Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:
We’ll never launch a product unless we consider it perfect. Our product development teams create every shirt, every shoe and every piece of equipment for thousands of athletes and fashion lovers as if it was one of a kind. And it truly is, as they weave their passion into every single product. But translating designs, drawings and renderings into real products requires a lot of decision making.
As Manager Pattern Apparel, you will drive the 2D and 3D pattern creation process for innovative and complex products in strong partnership with marketing, design, product development and suppliers. You will support the business unit’s strategy and global framework by driving processes, standards and methodologies in collaboration with the cross-functional team to achieve the goals and a consistent brand identity through quality, fit, speed and value for the business units’ products. You will implement company’s strategic business and systems direction into digital through product creation and technical infrastructure for apparel. You will train and advise product development teams and Tier 1 suppliers on the 2D and 3D pattern creation process.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and drive the basic pattern process and selection to understand future business needs and determine future basic pattern requirements.
- Support the global basic pattern process with special focus on fit consistency.
- Evaluate, create, and implement standard grading rules to ensure consistency in fit and contributes actively in terms of fit/general pattern guidelines.
- Develop new basic and/or new model patterns, drive the pattern creation 2D and 3D with cross-functional partners based on market requirements; maintain the information in the product creation system and ensure that new patterns are wear tested as needed.
- In collaboration with all global pattern teams consolidate basic patterns across all business units, ensure aligned needs of all creation centers and be a contact for all basic pattern related topics for assigned category.
- Drive new solutions to reach creative pattern goals, by using new methods and systems and/or new constructions
- Understand and consider relationship between pattern/material properties & usage/yields during pattern creation to ensure best fit and best margin.
- Support digital pattern projects, including tool development and smart solutions to enable the future of digital creation.
- Manage to develop and implement processes and frameworks.
- Advise and train marketing, design and product developement on pattern and fit updates and problem-solving.
- Monitor performance, train and advise on pattern creation and grading for area of responsibility.
- Develop training plans and manuals for the global pattern and product development teams in collaboration with the horizontal pattern team (i.e., how to measure manual).
- Mentor junior team members in 2D and 3D pattern making and fit.
- Create virtual prototypes to increase speed and efficiency of the product creation process.
- Manage the testing of new patterns and garment constructions in cooperation with the sample studio and testing team if applicable.
Key Relationships:
- Creation Center – Marketing, Design, Product Development, Materials Development
- Liaison Office/Operations Center – Merchandiser, Tech Service
- Tier 1 supplier – Merchandising and Patternmaking
- Fit & Wear Testing department, innovation teams
- External CAD and Fit partners
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Advanced knowledge in pattern creation and grading with the ability to provide effective, and cost-efficient pattern solutions and an understanding of apparel construction, material construction and properties related to fit
- Ability to interpret and evaluate designs on model level regarding pattern execution/engineering and related testing
- Advanced knowledge of garment construction, manufacturing and production
- Strong team player/communicator with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects under multiple deadlines
- Ability to work independently under minimal guidance on several projects simultaneously whilst adhering to a specified deadline
- Ability to effectively present information and trainings in one-on-one and large group situations to vendors, designers, and other employees of the organization
- Ability to work with diverse groups, motivate or mentor others and a proven skill at problem solving and innovation
- Effective written and verbal communication skills in English
- Functional project management experience
- Advanced skills in Gerber or si