Technical Design Manager-Apparel

Zumiez

Lynnwood, Washington, United States

Lynnwood, Washington, United States

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Job Title: Technical Designer Manager Department: PBS (Private Label & Brand Services) Reports to: Director, Product Development Location: In-Office. Zumiez Home Office, Lynnwood, WA Effective Date: 03/20/2026 If a crooked grainline, twisted side seam, or unresolved drag line makes your eye twitch, we should probably talk. We're looking for a Technical Design Manager who believes the best product comes from strong technical thinking—and that the most meaningful leadership happens through teaching. This role is rooted in deep patternmaking expertise, a rigorous understanding of fit and construction, and a genuine desire to help others see, understand, and solve problems more clearly. This position is for someone who leads by developing people. You enjoy breaking down complex fit challenges, explaining the why behind pattern decisions, and helping others sharpen their eye and instincts. You don't just fix issues—you turn them into learning moments, building confidence and capability across the team. Balance, pitch, proportion, and construction aren't just tools you use; they're principles you actively teach. You'll set the standard for how technical problems are approached and resolved, modeling clear thinking, curiosity, and accountability. Through hands-on guidance, feedback, and shared problem-solving, you'll help elevate both individual skill sets and collective output—season over season. This role prioritizes learning as a driver of quality, consistency, and growth. You'll partner closely with Design, Product Development and Production; using education and clarity to align teams and move product forward. Zumiez has ambitious goals for Technical Design, and we're building a team where teaching, learning, and craft are inseparable. This is where you come in. Zumiez and Product and Brand Services (PBS) Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories, skateboards, and snowboards for young men and women who want to express their individuality through the fashion, music, art, and culture of action sports, streetwear, and other unique lifestyles. Headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington, Zumiez operates over 700 stores in North America, Europe, and Australia. We operate under Zumiez in North America, Blue Tomato in Europe, and Fast Times in Australia. The Zumiez Product & Brand Services team manages multiple owned and licensed brands across diverse product categories, including men's and women's apparel, accessories, and snow/skate hard goods. Position Summary The Technical Design Manager leads the technical design function for apparel, overseeing fit execution from development through bulk production while ensuring garments meet Zumiez's standards for quality, construction, and performance. This role also sets the standard for how fittings are prepared, conducted, and resolved across the team—ensuring that fit issues are identified quickly and corrected at the pattern level with clear technical direction. This role drives opportunity to leverage data and technical insight to improve consistency, refine standards, balance workload, and enhance the overall customer experience. A core component of the position is leadership in patternmaking and CLO3D development. The Technical Design Manager drives best practices in both digital and physical pattern development, ensuring accurate fit, efficient workflows, and strong alignment between design intent and manufacturing product. Leading a team of technical designers, this position is responsible for advancing their expertise through strong mentorship, hands-on leadership, and a culture of continuous learning. Success in this role requires both deep technical knowledge and the ability to develop others—guiding the team in refining their craft while consistently elevating the quality and fit of our product. Key Duties and Responsibilities
Technical Design Leadership: Lead the technical design function from development through bulk production, ensuring garments meet Zumiez standards for fit, construction, quality, and manufacturability.
Strategic Partnership: Serve as a member of the Product and Brand Services leadership team, collaborating with department leaders to support strategic initiatives and align technical design practices with broader business goals.
Team Leadership & Development: Manage, coach, and mentor technical designers, supporting onboarding, career development, and continuous skill advancement. Foster a culture of learning and craft excellence across the team. Participation in company events as requiredin a student or teacher role capacity.
Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner closely with Design, Product Development, Production,Compliance and Sourcing teams to ensure alignment on fit, construction, costing, timelines, and product quality throughout the development process. Patternmaking & Digital Development: Drive best practices in digital patternmaking and CLO3D development. Guide the team in leveraging 3D tools to improve fit accuracy, streamline development timelines, and strengthen collaboration across product teams.
Fit Leadership: Establish and maintain best practices for fit sessions across categories, ensuring issues are diagnosed efficiently and corrected at the pattern level while preserving design intent.
Technical Problem Solving: Provide expert guidance on complex fit, pattern making, and construction challenges, supporting the team in developing practical, manufacturable solutions.
Process Improvement: Drive initiatives that improve development workflows, technical tools, and operational processes to increase efficiency, consistency, and product quality.
Technical Standards & Documentation: Oversee the creation and maintenance of technical standards, SOPs, and documentation to ensure consistent execution across teams and vendor partners.
Quality & Compliance Oversight: Evaluate garments throughout development to ensure adherence to fit standards, construction requirements, quality expectations, and regulatory compliance. Experience, Skills and Education Leadership & Communication Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams and global vendor partners. • Proven ability to mentor, coach, and develop technical design talent, fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement. • Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced product development environment. • Analytical and solution-oriented mindset, capable of diagnosing fit and construction challenges and guiding teams toward practical solutions. Technical Skills Demonstrated proficiency in CLO3D, Adobe Illustrator, and Microsoft Office. Strong expertise in fit evaluation on live models and dress forms, pattern development, grading, garment construction, and fabric behavior across multiple apparel categories.Ability to develop, modify, and troubleshoot patterns using both flat pattern techniques and digital patternmaking tools. Deep understanding of how pattern balance, construction, and material behavior impact garment fit and performance. Experience
Minimum of 10 years of technical design experience, with deep expertise across multiple categories such as men's and women's knits, wovens, denim, sweaters, swim, outerwear, and technical jackets. Minimum of 3 years proven experience managing and developing a team of technical designers, with direct oversight of multiple reports and a strong track record of developing talent and driving team performance within a mid-sized team environment. • Demonstrated expertise leading fit sessions and resolving complex fit and construction challenges in a production environment. • Strong background in patternmaking and garment construction, with the ability to translate design intent into manufacturable product, across all apparel product categories and gender. • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Patternmaking, Fashion Design, Product Development, or a related field with coursework in textiles, patternmaking, and apparel construction. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required touse hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to fifteen pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to thirty pounds. Standing at a workstation/measuring table to review garments. Lifting or moving ofgarments or materials up to 20 pounds. Work is performed in an office environment with a moderate noise level. This is an in-office position, Hybrid or Remote is not available. Office is located in our Lynnwood, WA location. Benefits: Salary Range: $110k-$130k annually Bonus Eligible Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance following an initial wait period 401(k) plan after meeting eligibility requirements Basic life insurance and supplemental voluntary life insurance Disability insurance Paid Parental Leave Paid Sick Leave, following an initial wait period Paid Vacation, following an initial wait period Employee Assistance Program Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Employee Discount on Zumiez product Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) after meeting eligibility requirements

Lynnwood, Washington, United States

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English

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