Apparel Technical Designer

At Fanatics Commerce, we’re more than just a leader in licensed sports merchandise – we’re a team united by a relentless passion for our fans and a commitment to innovation. We live by our BOLD Leadership principles: We Build Championship Teams, we’re Obsessed with Fans, we embrace a Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit, and we approach every challenge with a Determined and Relentless Mindset. If you’re ready to contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that thrives on collaboration and growth, we want you to be part of our team.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Technical Designer leads all aspects pertaining to adherence to construction, quality, fit, measuring, grading, and decoration placement. The Technical Designer will be the liaison between the US office, and PCC to implement and ensure adherence to brand product global technical standards in development to production-ready status.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

Concept Development & SMS

• Support the Calendar adherence by prioritizing the flow of technical product details to meet Calendar timelines & guiding cross functional decision making (Design, Art, Merch, Sourcing, Material Team, Product Integrity & PCC)
• Complete Tech Pack, ensuring it meets global product standard and post them to designated database.
• Communication with the PCC for any technical discrepancies and ensure the tech packs are updated. 
• Partner with design, attending presentations and meetings, providing feedback on technical feasibility, brainstorming ideas, and solutions to ensure the design vision is translated into product meeting size, fit & product standards, inclusive of segmentation strategy.  
• Responsible for conducting the fit meetings for development protos within the category, inclusive of construction, fit, and decoration placement in alignment with the Tech pack.
• Support SMS Buy Ready with cross functional business direct partners to meet on time performance for go to market & production buy ready activities.
• Inform any style re-development with PCC at the substitute factory & ensure the product meets all product requirements to standard.
• Ensure measurements and garment construction are accurate, complete, and Buy Ready in accordance with the seasonal calendar timelines. Recommended solutions if needed maintaining deadlines and commercially acceptable product decisions.
• Comply to standard guidelines in reference to the Block Pattern process, in partnership with Global Standards Manager. 
• Maintain seasonal body and style metrics within the assigned database.
• Providing technical support as it relates to quality control standards and specifications.
• Collaborating with PD to meet production buy ready on time after SMS. 
• Ensure the final tech pack and approved samples are available to the Product Integrity team in preparation for pre-production and production protocols.

Production Ready

• Ensure all data points (Tracker, PLM, Box) are available & updated for PCC to commercialize across all available leagues/ teams. 
• Providing alternate options to the cross-functional team when issue is escalated as a risk to buy-ready, per season.

Daily Activities

• Monitor work in progress (WIP), maintain tracking and all TD-related record keeping, data input, and in/out parcel coordination.
• Facilitate timely communication with internal and external parties between US offices & PCC.
• Support weekly metrics & analysis to support TD KPI’s. 
• Partner with Sr. TD to identify opportunities within the process to increase speed, efficiency & quality. 
• Input report card metrics for on-time sample performance, quality & communicate with PCC on suggested action plans.
• Coach & mentor Associate TD & PD team by attending fittings & providing feedback. 
• Contribute to SOP documentation, distribution, and training relevant to necessary process updates for internal & external partners.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

• Bachelor’s degree in Technical Design, Product Development, Fit Engineer, Pattern Making, or related field.
• 5+ current years of experience in the Sportswear or fashion industry with a strong knowledge of garment construction.
• A team player with a good attitude, strong communication and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working for a US global company with international offices working with factories throughout the region.
• Must have technical knowledge of patterns with a strong understanding of grading, measuring, fabric construction, and color.
• Must be able to identify fit issues within product categories and know how to correct them.
• Must be deadline-driven and have a proactive and creative approach to problem-solving.
• Ability to juggle multiple deadlines and tasks in a fast-paced environment. Strong sense of urgency and intuitive sense of priorities & accuracy.
• Proficient in PLM, Adobe Illustrator, Pattern software and MS Office applications.
• 3D development experience is preferred. 
• Willing and able to travel, often to foreign and/or remote locations.