Embroidery Digitiser

Headwear24, Africa's largest headwear manufacturer is looking for a young, energetic and ambitious individual to join their team at their head office in Newlands West.

JOB SUMMARY
Producing high quality custom embroidery graphics to be used to decorate a wide variety of headwear. Creating high quality designs that are sensitive to aesthetics, while maintaining production and efficiency goals.

**DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES**:
Digitising
- Reads and interprets orders, following directions indicated on the order.
- Produce custom designs as specified on orders linked to defined product, decoration process and graphic concepts.
- Adheres to brand standards, licensing guidelines, garment specifications and manufacturing requirements, creating headwear decorations that will meet the customer’s requirements.
- Checks and confirms spelling on all artwork.
- Troubleshoots files and resolves digitizing art issues.
- Liaises with Sales Coordinators to refine and edit digitized files as needed.
- Manages orders and workflow to effectively meet all deadlines and delivery dates.
- Saves digitized files to appropriate network location and sends samples to the sample machine without delay.
- “First off” samples produced and edited (where necessary) before seal sample is created.
- Checks that the PPO stitch count and artwork stitch count matches after digitizing.
- Assists with auditing and editing digitized files from various sources as needed.
- Creates designs with correct underlay and densities for the required headwear.
- Uses knowledge of how fabric reacts to compensate for push & pull of different fabrics as necessary.

Quoting and other Responsibilities
- Receive quote requests from local production and respond with quotation
- In absence of Head of Embroidery, oversee the operation of the department, duties of line supervisors and staff.
- Conduct random checks on quality of product coming off the production line.
- Randomly check score sheets and investigate reasons for low scores where appropriate.
- Minimum of 5 - 10 years’ experience as a digitiser
- National Certificate or Diploma in Commercial Art, Graphic Design, Visual Communications or proven related experience.
- Extensive knowledge of digitizing software
- Well-developed knowledge and skills in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Acrobat
- Working knowledge and understanding of typography
- Working knowledge and understanding of Excel and Microsoft Outlook
- Ability to manage and develop multiple orders at any one time
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to drive and motivate performance through effective team work and interaction with departments
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong listening, presentation and decision-making skills
- Self-starter - ability to work unsupervised, manage own time and activities
- Solid organizational skills