Womenswear Technical Manager

TRP RECRUITMENT; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

TRP Recruitment has a client in the UK fashion supply sector seeking a senior technical leader to drive the garment technology function. The role oversees quality, fit, construction, and compliance across accounts, partnering with design, merchandising, and production teams to move products from development to production.

The candidate will mentor junior team members, work with UK and overseas offices, and ensure adherence to customer standards and testing requirements across a broad portfolio.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in a technical role within apparel or fashion supplier environment.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a technical management role.
• Strong experience across multi-product womenswear, including wovens and jersey.
• Experience working with overseas factories and suppliers.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to liaise between technical, production, design, merchandising, and customer teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and develop the garment technology team across multi-product categories including wovens and jersey.
• Oversee fit, sealing, and product approvals in line with critical path timelines.
• Provide technical expertise across a wide range of product categories.
• Coordinate between technical, production, design, merchandising and customer teams to ensure requirements are understood and delivered.
• Train, mentor, and develop junior members of the technical team.

Skills

Technical leadership

Wovens & jersey

Retailer knowledge

Overseas factories

Mentoring

Communication skills

Job description

I am delighted to be recruiting for my client, a leading UK fashion supplier to major retailers and supermarkets, across a diverse range of multi-product womenswear, covering both wovens and jersey.

This position will lead the technical function, ensuring product quality, fit, construction, and compliance across all customer accounts. The role will work closely with design, merchandising, and production teams, acting as a key link between the technical and production teams to ensure clear communication and the smooth progression of product from development through to production. The successful candidate will also play an important role in developing and training more junior members of the technical team.

The role will work closely with UK and overseas offices and factories to deliver commercially viable, well-executed products across a broad product portfolio.

Main Responsibilities will include:

• Lead, manage, and develop the garment technology team across multi- Product including wovens and jersey
• Oversee fit, sealing, and product approvals in line with critical path timelines
• Provide technical expertise across a wide range of multi-product categories
• Act as a key link between the technical and production teams, ensuring clear communication and that technical requirements are understood and delivered
• Work closely with design, merchandising, and production teams throughout product development
• Conduct risk assessments on garment construction, fabrics, trims, and performance
• Improve and streamline internal technical systems, processes, and ways of working
• Maintain strong relationships with customers and manage fit meetings, comments, and feedback
• Resolve production and quality issues in collaboration with overseas teams and factories
• Ensure all products meet customer standards, brand manuals, testing requirements, and quality expectations
• Work closely with suppliers and factories to ensure technical standards are maintained throughout production
• Train, mentor, and develop more junior members of the technical team, helping to build their technical knowledge and confidence
• Travel to overseas factories when required to review capabilities, support development, and resolve production issues

Person Specification:

• 10+ years' experience in a technical role within apparel, ideally gained within a fashion supplier environment
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a technical management role
• Strong experience across multi-product womenswear, including both wovens and jersey
• Experience working with major UK retailers and supermarkets, with a strong understanding of their technical requirements, fit, sealing processes, and quality expectations
• Strong understanding of garment construction, fabrics, fit, and manufacturing across different product categories
• Experience working with overseas factories and suppliers
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to liaise effectively between technical, production, design, merchandising, and customer teams
• A natural leader who can mentor, train, and develop junior members of the team
• Experience with sustainable products and materials would be desirable
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities to meet critical path deadlines
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail
• Highly competent IT skills

To be considered for this role, you must have the right to work in the UK and be based in the UK, with strong experience working with the UK fashion market and major UK retailers.