Role Purpose

The Product Development Manager is pivotal in transforming innovative product concepts into high­ performance, market-ready products that align with the brand’s vision to deliver technical apparel that elevates movement, through science led design, athlete validation and purposeful execution. You will oversee the Garment Technician team, leading the full development lifecycle – from concept to commercialisation – for your category, as well as other categories, ensuring that each product meets functional, aesthetic, cost and ex-factory timeline objectives as well as support VP of Product & Merchandise with special projects (eg. Custom) and process improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Fit Management

• Proactively lead product development timelines and critical path milestones to ensure that development schedules are met without compromising on quality or fit standards.
• Work closely with the Design team from the initial product brief through to final sign-off, contributing technical expertise across all stages of development.
• Develop and maintain accurate and comprehensive tech packs for each style, including fully graded size specifications, construction details, measurement charts, BO Ms (Bill of Materials), and
• Apply a strong understanding of garment construction, patternmaking, and grading techniques to translate design intent into technically sound, production-ready
• Manage fit model selection and facilitate fit sessions using physical prototypes or virtual 30 samples to assess proportions, mobility, and design alignment, providing expert guidance on necessary

• Collaborate with athletes and wear testers to conduct structured performance testing, capturing and analyzing feedback on fit, durability, and Make iterative improvements to ensure the garment performs under real-world conditions.

• Maintain and utilize the block library to streamline development, ensure consistency across product categories, and support fit standardization across seasonal ranges.
• Maintain all Size Guides, Technical standards across all categories to be shared with internal

Cross-Functional Leadership & Vendor Communication

• Act as the primary technical liaison between internal development teams and external vendors, ensuring all critical path deadlines, specifications and revisions are clearly communicated and
• Collaborate with the VP of Product & Merchandise and Sourcing team to troubleshoot and resolve any technical or production-related issues, escalating concerns in a timely manner and contributing to

efficient problem-solving.

• Support Design and Supply Chain teams by ensuring all raw materials, trims, and finishes are technically viable, tested, and approved prior to garment finalization.
• Maintain detailed documentation and version control across all development stages, ensuring full traceability of changes and decisions throughout the product lifecycle.

Production Readiness, Quality & Performance

• Lead the technical handover process from product development to production teams, ensuring all assets-final tech packs, approved PPS (Pre-Production Samples), labeling information, and care instructions-are complete, accurate, and aligned with brand standards.
• Oversee the execution offinal fittings and quality sign-offs for production readiness, ensuring that the product is not only fit-for-purpose but also consistent across sizes and production runs.
• Partner with the Quality Control team to ensure all garments meet internal quality benchmarks and adhere to vendor compliance requirements before mass production begins.
• Conduct post-launch assessments to evaluate how the garment performs in-market, drawing insights from customer feedback, returns data, and athlete performance outcomes.
• Use findings to recommend improvements to future product development cycles, helping to drive continuous improvement and elevate the customer experience.

Lead Garment Technician Team & Process Development

• Mentor the Garment Technician team leveraging your experience to contribute to team knowledge
• Recommend and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce development lead times.
• Support VP of Product & Merchandise with special projects (eg. Custom, Capsule programs).

What You’ll Bring

• Minimum 7-70 years of experience in product development, ideally within performance apparel or equipment category.
• Bachelor’s degree in Product Development, Apparel/Fashion Design or related
• Proven track record of managing complex development processes and cross-functional
• Excellent organizational, communication and proJect management
• Strong knowledge on construction, pattern making, grading, technical fit and quality
• Experience working directly with overseas factories and managing vendor
• Proficiency in PLM systems, Adobe Illustrator, MS Office and 3D design and pattern making software experience beneficial.
• Understanding of biomechanics or performance testing is a
• A genuine interest in sport, culture, and brand building with

Why This Role Matters

By acting as the technical and operational bridge between design, product management, sourcing, and manufacturing, the Product Development Manager ensures that the brand delivers best-in-class sports performance products. Their work directly impacts product quality, speed-to-market, and the overall consumer experience.

Key Performance Indicators (KPls)

• On-time Development Milestone Delivery: engage Designers in development process to ensure timely delivery to hit go-to-market deadlines and avoid downstream delays.
• Cost Target Achievement: source open cost sheets for every seasonal garment and collaborate with Designers to adjust features, fabrics and trims to ensure profitability and margin integrity while balancing performance and quality.
• First-time Sample Approval Rate: high-quality, clear development reduces rounds, costs and lead

• Vendor Performance and Compliance: supporting Supply Team with vendor scorecards (eg. Quality, timeliness, communication) to provide visibility of vendor reliability which directly impacts development success and product quality.

• Product Performance and Quality Metrics: partner with Designers to lead fit sessions for creation of high functional product ensuring brand integrity and performance credibility in eyes of athletes and

consumers.

• PLM Accuracy and Data Integrity: clean, up-to-date data ensures effective downstream execution and decision-making.
• Team Leadership & Development: reflects effectiveness in coaching, team performance and succession planning.

Reports to: VP of Product & Merchandise

Direct Reports: 2 – Garment Technicians

KeyStakeholders:

VP of Product & Merchandising Designers

Garment Technicians Supply Chain & Sourcing Fabric Manager

Fit Models Vendors

Contract/Fulltime Hourly rate: $55-60/hour plus super