Technical Apparel Designer

About Unrivaled Teamwear

Unrivaled Teamwear serves as the parent company of Champion Teamwear, Gear for Sports, and Knights Apparel, each an industry leader in the sports and team apparel space.

Our family of brands know what goes into great decorated garments, using top-quality fabrics and offering creative decoration options. Each brand offers customers a premier selection and exceptional service for all their sportswear needs, from t-shirts and caps to fleece, performance wear, and outerwear.

Job Overview

As a Technical Designer, you will use your advanced technical design skills to interpret creative concept into viable development specs for each prototype in either 3D or 2D path with defined images, block reference, grade rules, construction, and measurement detail to generate accurate cost and sample prototypes that can be mass produced. You will work with design leadership and partner teams to ensure construction feasibility to meet price points and merchandising needs in accordance with the Timing & Action Calendar deadlines. You will have proven your ability to evaluate and provide feedback to achieve the ideal technical fit for the brand, gender and product categories assigned to obtain this position. You will conduct competitive product analysis by gathering and compiling competitor information and present your findings as well as be responsible to follow up on outcomes to this analysis. You will need to be able to liaison with key partner teams. This opportunity involves maintaining deep understanding of current fit and construction trends through travel, research & interaction with sales reps, their customers and the end users. Ability to accurately see color and provide comments for improvement is a key component of this role. In addition, participation in activities that will increase understanding and working knowledge of market is obligatory.

• Daily work is unsupervised
• Multiple categories are managed. Ie: unisex men's, women's, youth, infant, etc... works across Brands / Divisions and with multiple partner teams
• Will travel as needed & can suggest why travel is warranted
• Problem solving is a constant part of job responsibility. Excellent communication, tracking and recall are vital.
• Carries a full workload as well as extra as needed. Has full understanding of business needs and product cycle.
• Demonstrates a commitment to continually refining the team & processes
• Will help train and mentor individuals as needed

Job Responsibilities

• Owns fit development and leads fit sessions

- Work w/ Creative Design & Brand Teams to define fit / shop for & analyze competitor fits & present findings

- Provide construction options to enhance aesthetics &/or reduce costs/enable efficient production

- Develop both a physical & electronic block system - research fit models / forms / avatars

- Work with Country Managers to receive fits & to work out fit problems

- Document technical adjustments made to improve the garment

- Produce easily understood comparisons of our Fit to be used by Brand & Sales

• Proven ability to apply technical design skills in 3D execution, flat sketching, flat patterning, and garment construction
• Proven ability to generate tech pack in PDM system
• Solid ability to understand importance of blocks and to appropriately adjust specs and shape based on fabrication
• Demonstrated acumen and considered an internal expert for assigned product and to create accurate prototypes within accordance of the Timing & Action Calendar
• Able to facilitate color development by reviewing (in Spectrophotometer &/or Lightbox), commenting, logging and filing lab dip / bulk color / shade-bands / strike-offs / knit-downs / trims. Develop tracking tools as needed
• Responsible to collaboratively brainstorm & execute ideas for Trend Presentation, Customer Visits, Fashion Show, Sales Meeting, Special Projects, etc.…
• Ability to understand needs of Partner Teams and react accordingly. Able to identify, elevate & provide solution options to challenges.
• Ability to identify & resolve opportunities within the organization for improvement. Able to take on extra workload to ease burden of entire team.
• Domestic travel for retail fit trends, maintain awareness of competitive landscape, see product in use at market and attend seminars as needed. Responsible to present findings to the team. International travel on an as needed basis.
• Travel and research to maintain awareness of how technology effects the market and ability to execute job. Technology is looked at both in terms of product innovation (like garment construction) as well as software & tools to facilitate workload (as in patterning software or video conferencing).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree &/or 2 year Associates degree plus experience in Apparel Design & Product Development or similar field
• Must be able to see color exceptionally well. Will need to take color test on-site as well as participate in color review as part of interview process
• Experience approving and commenting on lab dips, production bulk headends, strike-offs, knit-downs, and trim strongly preferred.
• Ability to interpret creative design concepts into prototypes across brands and genders
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe Illustrator and Creative Suite programs
• Tech Packs (PDM/PLM) knowledge/working experience required
• 3D experience preferred (Browzwear a plus)
• Familiarity using AI

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the associate. Other duties will be assigned as needed.

EOE/AA: Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing as well as participate in E-Verify.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $58,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Lenexa, KS 66219 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Lenexa, KS 66219

Salary : $58,000 - $60,000