Freelance Development Jobs in Alberta (NOW HIRING)

What You'll Do:
As an Apparel Senior Graphic Designer & Colourist at CTC, you will be a key partner within the design organization, driving business objectives forward and shaping the creative vision for our diverse apparel collections across Mark's, Sport Chek, Sport Experts, and Canadian Tire Retail (CTR). Success in this role means embracing our four True North mindsets—Growth, Performance, AI First, and Customer—as the foundation for how we think, behave, and collaborate. These mindsets shape how we lead, innovate, and execute, ensuring every decision and interaction is guided by a commitment to continuous learning, delivering results, leveraging technology, and putting the customer at the center of everything we do.
Your agility, creativity, and focus will be instrumental in seasonal success. You will demonstrate strategic thinking, proactive problem-solving, and a commitment to excellence, making a significant positive impact on team efficiency, creative output, and business results. You will foster a growth mindset, invest in continuous learning, and encourage others to capitalize on opportunities and lessons learned. Inclusive behavior, authentic collaboration, and a genuine approach to teamwork are essential.
Strategic Graphic & Color Management
Establish and maintain standards for tracking graphics and color usage across all banners, ensuring consistency and quality.
Prepare post-mortem analyses for previous Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons to evaluate adoption rates of prints/graphics and inform future creative development.
Analyze sales history and brand/category overdevelopment to make strategic plans for working with external contractors and improving efficiency.
Lead the development and execution of custom graphics projects, balancing creativity with cost-effectiveness.
Identify and implement opportunities to repurpose graphics/prints as carryover/archive, supporting time and cost savings targets.
Build and manage graphic/print stage gates within the master calendar process to maximize development time and improve quality.
Oversee PLM product ownership for graphics and color, ensuring accurate documentation and process adherence.
Collaborate on Coupa requirements, problem-solving as new challenges arise.
Seasonal Strategy & Execution
Research emerging trends in graphics, color, textiles, and techniques, incorporating AI and digital tools to inspire innovative designs.
Integrate CLO3D into the design and development workflow, using it as a visual aid for scale and placement to improve print/graphic scale and accuracy in renderings.
Maintain detailed design records and specifications for each garment.
Present concepts and finished designs to creative directors, merchant teams, clients, or buyers for feedback and approval.
Adjust designs based on feedback, ensuring all garments meet brand standards and market needs.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
Evaluate the performance of freelance graphic designers, tailoring individual responsibilities to reduce internal re-work, optimize team efficiency, and effectively manage the graphic development budget.
Review approvals of strike offs and lab dips to ensure alignment with intended color direction and that the overall color palette and story are consistently achieved for each brand.
Ensure adherence to sustainability principles and contribute to ongoing improvements toward more sustainable practices.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and growth-oriented environment, encouraging others to try new things and supporting their development.
Business Objectives & Milestone Tracking
Focus on utilization rate for net new artwork development.
Achieve a rework percentage for seasonal artwork as carryover/archive to strengthen OPEX with time and cost savings.
Meet all design milestones, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery of graphics and prints.
Conduct regular check-ins with PD, managers, and design team; attend seasonal buying intention meetings.
Integrate CLO3D into the development of print/graphic renderings and color pallets for upcoming seasons.
What You Bring:
Post-secondary education in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, or a related field.
Proven experience in a senior graphic design or colorist role within the fashion or design industry; previous experience in apparel development is an asset.
Strong artistic ability and proficiency in graphic design, illustration, and design software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Clo3D, NedGraphics).
Demonstrated expertise in color theory, print development, and graphic workflow optimization.
Knowledge and experience in PLM systems is an asset.
Deep understanding of market trends, materials, colors, technologies, and sustainability practices.
Excellent communication, time management, leadership, and teamwork skills.
Attention to detail and a keen eye for color, texture, and style.
Ability to manage multiple projects, lead teams, and work to deadlines.
Strong portfolio showcasing expertise in graphic design, color management, and fashion design across various categories.
Must be willing and able to occasionally travel for visits to factories, market shops, attend trade shows, and industry events.
We're always looking for great talent! In addition to competitive pay, we offer:
Comprehensive benefits and retirement programs
Performance incentives, Continuing Education Programs
Other perks to support your well-being
Career growth opportunities and product discounts
Broadband Salary Range: $79,000– $131,000 CADOur typical hiring range is between $79,000 and $105,000 CAD. Salary decisions are also dependent on other factors such as your experience, industry benchmarks, internal equity and other role-specific requirements. For critical roles, the compensation offering will be reviewed to ensure alignment with market rate and conditions and the unique value you bring to the role.
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This posting represents an existing vacancy within our organization.
We may use artificial intelligence tools as part of our recruitment process to assist in the initial screening of resumes. All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters.
About Us
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (“CTC”) is one of Canada's most admired and trusted companies. With more than 90 Owned Brands, over 1,600 retail locations, financial services, exemplary e-commerce capabilities, and exciting market-leading merchandising strategies. We dream big and work as one to innovate with purpose for our customers at every level of our business, investing in new technologies and products, and doubling down on top talent to drive the company forward. We offer competitive salaries and wages to CTC employees, as well as store discounts, supported learning through our Triangle Learning Academy, Canadian Tire Profit Sharing, and retirement and savings programs for eligible employees. As part of our enhanced flex benefits program, we offer mental health benefits in the amount of $5,000 per year for benefits-eligible employees and their families, including total well-being, and mental health tools and resources for all employees. Join us in helping to make life in Canada better through living and working our Core Values: we are innovators and entrepreneurs at our core, outcomes drive us, inclusion is a must, we are stronger together and we take personal responsibility. It is an especially exciting time to join CTC and its family of companies where career opportunities are wide-ranging! Join us, where there's a place for you here.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better.
Accommodations
We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.