Technical Design ManagerAbout the job The Technical Design Manager owns fit, fit consistency, construction, and technical execution across all HATCH apparel categories, ensuring products meet our standards for design intent, quality, customer experience, and manufacturability.
This role is accountable for the fit outcome-not simply the fit process. The Technical Design Manager will establish and maintain fit, construction, and technical standards; identify and resolve systemic issues; and partner with internal teams and external suppliers to continuously improve product performance while maintaining design intent.
For baby and children's product, this role must also have a strong understanding of applicable product safety requirements and standards, ensuring safety considerations are incorporated into product development, construction, fit, and technical execution from development through production. The Technical Design Manager is expected to proactively identify potential fit, construction, quality, or safety risks and work cross-functionally to resolve them before they impact the customer.
What you'll doFit Strategy & Standards- Own fit consistency across categories, seasons, and factories.
- Develop, document, and maintain core blocks, measurement standards, grade rules, and construction standards.
- Conduct an annual fit and block calibration to ensure standards remain relevant and consistent.
- Benchmark fit and measurements against relevant industry, competitive, and aspirational brands to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Ensure vendors and factories understand and consistently execute HATCH fit and technical standards.
Customer-Led Fit Improvement- Use customer feedback, reviews, returns data, and product performance to identify recurring fit, construction, or quality issues.
- Conduct root-cause analysis and establish clear corrective actions with internal teams and suppliers.
- Measure results to ensure solutions improve product performance and the customer experience.
- Proactively identify systemic issues and drive solutions rather than addressing problems style by style.
Technical Execution- Own technical accuracy from development through production, including tech packs, specifications, measurements, grading, construction details, fit comments, and sample approvals.
- Troubleshoot fit, pattern, grading, construction, and production issues directly with factories and vendors.
- Identify solutions that improve fit, quality, cost, speed, and manufacturability without compromising design intent.
- Ensure technical information and approvals are accurate, complete, and delivered on time.
Cross-Functional & Supplier Partnership- Partner closely with Design, Product Development, Production, Sourcing, Merchandising, Customer Experience, and external suppliers.
- Serve as the technical authority on fit, construction, measurements, and grading.
- Communicate issues clearly, recommend solutions, and drive decisions to resolution.
- Leverage factory and vendor technical expertise where appropriate while maintaining ownership of HATCH standards and outcomes.
Leadership & Ways of Working- Manage and develop Assistant-level Technical Design support, delegating executional work appropriately while maintaining focus on business-critical priorities.
- Effectively manage multiple seasons and competing priorities based on customer and business impact.
- Anticipate risks and resolve issues before they impact timelines, quality, cost, or the customer.
- Bring a proactive, solutions-oriented approach and continually improve technical processes and ways of working.
What you'll bring- 10+ years of apparel technical design experience, including people management and team leadership.
- Associate degree or professional certification in Patternmaking, Apparel Manufacturing, Fashion Design, or a related field.
- Demonstrated expertise in fit, patternmaking, grading, specifications, garment construction, and manufacturing methods and processes.
- Experience developing and maintaining blocks, fit standards, and grading standards across multiple apparel categories.
- Strong understanding of fabric behavior and its impact on fit, construction, and product performance.
- Proven ability to execute design intent while ensuring adherence to fit, grading, quality, and product safety standards, particularly for baby and children's apparel.
- Experience partnering directly with overseas factories and vendors to drive technical execution and resolve issues.
- Strong analytical and root-cause problem-solving skills, with the ability to use customer feedback and product-performance data to drive improvements.
- Strong communication, organization, and prioritization skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and external partners.
Why You'll Love Working With Us- The Product-so good, you'll be using your employee discount more than you probably should.
- The People-ask anyone that works here...we have incredible people on our team.
- The Experience-you'll enjoy a rewarding career at a respected children's brand.
Let's Talk Perks!- Employee discount across our portfolio of brands: Janie and Jack and HATCH Studios.
- Paid holidays and Flexible Time Off (unlimited vacation)
- Generous Health Savings Account (HSA) employer contributions for individuals and families
- Flexible Spending Accounts and commuter benefits
- Life insurance
- Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance*
- Employee Assistance Program with resources like financial and legal assistance, childcare and elderly care, emotional work/life counseling, health, and wellness resources, travel assistance.
Actual starting pay for this role is determined by a wide array of factors including but not limited to qualifications, experience, relevant skills, education, and geographic location. Employees are offered a variety of benefits to empower them with the resources and flexibility they need to enjoy success on the job and to live a healthy life.
*Full-time employees are eligible for medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, health and dependent care FSA, life/ad&d insurance, short term and long-term disability, commuter benefits, pet benefits, tuition reimbursement, paid time off and 401(k) including matching. All employees are eligible for employee discounts and EAP Resources.
