate clear comments to suppliers and manage samples against KPIs.
• Collaborate with design, buying and QA to improve quality and reduce costs.
• Ensure compliance with product safety and legibility of testing, and manage non-compliance.

Skills

Garment Technology

Fitting sessions

Pattern cutting

Gerber/Pattern systems

Factory liaison

Quality assurance

Team leadership

Supply chain collaboration

Education

Degree in Fashion/Textiles

Tools

Gerber software

Job description

Description

At Debenhams Group, we are a diverse portfolio of five core brands (boohoo, boohooMAN, PrettyLittleThing, Karen Millen, and Debenhams) alongside a dynamic marketplace model and a growing financial services division, it keeps us pretty busy!

We don’t stand still, we lead, evolve, and redefine online fashion. With bold ambitions and big energy, we’re on a mission to be the best, delivering the strongest propositions to our customers in the most engaging, innovative, and efficient ways possible.

We thrive on change, innovation, and pace. Every challenge is an opportunity, and every day is a chance to push boundaries. If you’re someone who embraces the unknown, thrives in a fast-moving, high-growth environment, and is ready to shape the future of retail, you’ll love it here. We want visionaries, disruptors, and doers, people who bring fresh thinking, relentless energy, and the drive to make an impact.

Be brave. Be creative. Be a community.

The Role

Our technical team are looking for a strong and confident individual to join the team as a Senior Garment Technologist to work alongside our buying team and QA managersto improve fit and work with suppliers and the technical team to improve quality. This role will be London based, supporting our Debenhams brands teams.

Debenhams is proud to be Britain’s Online Department Store. The ultimate beauty, fashion & homeware destination that makes it easy to find everything you need, all from the comfort of home.

Founded in 1778 by William Clark, and rebranded by William Debenham in 1813, Debenhams is the exclusively online one-stop shop that makes it easy to find new favourite beauty, fashion & homeware pieces. The brand is home to broad selection of premium brands, including a new pre-loved designer collection to give luxury accessories a second chance at style.

We have been a trusted household name since 1778, continuing to evolve our market positioning, stocking all your favourites - from YSL and Prada to iconic occasionwear brand Coast, cool-girl outfitting at Warehouse, sleek tailoring at Burton, plus coveted home picks including Smeg, Dyson, SharkNinja and more - consider Debenhams your one-stop shop for all the best pieces, arriving straight to your door.

Your Team

In this role as a Senior Garment Technologist, you will be an integral part of the Coast brand team.

What you will be doing:

• Conducting fit sessions for own product area(s) in-house and at source, balancing speed and quality; making commercial decisions with confidence; owning the fitting process and inspiring trust and confidence from QA manager, to colleagues and suppliers
• Supporting the Technical team and QA manager in managing fit sessions and product areas
• Sending clear, concise and accurate comments to suppliers; processing samples in a timely and agile manner, in line with KPI’s
• Liaising with design, buying and suppliers to offer technical guidance on new product development with the aim of reducing costs and improving quality
• Working directly with the suppliers and Technical team to improve on areas of weakness, including in house training and development of the Technical team
• Ensuring compliance with product safety and reach legislation; assessing risk, advising on relevant testing; recording and resolving non-compliance effectively and efficiently
• Contributing to initiatives to reduce customer returns
• Promoting quality at all times, whilst maintaining a strong commercial attitude
• Identifying and managing new projects, feeding back to QA manager
• Feeding back to QA Manager, peers and Technologists with recommendations for improvements to procedures and practices.

What we’re looking for:

• Proven track record in a similar senior role within a fast-paced environment
• A technically-oriented qualification, preferably at degree level
• Able to work both individually and part of a team, with ability to inspire and motivate team members
• Multi-product experience including fringe areas; ability to move between product areas
• Confident and strong individual, with ability to manage the team, expectations as well as their own fit sessions
• Comprehensive understanding of fitting and fit issues
• Pattern cutting knowledge, alongside knowledge of grading and grade rules
• Knowledge of Gerber and/or similar Pattern system
• Experience of working directly with factories, and thorough understanding of factory production, including work-flow and production control
• First class communication skills to both the QA manager and wider team
• Keen interest in overseas travel
• Able to meet new challenges with a positive attitude
• Strong time-management skills; able to prioritise tasks and change direction with agility
• Confident using Google Applications (Gmail, sheets, docs, Gemini (AI) & Keen to expand skill set) as the role demands.

Why Debenhams Group?

Our mission is to create a workplace where everyone is respected, individual differences are valued, and people can be themselves at work — without exception.

2025 was a year of significant change for the Group. 2026 is about bold moves, real results and unstoppable momentum. If that excites you, you belong at Debenhams Group.

Our benefits include (subject to level and eligibility):

• Highly competitive bonus scheme, company pension, share schemes, private medical cover and life assurance
• Discount across all brands
• Comprehensive wellbeing package
• Ongoing learning and development with strong internal progression
• Free season ticket loan