Manager, Tops (Knits, Yarns, Woven Tops)

Groupe Dynamite Inc. (GDI) is a Montréal-based, public company of integrated omni-channel brands, designing and distributing accessible, trend-forward fashion for women since 1975. Our mission of "Empowering YOU to be YOU, one outfit at a time" is brought to life through the GARAGE and DYNAMITE banners and represents the consumer-centric core of GDI's long-standing success as a leading retailer in North America. Today, GDI operates nearly 300 stores across Canada and the United States, as well as shoppable brand experiences at Garageclothing.com and Dynamiteclothing.com.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Design, DYNAMITE, the Manager, Design will ensure optimal design development for specific categories, always keeping up to date with new trends and market developments to best meet the needs of our customers. Every style you develop must reflect the brand DNA - colours, fits, fabrics, patterns, innovation, and quality must surpass customer expectations to guarantee a constant evolution of the collections. You will be involved in our ongoing transformation from a traditional brick & mortar retailer to an omni-channel leader and tech-first fashion disruptor.

Main Responsibilities

• Design, own, and specialize in specified categories from fabric to sketch to production;
• Drive innovation in design and fabric;
• Ensure that the direction and trends presented by the Concept team are followed in order to remain aligned, from the presentation of trends to the final assortment;
• Collaborate with other Category Designers to establish consistency in fabrics, prints, and colours for cohesive collections;
• Analyze trends seen in fashion shows, shown on social media platforms, and competing brands, to ensure the brand stays connected to market trends and caters to the customer’s needs;
• Ensure a balanced assortment of frequently renewed base products and leading trends to support the image of the brand as being a fashion destination;
• Follow style counts provided by the Merchandising team in order to ensure a strategic amount of development to accurately target needs;
• Closely follow the development schedules/calendars of your categories to ensure developments arrive on time for meetings and are able to meet deliveries;
• Collaborate and foster partnerships cross-functionally to optimize product development;
• Create/foster relationships with the Merchandising and Sourcing teams, Fit Technicians and Fabric Specialists to develop cutting-edge collections that increase sales volume and build customer loyalty;
• Continuously research trends to create chase styles in order to evolve the business with the latest trends;
• Provide leadership and coaching to the Design team. Ensure there is a balance maintained between development, follow-ups, and creativity;
• Lead AI-Integrated Design Workflows: Integrate AI-powered design, prototyping, and media generation tools into product development lifecycle to accelerate ideation, production, and testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design;
• At least 8-10 years of experience in design;
• Leadership and coaching abilities;
• Detail oriented;
• Excellent knowledge of Adobe suites;
• Excellent colour sense;
• Bilingualism (French and English) is required for daily communication with suppliers, employees, and stakeholders, both within and outside of Quebec;
• Strong sense of fashion trends and knowledge of the fashion industry.

At GDI, you will be part of a growing organization that understands the importance of investing in people and offers you:

• A comprehensive compensation package that includes performance-driven bonuses;
• A group retirement savings program with employer matching;
• Flexible group insurance with personalized coverage that meets your needs;
• An employee discount at Garage and Dynamite;
• Exclusive private sample sales;
• A flexible vacation policy;
• And more!

GDI has been repeatedly voted one of Montréal's Top Employers and one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People. Our promise... No day will be like the last - we aim to be better today than we were yesterday. We are committed to employment equity. Candidates that are retained will be called for an interview.