Director of Technical Design

Faherty Brand•New York, NY

1d•$150,000 - $160,000

About The Position

The Director of Technical Design will lead and scale the technical design function for a fast-growing apparel brand, combining executive leadership, systems optimization, and hands-on technical expertise. Reporting to product leadership, the role manages a team of 4–6 technical designers while retaining direct ownership of designated product categories and leading live-model fit sessions. The Director will strengthen team capabilities, forecast workload and staffing needs, establish consistent fit and construction standards, and maintain technical responsibility for assigned products from concept through production. The role also evaluates PLM systems and technical tools, improves workflows, develops standards and documentation, and partners with factory, sourcing, production, design, merchandising, and customer-facing teams to support quality, fit, commercialization, and timely product development.

Requirements

12+ years of progressive technical design and patternmaking experience in the apparel industry.
At least 3–5 years in a direct team management or departmental leadership role.
Demonstrated ability to manage direct reports while owning product categories and conducting live fittings.
Deep knowledge of PLM systems, such as Centric, FlexPLM, or Bamboo Rose.
Experience with CAD patternmaking software, such as Gerber or Lectra.
Experience with 3D fashion design and fitting tools, such as Browzwear or Clo3D.
Demonstrated experience mapping workflows, identifying process bottlenecks, and upgrading technical infrastructure in growing brand environments.
Advanced expertise in patternmaking, grading, garment construction, textile performance, and factory execution across multiple apparel categories.
Bachelor’s degree in Technical Design, Fashion Design, Patternmaking, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience transitioning or upgrading legacy PLM or software platforms.
Experience managing technical communications with domestic and overseas factories.
Experience with circular fashion, sustainable materials, and low-impact garment construction techniques.

Responsibilities

Lead, direct, and mentor a team of 4–6 technical designers; establish career growth paths, performance metrics, and accountability frameworks.
Analyze departmental workload and resource allocation against seasonal SKU counts, and plan headcount and freelance support as the business grows.
Establish and enforce global fit, grading, and construction standards across product categories.
Own the end-to-end technical development of designated core product categories, from initial design concept through commercialization and production.
Lead live-model fit sessions for assigned categories and provide real-time pattern, construction, and balance corrections.
Partner with Design, Merchandising, and Production to resolve complex construction and technical fitting challenges.
Evaluate PLM systems, digital tracking tools, and technical workflows; recommend software upgrades when appropriate.
Research, pilot, and implement technical design tools such as 3D digital sampling, automated specification generation, and enhanced PLM modules.
Create, update, and maintain technical manuals, master specification blocks, construction guidelines, and digital libraries.
Build relationships with international and domestic factory technical counterparts and conduct vendor capability assessments.
Partner with Sourcing and Production to improve construction commercial viability, production efficiency, and yield while maintaining design integrity and quality.
Establish standardized onboarding protocols and technical execution packages for new factory partners.
Collaborate with Customer Service, Merchandising, and E-Commerce to analyze returns, reviews, and fit feedback, and apply insights to seasonal fittings.
Oversee the technical development pipeline and ensure the technical design team meets end-to-end calendar milestones.