Associate Designer

We’re looking for an outstanding **Associate Designer** to join our Design team of The North Face in our European Headquarter in Stabio - Switzerland.

The North Face is the premier exploration company in the world. We spark curiosity. We dare to disrupt. We create communities. And we lead with integrity. We are a community of explorers and are constantly looking for new ideas, places and people to connect with.

The North Face is a subsidiary of VF, the world’s largest apparel and footwear company.

**Let's talk about the role**

A day in the life of an **Associate Designer - Apparel (SMU/ Outlet)**at The North Face looks a little like this:

- You’ll work with and support the team on elevating design expression and creating best-in-industry apparel that can take people to the far corners of the world, in safety and comfort as well as into the streets. You will support the Apparel Design Team on the creation and execution of seasonal product design work.
- You will work on, and support the wider team on; new product designs, tech packing, coloring, material briefing and fitting, with a focus on SMU/Outlet product.
- Supporting designers across the team’s seasonal workload
- Working on new products, design through to final fit approval
- Create seasonal inspiration and research moodboards; fit, construction, design expression, silhouette, etc
- Use Adobe Illustrator to create flat sketches of product designs
- Use Abode Illustrator to create tech-packs of new styles to hand over to Technical Development team.
- Support in and attend fit sessions to comment on and approve fit of new products and ensure that quality, design intent and perfect fit are maintained through the prototyping process.
- Collaborate with the Materials team to brief, comment and approve new material developments, with support from designers on the team.
- Partner with Category Management team to understand product brief, costing requirements, and more.
- Support designers in fittings and meetings by taking notes and helping action follow up sketch updates etc.
- Support design team in helping prepare presentation decks.
- Support design team in Coloring up product and ensuring color BOM info is correct.
- To take on ad hoc projects or other responsibilities as appropriate.

**What do you need to succeed?**

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. To succeed in this role, you will have 1-2 years of experience and professional achievements and/or will have a degree in Fashion Design, Sportswear Design or Industrial Design.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

- A solid understanding of apparel design, creation and construction
- Active participant in the product you are designing for - wearing the product to know it inside out.
- Proficient working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Office
- Ability to hand sketch to a high quality
- Experience in creating tech packs.
- Some experience with developing performance materials, trims and color palettes preferred
- Proficient communication skills (English) with cross-functional teams and vendors.
- Positive and professional approach

**What's in it for you?**
- Be part of iconic lifestyle brands
- Join a multi brand and multi countries organization to drive you career forward
- International and challenging working culture
- On site gym offering health and well-being initiatives
- Discount 50% on all VF brands
- Subsidized canteen as well as break out areas offering complimentary hot drinks

**Free to Be, Inclusion & Diversity**

As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to foster a culture of belonging based on respect, connection, openness and authenticity. We are committed to building and maintaining a workplace that celebrates the diversity of our associates, allowing them to bring their authentic selves to work every day.

**Join the North Face Family**

The North Face is the premier exploration company in the world. Founded in the counterculture of Berkeley, CA in 1966 we have a long and storied legacy of enabling exploration, loving and protecting wild places, and creating iconic and technically advanced product.

We believe that exploration is a mindset - both on the mountain and off the mountain - and it infuses everything we do. As a community of explorers, we stay curious about new ideas, places and people.

Our values:
**Love wild places**

**Spark curiosity**

**Dare to disrupt**

**Create community**

**Lead with integrity**

The North Face was built on a love for the outdoors and the desire to enable all types of exploration, for all people, from their backyards to the Himalayas. Over the last 50 years we've lived by our “true north,” the belief that exploration has the power to change us, to challenge us and to help us see the world from new perspectives.

We pledge to empower exploration, protect the places where we live, pla