The North Face: Product Developer, Apparel
About The Position
The Product Developer, Apparel works under the guidance of Product Development senior leadership to execute department initiatives and independently manage the end-to-end development of assigned styles of moderate to high complexity, with manager support as needed. The role ensures products meet design intent, quality, cost, and calendar requirements while working with global cross-functional teams and vendors. The Product Developer partners with Design to translate the intended aesthetic into 3D and physical prototype samples, and ensures garment construction and Bills of Materials meet quality and cost expectations. The role owns product specifications and maintains product records, style files, BOMs, and samples; provides construction guidance to cross-functional partners; leads reviews at each prototype stage; and fosters collaborative relationships across technical development and partner teams. The position supports commercialization from SMS through bulk production, including product and prototype reviews, teardown analysis, margin reviews, risk assessments, and commercialization readiness. It also supports costing validation and material-efficiency reviews, manages buy readiness and seasonal communications, monitors calendar adherence and development risks, and contributes to continuous improvement. Seasonal travel to overseas manufacturers is required to support product execution, vendor alignment, and production readiness.
Requirements
- At least 4 years of experience in Apparel Product Development.
- Degree in Product Development, Apparel Design, or a related field, and/or equivalent work experience.
- Familiarity with patternmaking and grading.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including fluency in English.
- Strong product acumen and knowledge of apparel product development processes, tools, and systems, including development, sourcing, and manufacturing.
- Excellent collaboration skills and ability to manage multiple timelines and deadlines.
- Working knowledge of Bills of Materials, specifications, and tech packs, with experience in PLM/PDM systems and 3D programs.
- Ability to work under pressure and navigate change with agility, adaptability, open-mindedness, and flexibility.
- Interest in innovation and passion for products.
- Growth mindset and enthusiasm for learning new tools and problem-solving.
- Passion for the work and for getting outside and living it.
Nice To Haves
- Fluency in a language other than English.
- Experience with Browzwear, Clo, or Optitex 3D programs.
Responsibilities
- Own, build, maintain, and approve accurate Bills of Materials for assigned styles, ensuring trims, components, colorways, placements, and construction details align with design intent, cost targets, and production handoff requirements.
- Partner with Design, Technical Design, Standards, Merchandising, Materials, Sourcing, QA, factories, and vendors to deliver products and resolve construction, fit, workmanship, and documentation needs.
- Support the Costing team with costing validation, consumption analysis, and material-efficiency reviews with vendors.
- Own buy readiness, resolve discrepancies, and manage seasonal product development communication with sourcing and vendors, with senior Product Development or Manager support as needed.
- Commercialize assigned styles from SMS to bulk production, including product reviews, prototype evaluations, teardown analysis, margin reviews, risk assessments, and commercialization readiness activities.
- Identify and assist in developing department guidelines and standards to promote operational excellence and consistency across teams.
- Train and work in 3D software to review and create virtual prototypes and/or use vendor-created 3D assets to shorten prototype approvals and iterations.
- Balance quality, cost, manufacturability, and speed while resolving development challenges independently.
- Monitor calendar adherence, track development changes, and proactively manage risks to support production readiness.
- Drive continuous improvement within assigned product categories.
- Travel seasonally to overseas manufacturers to support product execution, vendor alignment, and production readiness.
- Partner with Design to translate the overall aesthetic into 3D and physical prototype samples.
- Own product specifications and publish and maintain associated records, style files, Bills of Materials, and samples.
- Provide construction guidance to cross-functional teams and lead reviews of execution at each prototype stage.
- Foster a collaborative and collegial environment across the technical development team and with cross-functional partners.
Benefits
- Additional compensation awards may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential.
- VF Corporation benefit programs are offered; details are provided during the hiring process.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
