Technical Manager - Kidswear & Homeware

Matalan; Liverpool City Region; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Matalan is seeking a Technical Manager to provide strategic leadership for the quality team, ensuring an end-to-end quality process across the product lifecycle. You will drive global quality, compliance, and fit strategies in collaboration with Buying, Design and other stakeholders.

The role focuses on embedding a right-first-time culture, managing fit accuracy, and leading development of technical files, testing standards, and supplier engagement. International travel is expected as needed.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the Matalan quality strategy for the relevant category or area, ensuring the team has the right capability, experience, and behaviours to drive performance.
• Lead critical path management within the quality team, ensuring all deadlines and SLAs are consistently met.
• Build and lead strong, collaborative partnerships with Buying, Design, and key stakeholders to embed quality and compliance at the centre of all decision-making.
• Establish and lead regular, structured engagement with the supply base to ensure a clear, consistent and well-understood Matalan quality message.
• Champion a “right first time” culture across the quality function, driving accountability and continuous improvement.
• Take accountability for fit accuracy and efficiency across all products, improving sampling hit rates within the team and personally leading fit/seal decisions where required.
• Oversee the development and completion of high-quality technical files to support product development and sealing.
• Lead the creation and continuous improvement of testing standards, manuals and training materials in alignment with wider technical leadership.
• Ensure returns and inspection data are actively monitored and leveraged by the team to identify risks and drive product improvements.
• Provide clear, timely and actionable communication and reporting to stakeholders to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Identify, trial and embed new technologies (e.g. PLM, 3D and other emerging tools) to enhance efficiency and effectiveness within the quality function.
• Manage and maintain block or fabric libraries within the area of responsibility, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Conduct regular store visits to evaluate the quality of sealed production and ensure alignment with expectations.
• Undertake international travel to engage with the supply base as required by the business.
• Lead the development and implementation of product engineering and sustainability design principles in collaboration with other Technical Managers.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance across all products.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of best practice guidelines and minimum make manuals, ensuring consistent application across the business.

Job description

About the role

The Technical Manager provides strategic leadership to the quality team, driving a collaborative and forward-thinking approach. They work closely with buying, design, and key stakeholders to ensure a consistent, end-to-end quality process across the full product lifecycle. The role is accountable for implementing and advancing the global quality, compliance, and fit strategy across their departments.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the Matalan quality strategy for the relevant category or area, ensuring the team has the right capability, experience, and behaviours to drive performance.
• Lead critical path management within the quality team, ensuring all deadlines and SLAs are consistently met.
• Build and lead strong, collaborative partnerships with Buying, Design, and key stakeholders to embed quality and compliance at the centre of all decision-making.
• Establish and lead regular, structured engagement with the supply base to ensure a clear, consistent and well-understood Matalan quality message.
• Champion a “right first time” culture across the quality function, driving accountability and continuous improvement.
• Take accountability for fit accuracy and efficiency across all products, improving sampling hit rates within the team and personally leading fit/seal decisions where required.
• Oversee the development and completion of high-quality technical files to support product development and sealing.
• Lead the creation and continuous improvement of testing standards, manuals and training materials in alignment with wider technical leadership.
• Ensure returns and inspection data are actively monitored and leveraged by the team to identify risks and drive product improvements.
• Provide clear, timely and actionable communication and reporting to stakeholders to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Identify, trial and embed new technologies (e.g. PLM, 3D and other emerging tools) to enhance efficiency and effectiveness within the quality function.
• Manage and maintain block or fabric libraries within the area of responsibility, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Conduct regular store visits to evaluate the quality of sealed production and ensure alignment with expectations.
• Undertake international travel to engage with the supply base as required by the business.
• Lead the development and implementation of product engineering and sustainability design principles in collaboration with other Technical Managers.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance across all products.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of best practice guidelines and minimum make manuals, ensuring consistent application across the business.

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