Senior Manager Apparel Technical Design, Local Creation

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Pahokee (FL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Sports Jobs Limited seeks an experienced leader to drive end-to-end technical development for the North America Local Creation Apparel team. You will mentor Technical Designers, manage milestones, and ensure quality from concept to commercialisation, balancing hands-on work with strategic oversight.

The role requires 10+ years in apparel development, strong leadership, and cross-functional influence across design, product management, and manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Apparel Design, Pattern Making, Textile Science, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of directly relevant work experience.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Deep knowledge of the apparel development process, including pattern making, grading, garment construction, costing, manufacturing, materials, print applications, embroidery techniques, and production machinery.
• Proven ability to serve as a technical expert while leading teams and driving initiatives through positive influence and strong leadership.
• Experience managing seasonal development calendars, team workload, sampling strategies, budgets, and risk mitigation for commercial product collections.
• Hands-on experience working with both domestic and international manufacturers and suppliers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders, navigate ambiguity, and deliver results in a deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with strong attention to detail and process discipline.
• Proven ability to lead, collaborate, and influence across functions and organisational levels.
• Experience developing, coaching, and managing teams.
• Proficiency in CLO, Browzwear, Lotta, or other 3D apparel development platforms.
• Experienced apparel technical design and development professional with a proven ability to lead teams, drive product excellence, and guide end-to-end apparel creation from concept through commercialisation.
• Strong leadership capabilities, a collaborative mindset, positive influence, and a passion for developing talent while delivering best-in-class product.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of technical development strategies and partner cross-functionally to drive alignment on best practices, digital product creation, and process excellence.
• Guide and mentor a team of Technical Designers, providing technical expertise, removing obstacles, and ensuring successful execution across the product creation process.
• Oversee development calendars, manage critical milestones, and lead the resolution of changes, risks, and exceptions to keep projects on track.
• Maintain ownership of a product workload, balancing short-term deliverables with long-term strategic priorities.
• Lead team meetings, coach and develop direct reports, collaborate with cross-functional partners, and provide clear communication through key development checkpoints.
• Play a critical role in design reviews, prototype evaluations, fit sessions, and commercialisation readiness, ensuring product quality, technical integrity, and executional excellence.
• Proactively solve problems, manage competing priorities, resolve bottlenecks, and drive teams toward successful outcomes.
• Foster a culture of inclusion, collaboration, diversity, accountability, and continuous growth across the team and broader apparel organisation.
• Partner closely with Product Design, Graphic Design, Product Management, Wear Testing, Materials, Product Integrity, and other cross-functional teams throughout the apparel creation process to deliver innovative products that serve both athletes and everyday consumers.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Problem-solving

Team coaching

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Apparel Design/Pattern Making/Textile Science

Tools

Microsoft Office

CLO

Browzwear

Lotta

Job description

About the Role

This role leads the execution of technical development strategies for the North America Local Creation Apparel team, partnering cross-functionally to drive alignment on best practices, digital product creation, and process excellence. It combines people leadership with technical product creation ownership, guiding and mentoring a team of Technical Designers while maintaining a personal product workload. The role reports to the Director of Product Development, North America Local Creation Apparel, and works closely with Product Design, Graphic Design, Product Management, Wear Testing, Materials, Product Integrity, and other cross-functional teams throughout the apparel creation process. The position is responsible for overseeing development calendars, managing critical milestones, and ensuring product quality, technical integrity, and executional excellence from concept through commercialisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of technical development strategies and partner cross-functionally to drive alignment on best practices, digital product creation, and process excellence.
• Guide and mentor a team of Technical Designers, providing technical expertise, removing obstacles, and ensuring successful execution across the product creation process.
• Oversee development calendars, manage critical milestones, and lead the resolution of changes, risks, and exceptions to keep projects on track.
• Maintain ownership of a product workload, balancing short-term deliverables with long-term strategic priorities.
• Lead team meetings, coach and develop direct reports, collaborate with cross-functional partners, and provide clear communication through key development checkpoints.
• Play a critical role in design reviews, prototype evaluations, fit sessions, and commercialisation readiness, ensuring product quality, technical integrity, and executional excellence.
• Proactively solve problems, manage competing priorities, resolve bottlenecks, and drive teams toward successful outcomes.
• Foster a culture of inclusion, collaboration, diversity, accountability, and continuous growth across the team and broader apparel organisation.
• Partner closely with Product Design, Graphic Design, Product Management, Wear Testing, Materials, Product Integrity, and other cross-functional teams throughout the apparel creation process to deliver innovative products that serve both athletes and everyday consumers.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Apparel Design, Pattern Making, Textile Science, or a related field; any suitable combination of education, experience, and training will be accepted.
• A minimum of 10 years of directly relevant work experience.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Deep knowledge of the apparel development process, including pattern making, grading, garment construction, costing, manufacturing, materials, print applications, embroidery techniques, and production machinery.
• Proven ability to serve as a technical expert while leading teams and driving initiatives through positive influence and strong leadership.
• Experience managing seasonal development calendars, team workload, sampling strategies, budgets, and risk mitigation for commercial product collections.
• Hands-on experience working with both domestic and international manufacturers and suppliers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders, navigate ambiguity, and deliver results in a deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with strong attention to detail and process discipline.
• Proven ability to lead, collaborate, and influence across functions and organisational levels.
• Experience developing, coaching, and managing teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and working knowledge of CLO, Browzwear, Lotta, or other 3D apparel development platforms.
• Experienced apparel technical design and development professional with a proven ability to lead teams, drive product excellence, and guide end-to-end apparel creation from concept through commercialisation.
• Strong leadership capabilities, a collaborative mindset, positive influence, and a passion for developing talent while delivering best-in-class product.

The Application Process

Accommodations are available to complete the interview process, including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single-location in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.