Job Description / Duties

Role: Director, Technical Development (NOC 0911)
Salary: $170,000 - $220,000/year and Benefits (Extended Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance) + may be eligible for bonuses and salary increases, if applicable
Position: 45 hours/week, Full-time, Permanent
Location of work: Aritzia Support Office (#118-611 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC, V6A 1E1)
Number of positions: 1

The Director, Technical Development is accountable to deliver both Design’s creative vision and Aritzia’s customer expectations through the fit, construction and quality of our product. This is accomplished through excellent pattern making capabilities, manufacturing knowledge, and proactive and collaborative communication with our internal cross functional partners and external vendor base.

Key responsibilities of the Director, Technical Development will include the following:

1. DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT
• Hire, train, motivate, mentor and evaluate team
• Develop Strategies to support departmental and cross-departmental initiatives and objectives
• Develop and refine departmental and cross departmental Processes
• Create and maintain all team training documentation.
• Lead departmental and cross-department meetings as appropriate
• Manage and lead a team to facilitate department objectives and individual career goals
• Lead by example using the “How We Work” methodologies across the department
• Provide opportunities for growth within department that utilize the strengths and growth opportunities of individuals and teams
• Define and balance team’s workload based on skill set, brand and company needs.
• Manage technical sampling and communication process associated with new vendor evaluation.
• Maintain all administrative tools pertaining to grading: Master Grade Rule Charts, Grading Manual and Vendor Grading Proficiency Chart
• Lead team to:
• Understand how Technical Development fits into the larger product development process.
• Be accountable to calendar process and deliverables. Voice product / calendar issues so they can be proactively resolved.
• Track and manage workflow and ensure seasonal deadlines are met by maintaining the applicable areas of the Priority Checklist (PCL), Fit Agenda, Fit Sample Tracking and other administrative tools used by the Technical Department.
• Travel to factories and work with technical teams to troubleshoot, educate, and understand factory capabilities.

2. DESIGN VISION
• Collaborate effectively with Design team on seasonal and long term vision.
• Identify trend and block needs. Create and manage block library.
• Communicate how to use block library to team & cross functional departments.
• Manage sample lab to deliver samples that effectively reflect fit classification, blocks and design intent.
• Lead team to:
o Understand Design’s creative vision, including silhouette, fabrication, fit intent and design details, and effectively collaborate to translate to the Aritzia customer.
o Proactively recommend solutions that will ensure Design intent, fit, construction, quality, timelines and cost are met.

3. FIT STANDARDS
• Create and refine Aritiza’s Fit Classifications through understanding of business needs and collaboration with Director / Manager Team.
• Recruit, monitor & manage fit models, from a measurement, behavior and scheduling perspective.
• Lead team to:
o Understand fit model measurements and how to incorporate into fit process
o Maintain grading standards and manage exceptions effectively
o Use Aritzia’s Block Library to ensure brand integrity and consistency
o Follow the Aritizia How to Measure Manual to measure all garments
o Ensure size and fit consistency within product category

4. CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
• Create and refine Aritzia’s Construction Standards and Processes through understanding of business needs and collaboration with Director / Manager Team.
• Lead team to:
o Follow Aritzia Garment Construction Standards and manage exceptions effectively.
o Follow Aritzia Label Placement Standards
o Follow thread and fusing standards.(future state)
o Ensure garment construction consistency within product category.

5. SAMPLE DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL
• Effectively present high level topics / concepts to Aritzia executive management team
• Lead team to:
o Execute design and fit intent into bulk production while maintaining corporate standards.
o Communicate sample and pattern requirements to factory using photos, fit comments, tech packs, blocks and patterns, video conference, etc.
o Prepare samples for company meetings (fittings, 1st proto review, etc).
o Evaluate garment and pattern to determine compliance of measurements, construction, and fit intent.
o Identify potential fit, quality and production issues and make appropriate recommendations while maintaining design’s creative vision and fit intent.
o Lead fit meeting on live model, work with cross-functional departments to achieve design vision and communicate fit and balance corrections to participants.
o Ensure external pattern meets Aritzia’s design and fit intent, where appropriate.
o Communicate style revisions to factory, outlining pattern, construction and workmanship corrections.
o Identify and proactively engage business partners when issues arise with recommendations for viable options/solutions and to escalate issues to supervisor if necessary.
o Collaborate with the QA department to ensure there are no potential quality assurance issues.
o Collaborate with cross functional departments to prepare and present at company meetings where appropriate.
o Manage files associated with style approval, including final production pattern, approved tech pack etc.

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added or modified as required throughout the course of employment.

Qualifications / Required Skills

The Director, Technical Development will possess the following qualifications:

• University degree or diploma in engineering, business administration, fashion design or a related field
• 8+ years’ of Industry experience in a related position
• Several years of experience overseeing and supervising junior technical designers and developers
• Advanced knowledge of pattern interpretation, patternmaking, pattern grading, block development
• Proven experience with apparel grading and grade rule development & specification
• Extensive knowledge of garment and fabric construction, fabrications and how they translate to garment, garment performance standards and manufacturing methods
• Knowledge of and experience with fit evaluation and implementation of corrections
• Well versed in points of measurement & measuring techniques
• Previous experience working with overseas factories & vendors and prior experience with overseas manufacturing to ensure design quality and intent
• Experience conducting and leading fit sessions
• Strong application skills with Gerber AccuMark; proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop
• Excellent sense of style, knowledge of current trends & fashion forecasting, keen eye for global trends, colours, fabrics and details
• Proven leadership abilities and excellent interpersonal and communication skills – both verbal and written
• Excellent organizational, planning and time management skills with ability to prioritize and manage deadlines
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally

Salary: $170,000 - $220,000/year and Benefits (Extended Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance) + may be eligible for bonuses and salary increases, if applicable

Contact Information

Apply Now: If you are interested in an exciting career in the fashion apparel industry, please forward your cover letter, resume and portfolio, if applicable (PDF or website link) to careers@aritzia.com. PLEASE NOTE THE JOB TITLE AND WEBSITE IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

NOTE: Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted. If you are not contacted for this position, please accept our sincere thanks and appreciation for your interest in Aritzia!

Aritzia believes in providing an inclusive workplace where all individuals have opportunity to succeed. We are committed to doing so by providing accessible employment practices. Requests for accommodation due to a disability can be made at any stage of the recruitment process and applicants are asked to make their accommodation needs known.

Employer Profile

Working at Aritzia: Aritzia’s Support Office is located on the edge of downtown Vancouver (611 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC, V6A 1E1), a city consistently recognized as one of the world’s best cities to live. Much like our boutiques, our workspace is modern and unique, and reflects our love of contemporary design. Our team consists of creative and dynamic industry professionals who love to design and promote Aritzia’s in-house brands, scope out the latest global trends, and continue learning and sharing their passion for fashion with our valued clientele – all in an environment that fosters long-term career planning and personal growth. Check us out at www.aritzia.com