Technical Designer
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania

At DICK’S Sporting Goods, we believe in how positively sports can change lives. On our team, everyone plays a critical role in creating confidence and excitement by personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce, reflecting the communities we serve.

If you are ready to make a difference as part of the world’s greatest sports team, apply to join our team today!

OVERVIEW:

The Technical Designer is responsible for managing the fit and construction of garments for larger categories of DICK’s Sporting Goods line of products for vertical brands (approximately 75-90 products/season). It is the responsibility of the Technical Designer to deliver high-quality products in alignment with the brand standards and our athlete’s expectations for aesthetic, quality and fit. The Technical Designer is responsible to ensure product maintains design intent while meeting all company margin targets and on time deliverables. The Technical Designers run fittings, create initial specs, make spec adjustments, and communicate to the Product Manager and Designers recommendations to ensure the best product is delivered. In this role, the Technical Designer will collaborate with Product Manager and the Design team to translate the product design and style vision into a consistent fit and quality level by the development of the technical specification.

The ideal candidate for the role is a seasoned apparel technical designer, with relevant experience in the product categories he/she will lead (athletic, outdoor, golf) at a successful design firm or retailer. In addition, the ideal candidate must demonstrate in-depth knowledge of fit fundamentals including grading, patternmaking and apparel construction and manufacturing methods. Technical Designers lead teams of 1-2 Associate/Assistant Tech Designers by driving accountability, mentoring and providing actionable feedback and coaching.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

Fit Development

Lead fit session to document technical adjustments to reflect creative design’s comments around aesthetic approval and to improve the garment as it relates to adherence to specification, construction, the overall appearance and fit enhancements. Analyze all changes & how it relates to specification & pattern then translate information concisely to a technical package.Develop block pattern & technical specifications by brand/classification in support of the brand profile, design vision & appropriate athlete base. Build technical specifications including technical illustration, construction details/seam specification, measurement spec, and trim requirements.Create and maintain fit matrix by brand and product typeTrack, record & organize garments & information to ensure timely fit sessions from first proto to production approvalWork cross-functionally with the Design, Product management, Sourcing and Merchandising teams to align on strategic intent of the brand. Actively participate in milestone development meetings to provide insight on measurement specifications and product history to engineer costs in development.Leads collaboration with our HK office TD team for execution of product and problem solving; communicates and partners with Design, Sourcing, and manufacturers to protect integrity of the set specifications and QC and TD leadership on production and quality issues, identifying recommendations and potential solutions.Ensures that all time and action calendar deadlines are met.

Tech Pack Creation and Maintenance

Interpret the designer's vision & define through specifications & detail drawings for clear, concise & accurate Tech Packs on all aspects that relate to technical design; Recommend fabric silhouette compatibility that ensures execution of design intent.Communicate with overseas vendors for tech pack and sample development questions; Problem solve in collaboration with cross functional teams on matters pertaining to specs, patterns, construction and techniques to improve fit, balance and overall quality of garment.Ensure accuracy of Tracking Reports, ETA's of sample arrival and Cut dates in alignment with the time and action calendar for assigned brand. This includes following up with vendors, as needed to ensure key milestone dates are met. Escalate potential misses to deadlines to leadership in a timely manner, including problem resolutions.Communicate with overseas business partners for tech pack and sample development questionsDevelop style specific blocks in PDM system with points graded to achieve brand consistency. Develop sewing construction by style using most cost effective construction. Maintain consistent quality standards through fit, and pattern analysis. Ensure garment quality standards by requesting product performance testing as need arises.Use experience and expertise to engineer product that fits into the targeted retail and GM%; give suggestions to product managers and design based on manufacturer's ability

Competitive Research and Analysis

Perform benchmarking, maintains awareness of market trends, competitively shops and makes recommendations to ensure assigned brands are in alignment with the category trends and competitive landscapeReview specifications and grade to ensure relevancy in the marketplace and to the consumer. Proactively provide update opportunities and recommendationsComplete wear tests to ensure product specifications will meet the intended athlete’s expectations as it relates to qualityDevelop cost effective methods of garment construction in alignment with market research and analysis.

Manage & Develop Talent

Train and mentor new hires into Tech Design roles by sharing experience, knowledge and best practices.Share timely and actionable feedback with teammates on deliverables to ensure accountability, coach and mentor as needed.Drive talent selection process for open direct report positions; Ensure all direct reports are appropriately trained and on-boarded.Manage execution responsibilities and workload of direct/indirect reports to achieve department deliverables on time and with quality. Provide direct reports with timely and regular feedback to support teammate development/ growth in role.

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QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's Degree in Apparel, Construction or Textiles, or equivalent industry experience

Minimum 7 years apparel tech design experience, 3+ years of experience working in the athletic, sportswear or outdoor environment, preferred.

Apparel grading experience

Must be proficient in Adobe Illustrator

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system experience required

Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Excel report creation and maintenance

Experience with PDS patternmaking system required.

Comprehensive knowledge of Optitex with the ability to organize block patterns in system

Preferred experience in 3D fit technology