Private Label Product Technologist [ FMCG ] - Clicks Group Holdings Limited - Cape Town, South Africa
(2019-07)
New Clicks SA Private Label Technical & NPD Department – Baby & Accessories Category. One of the Private Label Product Technologists responsible for developing and sourcing the first eco-friendly product range aptly named MyEarth by the Clicks Private Label Technical and NPD team.
- Drive an AQL of 2.5% on all Baby fashion, core & softs apparel by conforming to Quality protocols (SABS legislation, SOP's and Quality Standards) to achieve quality maintenance within NPD and alongside the relevant international suppliers.
- Responsible for assessing and signing-off on all S4 and Factory Quality Inspection Reports prior to shipment cargo or vessels being released and furthermore inspecting bulk shipment at the Clicks DC.
- Adhere to CTSO guidelines with the supplier base, amend and lead regulatory change within NPD to ensure communication on quality and safety compliance to legislative requirements in the business.
- Manage the NPD yearly plans focuses and drive quality compliance across Private Label developments to protect brand reputation and financial impact on the business.
- Communicate with stakeholders on category accounts, manage lead times or critical project path objectives to ensure launches and deliverables are met timeously and are financially feasible.
- Manage supply chain queries and investigations alongside NPD and Category Buyers on all accounts to better drive consumer focused initiative and optimized product goods.
- Collating Private Label Baby & Accessories supplier sourcing relevancy documentation (product specifications, formulations, quality quantifications, testing documents and packaging artwork formats) for Private Label Category core product range developments from supply chain base map.
- Support NPD and Category on the various sourcing and bench-marking to warrant off that products comply with regulations and global industry testing prior to launching product range developments.
- Prescribe suitable packaging claims (unique selling propositions, labelling laws and product quality statements) so to ensure correct substantiation is achieved and applied on packaging format developments and generated by Graphic dept. for print-proof verification and print rollout.
- Maintain the Truth Seal Process (RAG) on all Private Label developments ensuring quality and safety compliance by adhering to legislation and approval process of all new line listings (stock known units) and alongside all dossier (database) and Tracker focus amendments daily.
- Address customer complaint queries, red alerts, public product recalls and product withdrawals with corrective action plans or resolutions and review and consolidate to communicate TQM results to relevant stakeholders.
Apparel Designer [ Technical lifestyle apparel / Athleisure fashion ] - Cape Union Mart Group - Cape Town, South Africa
(2016-11 - 2018-12)
K-WAY, The Outdoor Merchandise Division. Represented K-WAY brand and Cape Union Mart Group abroad by completing an academic exchange at Minjiang University in China during September and October of 2017, a coalition between the DTIC – Republic of South Africa and MOFCOM – People's Republic of China.
- Designing men, women and kids signature Outdoor lifestyle and Sports lux apparel for the Outdoor market and customer.
- Extrapolate international trend forecast and colour research from WGSN that is specific and suitable to the brands identity.
- Deliver product designs, textile print requisition summaries and branding solutions for seasonal review aligned with the core brand principles.
- Source new fabrication and trims from local and international suppliers.
- Working closely alongside Snr. Merchandise Designer, Outdoor Buying development team, QA personnel and as well as the local K-WAY factory.
Remote Fashion Designer [ Scandinavian slow fashion ] - RHUMAA, The Netherlands - Cape Town, South Africa and Amsterdam, The Netherlands
(2015-06 - 2016-10)
Design & Product Management Team-up (Contractor). Featured annually on Vogue Online Shopping Night (VOSN) as a trend-led start-up and ethical brand to showcase and trade briefly online in the modern sustainable and ethical fashion category. Premiered at Bokeh International Fashion Film Festival, SA Fashion Week and other Dutch fashion and trade events in Europe.
- Define and contain a constant signature of the brands identity and range principles.
- Extrapolate international trend forecast and colour research from Premiere Vision & WGSN that is specific to high-end Scandinavian fashion.
- Source and curate artwork pieces of local African painters to translate into seasonal textile print summaries for each key collection concept.
- Deliver product designs and technical briefs and ensure they are signed-off by the Product Design Manager and Production Coordinator.
- Execute pattern making and prototype sampling to brief international fair-trade supplier base map in Europe.
Garment Technologist [ Sportswear apparel ] - PUMA GROUP (World Cat Puma Distributors) - Cape Town, South Africa
(2010-01 - 2014-12)
Global Pattern Department.
- Lead and support product quality by providing technical expertise to Merchandisers, Designers and Suppliers across departmental projects and development processes (product briefings, development guidance, garment-fit protocol sessions and shipment inspections) on all group accounts.
