Atelier Fellowship Programme Lead

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position:

Atelier Fellowship Programme Lead

Reports to:

Future Textiles Curriculum Manager

Salary:

£35,000 per annum (12-month contract with option to extend)

Location:

Dumfries House, Cumnock

The King’s Foundation

The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III and was first formed in 1990.
Inspired  by  the  vision  and  values  of  His  Majesty,  the  Foundation  focuses  on  creating  better
communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony.

The  charity  offers  education  courses  for  over  15,000  students  annually,  health  and  wellbeing
programmes  for  nearly  2,000  people  every  year,  and  spearheads  placemaking  and  regeneration
projects in the UK and overseas to revitalise communities and historic buildings.

The King’s Foundation is headquartered at its flagship regeneration project, Dumfries House in
Ayrshire, Scotland, and acts as custodian of other historic Royal sites including the Castle of Mey
in Caithness, Scotland, and Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire, which are open to visitors. The
Foundation also carries out its work at educational and cultural hubs in London, based at The
King’s Foundation School for Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River
Thames and the Garrison Chapel in Chelsea.

The  work  of  The  King’s  Foundation  is  underpinned  by  our  Founder  His  Majesty  The  King’s
philosophy of harmony: that by understanding the balance, the order and the relationships between
ourselves and the natural world we can create a more sustainable future. We have a diverse and
inclusive workplace, creating a welcoming, safe space for everyone. This means that every member
of our team can bring their whole self to work. We encourage qualified applicants from a wide
range of backgrounds to apply to and join The King’s Foundation and bring their valuable skills
and experiences.

The Foundation is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees,
including the provision of workplace  adjustments.  We  do not tolerate discrimination based on
protected characteristics (age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or
ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership) or other difference
such as socio-economic background or social origin.

About the Programme

This intensive programme is designed to develop the next generation of fashion makers, as they
create  a  capsule  collection,  combining  world-class  artisanal  expertise,  sustainable  design,  and  a
commitment to craftsmanship. Open to graduates in Fashion Design and Fashion Technology,
the eight-month residential fellowship will be based at the studio environment at Dumfries House.
Fellows  will  be  immersed  in  the  complete  creative  journey—designing,  handcrafting,  and
presenting their work—culminating in the creation of a capsule collection.  On completion of the

collections student will then work on a final portfolio look showcasing the skills developed in the
programme.

At  the  heart  of  this  new  programme  lies  a  dedication  to  the  sustainable  evolution  of  luxury.
Students  will  explore  the  creative  interface  between  skills,  materials,  making,  and  design,
developing expertise in areas including handcrafting, sewing, pattern drafting, and quality control.
The  fellowship  will  be  delivered  by  expert  artisans  and  tutors  at  The  King’s  Foundation,  with
mentorship  and  guidance  from  CHANEL  and  le19M,  the  Paris-based  hub  dedicated  to  the
preservation and transmission of the Métiers d’art.

This new programme follows the successful launch of the Metiers d’Art Embroidery Fellowship
in January 2023, which soon welcomes its fourth cohort, and the recent extension to the Métiers
d’Art  Millinery  Fellowship,  both  based  at  The  Chanel  Metiers  d’Art  Atelier  at  Highgrove  in
Gloucestershire.

The Role:

The  Lead  Tutor  will  lead  the  day-to-day  delivery  and  coordination  of  the  Atelier  Fellowship
Programme, ensuring that training replicates professional production standards. This role requires
an experienced technical educator or production specialist with proven expertise in luxury garment
making, quality control processes and production management.

The  successful  candidate  will  create  a  positive,  structured  learning  environment,  mentoring
participants  in  the  skills, discipline,  and  quality  expectations  required within  the  luxury  fashion
industry.

Key Tasks

Specific Duties will include:

Programme Delivery

•  Provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environment that allows student to build

skills and confidence to reach their potential.

•  Manage day-to-day pastoral care support for the students as their main point of contact.
•  Lead the delivery of practical and theoretical sessions in garment production for a small

collection.

•  Train  and supervise  students  in all  aspects  of  production  workflow  -  including  cutting,

•

machining, pressing, hand-finishing, and quality control.
Implement  and  oversee  a  production  line  training  environment,  allocating  tasks  and
monitoring accuracy and efficiency.

•  Promote professional workroom standards, time management, and teamwork reflective of

•

an industry setting.
Integrate CHANEL and Le 19M Métiers d ’Art expertise and The King’s Foundation’s
Harmony Principles throughout the teaching.

Programme Management

•  Develop  weekly  production  targets  and  ensure  they  are  achieved  to  time  and  quality

standards.

•  Maintain a safe, organised, and efficient workshop environment.
•  Record learner progress and provide clear, constructive feedback.
•  Collaborate with curriculum manager, programme partners, visiting tutors and artisans to

ensure programme alignment.

•  Contribute to evaluation, reporting, and documentation of outcomes.

Person Specification

The essential skills, knowledge and experience required are:

•  Significant experience working within a garment production setting or producing garments

in small production runs to a luxury standard.

•  Proven ability to manage or train others in a production line or team-based setting.
•  Strong technical knowledge of industrial machinery, sewing techniques, and quality control

processes.

•  Excellent communication, organisation, and leadership skills.
•  A  passion  for  nurturing  emerging  talent  and  upholding  the  highest  standards  of

craftsmanship.

•  Alignment with the values of The King’s Foundation, CHANEL and Le19M commitment

to craft excellence and sustainability.

Desirable

•  Degree level qualification of a related discipline.
•  Previous  experience  delivering  or  coordinating  accredited  training  or  skills-based

programmes.

•  Familiarity with luxury brand production standards, couture, bespoke tailoring.
•  Understanding of sustainability and ethical practices within fashion manufacturing.

Other:

•  The post will be based at Dumfries House, Cumnock, KA18 2NJ with the requirement

to travel on occasion within the UK and France.
•  Your working hours will be 37.5 hours per week
•  You must have the legal right to work in the UK.
•  This post is considered to be a regulated activity therefore any offer will be subject to a

satisfactory disclosure check with the Disclosure Scotland.

Applications: Please submit a Digital folio or examples of workmanship, cover letter and CV
(please note one A4 page maximum each for CV and letter) to Gordon Watson, email address: -
hr.recruitment@kings-foundation.org and request an application form.